Semiconductor production is a delicate task that demands precision and coordination in all aspects.
Product quality and yield depend on strict control in manufacturing, facilities, tooling, process or operation.
However, one of the fundamental pillars in achieving these goals is the advanced environmental control provided by cleanroom technologies.
Microscopic particles can adversely affect semiconductor functionality, as even a tiny particle can interfere with manufacturing processes and affect the integrity of the final product.
In this article, we will focus on the design of semiconductor production facilities and devices.
Effective planning begins with the customer’s active participation and commitment to cooperation, requiring a thorough dialogue between both parties on design starting points is essential.
From these the planning “bible” is constructed, what is known as the Equipment Utility Matrix, a crucial tool for defining the function of each piece of process equipment and associated media in the cleanroom environment, and upon which the rest of the design is built.
Once the requirements have been defined, the layout that the cleanroom should follow is considered.
In the construction of semiconductor clean rooms, three different layouts are used:
1. Clean room "ballroom
Or ballroom, which is used when large, open production areas are required that can be reconfigured during the life of the facility to accommodate new products and production techniques.
2. "Service area with chases cleanroom".
This type of room has a specific area for services and conduits that can be configurable, ensuring that additional equipment and services can be installed without compromising the purity of the controlled environment necessary for semiconductor manufacturing.
3. Clean room "mini environment
Provides for a smaller, more specific environment within the cleanroom.
This term indicates the existence of particular controlled conditions within that area, with the purpose of satisfying more specific requirements for certain processes or sensitive equipment.
It is like creating a smaller, controlled environment within the main cleanroom.
Although each has its advantages and disadvantages, experience in cleanroom construction leads to a general recommendation of the “Service area with chases cleanroom” solution, as it maintains the reconfiguration capability, essential in today’s changing technology or process environments.
To implement the necessary infrastructures in its operation, a three-level layout per building is usually considered, where a lower area will be established to act as a basement and storage area, an intermediate area where the clean rooms are located and where the bulk of the operation is carried out, and an upper area where the technical infrastructure and all the machinery is managed.
It is necessary to consider that in a building dedicated to house clean rooms it will be necessary to maintain always active the equipment that is responsible for controlling temperatures and pressures, elimination of chemical waste, quality and gas detectors, compressed air, electricity, deionized water or centralized vacuum systems, so we will be facing a real labyrinth of infrastructures.
All of the above, as complex as it may seem, barely covers a fragment of the design of semiconductor production facilities, because beyond the above, aspects such as equipment connections, contamination, even at the molecular level, electromagnetic interference, the type of lighting required for each room or vibrations, a fundamental aspect where the slightest displacement can disrupt the entire production chain, must be considered.
As can be seen, all of these elements significantly impact the planning and cost of a semiconductor production facility, so it is crucial that all projects keep in mind that the design phase will be crucial and must be done with clarity of thought and informed judgment given the numerous concepts and variations available in the design of semiconductor production facilities.
Esa Högel - Valtria Swiss
Regional Business Development Manager for Germany, Scandinavia and Switzerland.
Degree in Economics, Process Engineer, EUR.ING (FEANI).
