JUNE 2–SAN JOSE, Calif.–SEMI has published 13 new technical standards relating to important aspects of semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing.

The new standards, developed by industry experts from equipment suppliers, device manufacturers and other companies participating in the SEMI International Standards Program, are available for purchase in CD-ROM format or can be downloaded from the SEMI website, www.semi.org.

SEMI Standards are published three times a year. The 13 new standards, part of the July 2003 (0703) publication cycle, join more than 620 standards that have been published by SEMI during the past 30 years.

Included in the new standards are best practices for welding of fluid distribution systems in wafer fabs, provisional specifications for XML message structures, guidelines for calculating overall factory efficiency (OFE) and measurement methods for optical characteristics of flat panel display backlight units.

“Standards are critical for reducing costs, speeding time to market and spurring development of new markets and technologies,” said Bruce Gehman, vice president, standards and chief technology officer, SEMI. “We are pleased to be able to introduce these 13 new specifications that will provide further cost savings and economies of scale for the semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing industries.”

The standards released today include:

* SEMI D33-0703 – Measuring Method of Optical Characteristics for Backlight Unit
* SEMI D34-0703 – Test Method for Measurement of FPD Polarizing Films
* SEMI E122.1-0703 – Specification for SECS-II Protocol for Tester Specific Equipment Model (TSEM)
* SEMI E123.1-0703 – Specification for SECS-II Protocol for Handler Specific Equipment Model (HSEM)
* SEMI E124-0703 – Provisional Guideline for Definition and Calculation of Overall Factory Efficiency (OFE) and Other Associated Factory-Level Productivity Metrics
* SEMI E125-0703 – Provisional Specification for Equipment Self Description (ESD)
* SEMI E126-0703 – Provisional Specification for Equipment Quality Information Parameters (EQIP)
* SEMI E127-0703 – Specification for Integrated Measurement Module Communications: Concepts, Behavior, and Services (IMMC) Table of Contents
* SEMI E128-0703 – Provisional Specification for XML Message Structures
* SEMI F77-0703 – Test Method for Electrochemical Critical Pitting Temperature Testing of Alloy Surfaces Used in Corrosive Gas Systems
* SEMI F78-0703 – Practice for Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) Welding of Fluid Distribution Systems in Semiconductor Manufacturing Applications
* SEMI F79-0703 – Guideline for Gas Compatibility with Silicon Used in Gas Distribution Components
* SEMI M23.6-0703 – Specification for Round 150 mm Polished Monocrystalline Indium Phosphide Wafers (notched)