July 16, 2009 – Here’s a quick rundown of the salient points made during this week’s closed-door ISMI session:

– Still on the clock. ISMI is maintaining its focus on planning “a cost-effective 450mm transition,” noting that there has been no public change in the desire from the big three devicemaking 450mm proponents (Intel, Samsung, and TSMC) to have 450mm pilot line capabilities by 2012. So, ISMI has busily made progress in building 450mm infrastructure by working closely with devicemakers and suppliers of process/metrology equipment, factory integration components, and silicon.

– Equipment selections, test wafers in 3Q

The SEMATECH subsidiary says it is now loaning 450mm single-crystal mechanical grade silicon wafers, and supplier information turns have started to improve wafer quality.
Supplier selections have been completed for six critical process and metrology equipment required to initiate generation of 450mm test wafers, and >60 suppliers have been engaged to identify and realize additional test wafer capabilities. 450mm equipment will begin generating and distributing test wafers in 3Q09. Multiple suppliers have begun developing 450mm mainframes to enable development of chamber-based processes. Equipment performance metrics for 60 tool types have been developed with inputs from process and metrology equipment suppliers, based upon ITRS specifications for 32nm and 22nm process generations.

– Progress in interfaces, carrier standards

ISMI’s 450mm Interoperability Test Bed, working in conjunction with carrier, loadport, and equipment frontend module suppliers, has accelerated the progress of physical interfaces and carrier standards, conducted reliability testing of factory integration components, and validated standards concepts. Key milestones achieved include eliminating factory integration options and alignment on wafer pitch.

– 300mm-equivalent energy, water, emissions

Environmental performance targets are equivalent to 300mm on a per-wafer basis for energy and water use, and air emissions, ISMI says, and it has developed strategies to realize these goals.