Robert Z. Bachrach

Productivity modeling of semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Optimizing a semiconductor wafer fab requires balancing technology and productivity. Recent work on productivity modeling is described and the authors focus on discrete event simulation models of unitary tool, modules, and whole fab. In addition, some related cost-modeling aspects are presented. The Applied Materials Turbo Modules Environment is reviewed. Turbo-Modules Unitary Tool Models (UTM) were developed for determining a configured tools performance, and the Tool Group Models (TGM) were developed for exploring module and fab modeling. Turbo-Modules is based on AutoSimulations, Inc. (ASI) AutoSched APs open architecture and a customized graphical user interface (GUI). The presentation provides a case study performed to analyze the loss of accuracy in a tool group model by modeling unitary tools as black box. Some fab cost modeling is discussed.

Fredrick C. Brown, Soft X-ray Science Pioneer: Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project—The First Years, 1973–1975

Frederick Calvin Brown (1924–2011) pioneered soft X-ray science and enabling instrumentation. A personal recollection is here presented [1] of the story of two worlds in 1973–1975, in which Fred led the initiative which created the foundation for significant scientific contributions enabled by new instrumentation. One world was the industrial sponsorship by the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center under the leadership of Dr. George Pake of our research group in the General Science Lab and the funding, in the other world, of the development at the Stanford Synchrotron Research Project of the 4° Beamline, the worlds first dedicated synchrotron source for Soft X-ray Science.