SEMATECH Dictionary of Semiconductor Terms

A-Am | An-Az | B | C-Ch | Ci-Com | Con-Cz | D-De | Df-Dz | E-En | Eo-Ez | F-Fl
Fm-Fz | G | H | I | J-K | L | M-Mes | Met-Mz | N | O | P-Ph | Pi-Pq | Pr-Pz | Q | R
S-Se | Sh-So | Sp-Sta | Ste-Sz | T-Th | Ti-Tz | U-V | W-Z

"Con - Cz "

concentration n		the relative amount of a minority constituent of a mixture to the majority constituent (in, for example, parts per million, parts per billion, or percentage) by either volume or weight. [ASTM F1241]
concentricity n		in dielectrically isolated (DI) wafers, the distance between the center point of the DI wafer and the centerpoint of the photolithographic pattern. [SEMI M22-92]
conceptual architecture n		in a database, a high-level description of an architecture that describes it basic components, functions, relationships, interactions, and underlying principles. [SEMATECH]
conceptual model n		1 : a global view of the enterprise. 2 : a model of entities and their relationships within a database that describes and represents global views.
conceptual schema n		1 : in a database, a schema that describes a conceptual model. [SEMATECH] 2 : the complete description of a schema that describes the entities in an enterprise. It documents all of the entities and their behaviors (semantics) but does not consider run-time details such as performance. The conceptual schema integrates the enterprise by describing-from a global perspective-its relationships and constraints, independent of any single use. [SEMATECH]
conchoidal fracture n		a fracture having smooth convexities and concavities like a clamshell. [SEMATECH] Also see chip.
concurrent design or engineering n		a style of design in which different phases of the design process are executed simultaneously. (The alternative is sequential design, in which one phase of the design must be completed before the next phase can begin.) [1994 National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors ]
condensation nucleus counter (CNC) n		a light-scattering instrument that detects particles in a gaseous stream by condensing supersaturated vapor on the particles. [SEMATECH]
conductivity, electrical n		a measure of the ease with which charge carriers flow in a material; the reciprocal of resistivity. [ASTM F1241]
conductivity type n		of a semiconductor crystal or wafer, a property that identifies the majority charge carrier in the semiconductor. The two types of materials are n-type and p-type. The majority current carriers in n-type material are electrons. The majority current carriers in p-type material are holes. [Adapted from ASTM F1241]
conductor n		a substance through which electricity can readily flow. Contrast insulator. [SEMATECH]
confidence interval (CI) n		upper and lower bounds around an expected value that will, within a certain percentage of confidence, include the expected value. [SEMATECH]
configuration n		the definition of equipment and interfaces necessary for a given application. [SEMATECH]
confocal n		refers to a microscope design with superior abilities to image submicron features on a wafer. [1994 National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors]
conform v		to be similar in form and character and to behave in accordance with prevailing modes or customs. [SEMI S2-93]
conformal coating n		thin, nonconductive film applied to a circuit for environmental or mechanical protection; usually plastic or inorganic. [SEMATECH]
conjugate bridge n		the detector circuit and the supply circuit are interchanged as compared with a normal bridge of the given type. [IEEE]
connected tubs n		in dielectrically isolated (DI) wafers, adjacent tubs that are not completely surrounded by an oxide but are connected by silicon. [SEMI M22-92]
connections n		the physical links to net interconnecting logic units on a given package level, including connections to terminals at that level, that provide connection to the next-higher package level. [SEMATECH]
connectivity n		the capability of forming an operative data link between two units. [SEMATECH]
constant temperature oven n		in the seal testing of fluorocarbon tube fittings, a hot-air oven used to condition the specimens to the specified temperature. [SEMI F12-93]
constructs n		1 : categories of information used to define something. [SEMATECH] 2 : the language from which a model is created and specified. [SEMATECH]
contact n		in an oxide layer, an opening that allows electrical connection between metal and silicon layers. [SEMATECH] Also see window and via.
contact pad n		1 : in a leadless chip carrier or land grid array package, the metallized areas on the bottom of the package that provide contact points between the internal metal traces and connecting external circuitry. They are also used as electrical test pads. [SEMI G5-87] 2 : in packages with brazed leads or pins, such as leaded chip carriers, pin grid arrays and sidebrazed dual inline packages, the pads to which the leads are brazed. [SEMI G39-89] Also see ceramic chip carrier and pin grid array.
container n		a protective transport device for a cassette. [SEMI E19-91] Also called box.
container centroid n		as specified by the container manufacturer; in the absence of any such specification, the location of the cassette centroid within the container. [SEMI E15-91]
container envelope n		a rectangular box with vertical sides that completely contains a container even if the container is tilted. [SEMI E15-91]
contaminant n		1 : an unwanted substance present in the cleanroom or on the product. [SEMATECH] Also see dirt and particulate. 2 : in gallium arsenide technology, surface feature that cannot be removed by the preinspection (nonetching) cleaning. [SEMI M10-90]
contamination n		1 : the presence of particles, chemicals, and other undesirable substances, such as on or in a process tool, in a process liquid, or in a cleanroom environment. [SEMATECH] Also see area contamination and particulate contamination. 2 : three-dimensional foreign material adhering to a package (plastic or ceramic) or leadframe, or parent material displaced from its normal location and similarly adhered. Adherence means that the particle cannot be removed by an air or nitrogen blast at 20 psi. [SEMATECH] Also see stain.
contamination-free manufacturing n		integrated circuit processing without adding contaminants that degrade the electrical performance of a finished die. [SEMATECH]
continuous code n		in the bar code marking of silicon wafers, a bar code symbol in which all spaces within the symbol are parts of characters. There is no intercharacter gap in a continuous code. [SEMI T1-93]
continuous gas-detection system n		a gas-detection system in which the analytical instrument is maintained in continuous operation, and sampling is performed on a cyclical basis at a period not to exceed 30 minutes. [SEMI S2-93]
control v		in communications and control of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, to exercise directing influence. [SEMI E30-94]
control chart n		a graphic representation of a characteristic of a process that shows plotted values of statistical data gathered from that characteristic, a central line, and one or two statistically derived control limits. [EIA 557]
control integration n		the degree to which tools have a common mechanism for invocation, communication, and combination. [SEMATECH]
control limits n		the maximum allowable variation of a process characteristic as a result of common causes alone. Calculated from process data and usually presented as a line (or lines) on a control chart. Not to be confused with engineering specification limits. [EIA 557]
control product n		a sample component that gives consistent, stabilized counts at or below the expected counts from the test components. The product is run periodically in accordance with the test protocol to assure that the system is not contributing particles at significantly unexpected levels. [SEMATECH]
controlled work area n		a space within a building where hazardous production materials may be stored, handled, dispensed, or used. [SEMI F6-92]
convection oven n		an electric oven used for baking and removing moisture from wafers. The heat is transferred by air flow, rather than by direct contact or radiation. [SEMATECH]
conversation n		a sequence of related messages; a series of one or more related transactions used to complete a specific task. A conversation should leave both the originator and the interpreter free of resource commitments at its conclusion. [SEMI E5-92]
conversation timeout n		an indication that a conversation (a sequence of related messages) has not completed properly. A conversation timeout is application dependent. [SEMI E5-92]
COO		see cost of ownership.
coordinate system origin n		in flat panel display, the origin from which dimensions and coordinates are measured. [SEMI D4-94]
coplanarity n		1 : in a leadframe, the total indicator reading (TIR) of the position of all the tips of the bonding fingers in the Z direction. [SEMI G2-94] 2 : of a surface mounted package, the deviation of the tips of the package terminals from the seating plane. [SEMATECH] Also called planarity.
coprocessor n		a processing unit that performs specific functions delegated by the main processor in a computer system. Examples are the graphics coprocessor and the floating point coprocessor. [SEMATECH]
core n		1 : a region of a crystal that has different characteristics from the rest of the crystal, usually higher dopant density. [SEMATECH] 2 : on a polished monocrystalline gadolinium gallium garnet wafer, a material defect caused by nonplanar growth interface. This defect normally is highly stained and misoriented with respect to the surrounding area. [SEMI M7-82]
core equipment set n		a group of individual pieces of equipment that are in close proximity and that perform a commonly used process sequence. Most wafer transport within a core equipment set is automatic. [SEMATECH]
corner cut n		in flat panel display substrates, the removal of the corners of a substrate either by lapping or by grinding. [SEMI D9-94]
Correct Reception		see ACK.
correlation n		the degree of linear relationship between two variables. A simple correlation coefficient falls between -1 and 1. A zero indicates no relationship whatsoever. [SEMATECH]
corrosion rate n		the amount of material removed by a corrosive chemical in unit time at a given temperature, normally expressed in inches per year. [SEMATECH]
corrosive n		a chemical that, when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the method described in the U.S. Department of Transportation in Appendix A to CFR 49 Part 173, destroys or changes irreversibly the structure of the tissue at the site of contact following an exposure period of four hours. This term does not refer to action on inanimate surfaces. [SEMI S4-92]
cost of ownership (COO) n		the total lifetime cost associated with acquisition, installation, and operation of fabrication equipment. [1994 National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors]
cost/resource model (CRM) n		a factory-level model developed by SEMATECH that can estimate total fab, assembly, and test costs. It can model multiple products using multiple processes. Based on a business plan, it performs factory sizing and reports product costs. CRM can perform four types of analyses: step yield modeling, resource planning, product costing, and financial feasibility. [SEMATECH]
counter n		1 : a device that increases or decreases a number or amount. [SEMATECH] 2 : a location in a computer or other machine where information about accumulative events is stored. [SEMATECH]
counting accuracy n		a percentage of the total known countable features on a wafer. Counting accuracy is determined by scanning a wafer with a known pattern of individual scattering centers. [SEMATECH]
count standards n		for particle contribution testing, samples of particles (available only in polystyrene latex at this time) of certifiable concentration and size distribution. [SEMATECH]
Cp		see process capability. (The "p" part of the abbreviation is written with a subscript lowercase letter.)
Cpk		see process capability index. (The "pk" part of the abbreviation is written with subscript lowercase letters.)
crack n		1 : on semiconductor wafers, a cleavage or fracture that extends to the surface and may or may not pass through the entire thickness of the wafer. [ASTM F1241] 2 : of a semiconductor package or solder preform, a cleavage or fracture that extends to the surface. The crack may or may not pass through the entire thickness of the package or preform. [SEMI G61-94] 3 : in flat panel display substrates, a fissure located at the sheet edge or central area. [SEMI D9-94]
cracked bead n		in an ion-exchange resin, a bead (of an ion-exchange resin material) that exhibits a visible crack when viewed at 20X magnification. [SEMATECH]
crater n		on the surface of a slice or wafer, an individually distinguishable bowl-shaped cavity. A crater is visible when viewed under diffused illumination. [SEMATECH]
cratering n		on a slice or wafer, a surface texture of irregular closed ridges with smooth central regions. [ASTM F1241]
creep n		1 : a measurement of the seating action of a regulator, determined by the increase in outlet pressure when flow is decreased from almost zero (0.1% of the maximum rated flow) to zero. 2 : the gradual change in dimensions of an object from prolonged exposure to high temperature or stress. [SEMATECH]
crescents n		structures with parallel major axes, attributed to substrate defects either above or below the surface plane of silicon substrates after epitaxial deposition. [ASTM F1241] Also see fishtails.
criterion-referenced instruction n		a way of organizing and managing instruction in which prespecified performance criteria are achieved by each qualified learner. Also called mastery learning.
critical area n		the area in which the center of a defect must occur to cause a failure or fault. [SEMATECH] Also see fault and fault probability.
critical dimension (CD) n		the width of a patterned line or the distance between two lines, monitored to maintain device performance consistency; that dimension of a specified geometry that must be within design tolerances. [ASTM F127-84] Also see linewidth.
critical path n		in a project, the longest sequence of interdependent activities. The delay of any critical path activity will cause a corresponding delay in completion of the project. [SEMATECH]
critical pressure n		the pressure at which a substance may exist as a gas in equilibrium with the liquid at the critical temperature. [SEMI Chemicals/Gases, Vol. 1, 1990 (no longer in print)]
critical seal area n		on a semiconductor package, the area bounded by the shortest distance from the largest cavity, usually the wire bond cavity, to the edge of the package or ceramic layer forming the seal area. [SEMI G1-85] Contrast noncritical seal area. Also see critical seal path.
critical seal path n		on a semiconductor package, the shortest nominal design distance from the edge of the largest cavity, usually the wire bond cavity, to the edge of the edge of the package or the minimum width of the ceramic layer forming the seal area. [SEMI G61-94] Also see critical seal area. Contrast seal area.
critical temperature n		the temperature above which gas cannot be liquefied by pressure alone. [SEMI Chemicals/Gases, Vol. 1, 1990 (no longer in print)]
CRM . n		see cost/resource model.
. crossbar n		the structure that connects the two sides of a wafer carrier at the bar end of the carrier and is used to align the carrier to processing equipment. [SEMATECH] Also called a bar or an H-bar.
crossbow n		the transverse bowing of a leadframe strip. [SEMI G9-89] Contrast coil set. Also see package.
crosscut technologies n		in the categorization of technologies, specific technologies that are required by several of the primary technologies identified in the National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. For example, metrology is a common need of all the Roadmap's primary technologies required for integrated circuits, thus metrology is a crosscut technology. [1994 National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors]
cross flow boat n		a quartz carrier used to hold wafers at right angles to the flow of gas inside a diffusion furnace. [SEMATECH]
crossover n		1 : a change from one pumping method to another; for example, from a mechanical to a high-vacuum pump. [SEMATECH] 2 : the point on a die at which a conductor crosses over a second conductor without electrical contact. [SEMATECH]
"cross" purge n		a configuration of purging manifold that incorporates three valves and an inlet connection for process gas. The three valves are a regulator isolation valve, a high-pressure side vent valve, and a purge gas inlet valve. Internal passage of the intersection piping between components is in a "cross" pattern. [SEMI Chemicals/Gases, Vol. 1, 1990 (no longer in print)]
crosstalk n		the undesirable addition of one signal to another in a circuit usually caused by coupling through parasitic elements. An example would be inductive or capacitive coupling between adjacent conductors. [1994 National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors]
crossunder n		on a die, the point at which a conductor crosses under a second conductor without making electrical contact. [SEMATECH]
crow's foot n		on a semiconductor wafer, intersecting cracks in a pattern resembling a "crow's foot" Y on {111} surfaces and a cross "+" on {100} surfaces. [ASTM F1241] Also see crystallographic notation.
cryogenic liquid n		a liquid with a boiling point at atmospheric pressure below -150 degrees Celsius. [SEMI C3-94]
cryogenic pump n		equipment that freezes and absorbs gases to create a very high vacuum. [SEMATECH]
cryogenic storage n		a procedure that employs an extremely low-temperature tank to maintain process gases in a liquid form. [SEMATECH]
crystal n		a solid composed of atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in a pattern that is periodic in three dimensions. [ASTM F1241]
crystal defect n		departure from the regular arrangement of atoms in the ideal crystal lattice. [ASTM F1241] Also see damage.
crystal indices		see Miller indices. Also see crystallographic notation.
crystal lattice n		in a crystal, the three-dimensional and repeating pattern of atoms. [SEMATECH]
crystallographic notation n		a symbolism based on Miller indices used to label planes and directions in a crystal as follows: (111) plane [111] direction {111} family of planes <111> family of directions [SEMI M1-94 and ASTM F1241]
crystal originated particle (COP) n		a surface depression that is formed during soft alkaline chemical treatment of silicon wafer surfaces that contain crystal defects at or close to the wafer surface and that scatters light similarly to a very small particle. [ASTM F1241] Also called surface micro defect.
CTE		see coefficient of thermal expansion.
CUB		see central utility building.
cumulative pitch error n		the algebraic sum of pitch errors of a predetermined number of functional patterns. [SEMATECH] Also called closure error. Also see pitch.
current n		in scanning tunneling microscopy, tunnel current, expressed in nanoamperes (nA), that flows across the tip surface gap. [SEMATECH]
customizable adj		pertaining to a program, system, or product constructed to be easily altered to meet the needs of specific users or customers. [SEMATECH]
customize v		to construct or alter a program, system, or product to meet the needs of specific users or customers. [SEMATECH]
cut-back n		the removal of a small amount of leadframe metal from a bonding finger to signify pin number 1. The bonding finger may be shorter or shaped differently from the other fingers. Similarly, shaping of a bond finger metallization in cofired packages also indicates pin number 1. [SEMATECH]
CVD		see chemical vapor deposition.
C-V plotter		see capacitance-to-voltage (CV) plotter.
cyanogen (CNCN) n		a gas formed in some plasma aluminum etchers that combines with the water in the atmosphere to form poisonous hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Its bitter almond odor can be detected at levels below dangerous concentrations. [SEMATECH] Also see dry plasma etch.
cyanogen chloride (CNCl) n		a poisonous gas formed in some plasma aluminum etchers. Its odor is detectable at the threshold limit value. [SEMATECH] Also see dry plasma etch.
cybernetics n		the science of communications and control theory that deals with automatic control systems in living organisms and mechanical-electrical communications. [SEMATECH]
cycle (equipment)		see equipment cycle.
cycle life n		for valves, a composite of two characteristics: catastrophic valve failure, which is a single value, and degraded performance, which is a plot of test gas leak rate versus cycles. [SEMATECH]
cycle time n		the length of time required for a wafer to complete a specified process or set of processes. [SEMATECH] Also see equipment cycle, minimum theoretical cycle time, and theoretical cycle time.
cycling test n		in particle contribution testing, a test performed to determine the effect of valve cycling on valve particle contribution. [SEMATECH]
cylinder n		a pressure vessel designed for pressures higher than 276 kPa absolute and having a circular cross-section. It does not include a portable tank, multiunit tank, car tank, cargo tank, or tank car. [Adapted from SEMI F13-93]
cylinder pressure n		pressure contained in a gas cylinder prior to regulation. [SEMI C3-94]
cylinder tare weight n		containers that are stamped to denote the weight of the container or the weight of the container and the valve less the product. This weight does not include the weight of any protective cylinder cap. [SEMI C3-94]
cylinder valve n		a valve specifically designed for use on portable gas cylinders. [SEMI F4-90]
cylinder valve outlet plug n		a plug threaded into or over the outlet-port threads of a cylinder valve to seal the port in case of valve leakage and to seal out contamination. [SEMI International Standards 1990, Vol. 1, Glossary]
cylinder valve protective device n		a cover or collar that surrounds or protects a cylinder valve from external abuse or damage. [SEMI International Standards 1990, Vol. 1, Glossary]

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