Semiconductor Acronyms

Semiconductor Acronyms

AES: Auger emission spectroscopy; Auger electron spectroscopy
AFM: atomic force microscopy
AHU: air handling unit
Al: Aluminum
ALCVD: atomic layer chemical vapor deposition
ALD: atomic layer deposition
ALE: atomic layer epitaxy; application logic element
ANSI: American National StandardsInstitute
APCVD: atmospheric pressure chemicalvapor deposition
aPSM or APSM: attenuating phase shiftmask
Ar: argon
AR: aspect ratio
ARC: antireflective coating
ArF: Argon Fluoride (excimer far UV laser emitting at 193 nm wavelength)
As: arsenic
ASIC: application-specific integrated circuit
ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
ATE: automatic test equipment
Au: gold
B: billion; boron
BARC: backside antireflective coating
BED: Boron Enhanced Diffusion
BEOL: back end-of-line
BGA: ball grid array
BiCMOS: bipolar complementary metaloxide semiconductor
BILLI: buried implanted layer for lateral isolation
BIST: built-in self test
BLD: beam lead device
BOE: buffered oxide etchant
BOX: buried oxide
BPSG: boro phosphosilicate
BST: barium strontium titanate
BTAB: bumped tape automated bonding BV: breakdown voltage
C-to-C: cassette-to-cassette
CAIBE: chemically assisted ion beam etching
CARL: chemically amplified resist lithography
CAWC: cryogenic aerosol wafer cleaning
CBE: chemical beam epitaxy
CCD: charge-coupled device
CD: critical dimension
CDA: clean dry air
CDI: collector-diffusion isolation
CDO: controlled decomposition/oxidation
CDSEM: critical dimension scanning electron microscopy
CEL: Contrast Enhancement Layer
CFC: chlorofluorocarbon
CFM: contamination-free manufacturing
CGA: Compressed Gas Association
CIC: cleanroom interface chamber
CMOS: complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
CMP: chemical mechanical planarization; chemical mechanical polishing
CNT: carbon nanotube
CoO: cost of ownership
COPS: crystal oriented pits
CRM: cost/resource model
CSP: chip-scale package
CTE: coefficient of thermal expansion
Cu: copper
CV: capacitance-to-voltage
CV-BTS: capacitance-to-voltage biased thermal stress
CVD: chemical vapor deposition
CZ: Czochralski process
DARPA: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (see ARPA)
DCS: dichlorosilane
DF: darkfield
DHF: dilute hydrofluoric acid
DI: deionized; dielectric isolation
DIP: dual inline package
DIW: deionized water
DLBI: device level burn-in
DLT: device level test
DLTS: deep level transient spectroscopy
DOE: design of experiments
DOF: depth of field; depth of focus
DOE: design of experiments
DRAM: dynamic random access memory
DRIE: deep reactive ion etching
DSWB: direct step-on-wafer
DUT: device under test
DUV: deep ultraviolet
E-beam: electron beam
EBIC: electron beam-induced current
EBL: electron beam lithography
ECC: error control coding
ECO: engineering change order; edge control only
ECP: electrochemical plating
ECR: electron cyclotron resonance
EDA: electronic design automation
EDS: energy-dispersive spectroscopy; electron-dispersive spectroscopy
EDX: energy-dispersive X ray
EFEM: equipment front end module
ELF: extremely low frequency
EM: Electro-Migration
EMF: electromagnetic field
EMI: electromagnetic interference
EMO: emergency off
EMP: electromagnetic pulse
EOS: electrical overstress
EPL: electron projection lithography
EPO: emergency power off
ESD: electrostatic discharge
EUV: extreme ultraviolet
EUVL: extreme ultraviolet lithography
F: fluorine
FBGA: fine pitch ball grid array
FC: flip chip
FE: finite element; field emission
FEOL: front end-of-line
FESEM: field emission scanning electron microscope/microscopy
F/I: final inspect
FIB: focused ion beam
FIFO: first-in, first-out
FOSB: front opening shipping box
FOUP: front opening unified pod
FOV: field of view
FOX: field oxide
FPGA: field-programmable gate array
FRACAS: Failure Reporting, Analysis, and Corrective Action System
FSG: fused silica glass; fluorinated silicate glass
FTIR: Fourier transform infrared
FWHM: full-width half-maximum
FZ: float zone
GCMS: gas chromatography mass spectroscopy
GSI: giga-scale integration
HARI: high aspect ratio inspection
HAZCOM: Hazard Communication Standard
HBT: heterojunction bipolar transistor
HCI: hot carrier injection
HCM: hollow cathode magnetron
HDP: high density plasma
HDP-CVD: high density plasma chemical vapor deposition
HDPE: high density polyethylene
He: helium
HEMT: high electron mobility transistor
HEPA: high efficiency particulate air
HF: hydrofluoric acid
HiPOx: high-pressure oxidation
HMDS: hexamethyldisilizane
HOSP: hybrid organic siloxane polymer (low k dielectric)
HPCVD: high pressure chemical vapor deposition
HPLC: high performance liquid chromatography
HRTEM: high resolution transmission electron microscopy
HSQ: hydrogen silsesquioxane
HTO: high temperature oxidation
HVAC: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
I300I: International 300 mm Initiative
IC: integrated circuit; Investment Council; ion chromatography
ICB-CVD: ion cluster beam chemical vapor deposition
ICP: inductively-coupled plasma
ICW: industrial city water
IDEAL: initiating, diagnosing, establishing, acting, leveraging
IDLH: immediately dangerous to life or health
IG: intrinsic gettering
IGBT: insulated-gate bipolar transistor
IGFET: insulated-gate field-effect transistor
II: ion implant (also I2)
ILD: interlevel dielectric; interlayer dielectric
IMD: intermetal dielectric
IMEC: Inter-university Micro-Electronics Centre (Leuven, Belgium)
IP: intellectual property
IPA: isopropyl alcohol
IPL: ion projection lithography
IR: infrared
ISMT: International SEMATECH
ITO: indium tin oxide
ITRS: International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
JEDEC: Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
JEIDA: Japanese Electronic Industries Development Association
JI: junction isolation
JIT: just-in-time
KGD: known good die
KrF: krypton fluoride (excimer uv laser emitting 248 nm wavelength)
LCC: leaded chip carrier, lifecycle costing
LCL: lower confidence limit
LDD: lightly doped drain
LDL: lower detection limit
LDP: low density plasma
LDPE: low density polyethylene
LEC: liquid encapsulated Czochralski crystal
LEED: low-energy electron diffraction
LEL: lower explosive limit
LID: leadless inverted device
LIFO: last in, first out
LIGA: Lithographie Galvanoformung Abformung
LIMS: laser-induced mass spectrometry
LKDM: low k dielectric material
LLCC: leadless chip carrier
LOCOS: local oxidation of silicon
LPCVD: low pressure chemical vapor deposition
LPE: liquid phase epitaxy
LSE: latex sphere equivalent
LSI: large-scale integration
LTO: low-temperature oxidation (or oxide)
LTV: local thickness variation
LVDT: linear voltage differential transducer; linear variable displacement transducer; linear variable differential transformer
MBE: molecular beam Epitaxy
MCBF: mean cycles between failures
MCM: multichip module; manufacturing cycle management
MEMS: microelectromechanical system
MESFET: metal-semiconductor field effect transistor
MFC: mass flow controller
MIC: monolithic integrated circuit
MIM: metal-insulator-metal
MIS: metal insulator silicon; metal insulator semiconductor
MLM: multilevel metal
MMIC: monolithic microwave integrated circuit
MOCVD: metal-organic chemical vapor deposition
MODFET: modulation-doped field-effect transistor
MOS: metal-oxide semiconductor
MOS-C: metal oxide semiconductor capacitor
MOSFET: metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor
MOVPE: metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy
mp: melting point
MRS: Materials Research Society
MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet
MSI: medium-scale integration; manufacturing support item
MTBA: mean time between assists
MTBF: mean time between failures
MTTF: mean time to failure
MTTR: mean time to repair
MW: molecular weight
N: nitrogen
Na: sodium
NA: numerical aperture
NDA: nondisclosure agreement
NDT: nondestructive testing
NGL: next generation lithography
NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology
NTRS: National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
O: oxygen
OAI: off-axis illumination
OBIC: optical beam induced current
OD: outside diameter; optical density
ODS: ozone-depleting substances
OEIC: optoelectronic integrated circuit
OEM: original equipment manufacturer
OFA: oil-free air
OL: objective lens, overlay
OLED: organic light emitting diode
OMVPE: organometallic vapor phase epitaxy
OPC: optical particle counter; optical proximity correction
OSF: Open Systems Foundation, oxidation-induced stacking fault
OSG: organosilicate glass
Ox: oxide
P: phosphorous
PAB: post apply bake
PAC: photoactive compound
PAG: photoacid generator
PCB: printed circuit board
PCMP: post chemical-mechanical polishing
PCW: process cooling water
PEB: post-exposure bake
PECVD: plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
PEL: permissible exposure level (limit)
PFA: perfluoroalkoxy
PFC: perfluorocompound; perfluorocarbon
PFPE: perfluorinated polyether
PGA: pin grid array
PGMEA: propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate
PI: proportional integral
PID: proportional integral derivative; process-induced defect
PIP: process-induced particles
PLCC: plastic leaded chip carrier
PM: particle monitor; preventive maintenance; process module
PMMA: polymethyl methacrylate
PMT: photomultiplier tube
POU: point-of-use
PP: polypropylene
PPE: personal protective equipment
PPGA: plastic pin grid array
PSG: phosphosilicate glass; phosphorus doped silicon glass
PSL: polystyrene latex
PSLS: polystyrene latex sphere
PSM: phase shifting mask; phase shift mask
PTC: pre- and post-process treatment chambers
PTFE: polytetrafluorethylene; Teflon
PVA: polyvinylacetate
PVC: polyvinylchloride
PVD: physical vapor deposition
PVDF: polyvinylidene fluoride
PZT: lead zirconium titanate
QBD: charge to breakdown
QCM: quartz crystal microbalance
QDR: quick dump rinse
QFP: quad flat pack
QFPN: quad flat pack nonleaded
RBB: base sheet resistance
RBS: refractive backscattering; Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy
RF: radio frequency; resonance frequency
RFI: request for information; radio frequency interference
RFP: request for plan; request for proposal; radio frequency probe
RFQ: request for quote
RGA: residual gas analysis
RH: relative humidity
RHEED: reflecting (reflected) high energy electron diffraction
RIBE: reactive ion beam etching
RIE: reactive ion etch
RO: reverse osmosis
ROI: return on investment
RS: sheet resistance
RT: room temperature
RTA: rapid thermal anneal
RTD: resistance temperature detector
RTO: rapid thermal oxidation;
regenerative thermal oxidizer RTP: rapid thermal processing (or processor)
Sb: antimony
SBIR: Small Business Innovative Research
SC1: Standard Clean 1
SC2: Standard Clean 2
SCA: surface charge analysis
SCALPEL: scattering with aperture limited projection lithography
SCBA: self-contained breathing apparatus
SCF: super critical fluid
SCFH: standard cubic feet per hour
SCP: single chip package
SCR: silicon controlled rectifier
S/D: source/drain
SECS: Semiconductor Equipment Communications Standard
SEG: selective epitaxial growth
SEM: scanning electron microscopy; specific equipment model
SEMI: Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International
SIA: Semiconductor Industry Association
SiGe: silicon-germanium
SiLK: silicon low-k
SIMOX: separation by implantation of oxygen
SIMS: secondary ion mass spectroscopy
SiON: silicon oxynitride
SLAM: scanning laser acoustic microscopy; single layer alumina metallization
SLSI: super large scale integration
SMD: surface mount device
SMIF: standard mechanical interface
SMT: surface mount technology
SO: small outline (package)
SOC: system on a chip; silicon-on-chip
SOD: spin-on dielectric
SOG: spin-on glass
SOI: silicon on insulator
SOIC: small outline integrated circuit
SOJ: small outline j-bend
SOP: small outline gull wing
SOP: standard operating procedure
SOS: silicon on sapphire
SPC: statistical process control
SPICE: simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis
SPM: scanning probe microscopy; sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide mixture
SRC: Semiconductor Research Corporation
SSI: small scale integration
STEL: short-term exposure limit
STI: shallow trench isolation
STM: scanning tunneling microscopy
SWP: single wafer processing
TAB: Technical Advisory Board; tape automated bonding
TBD: time to breakdown
TC: time constant; temperature coefficient; thermocouple
TCE: temperature coefficient of expansion
TDDB: time-dependent dielectric breakdown
TEM: transmission electron microscopy; transverse electromagnetic
TEOS: tetraethoxysilane; tetraethylorthosilicate; tetraethelorthosilicate; tetrethoxysilicide
TFE: tetrafluorethylene
TFSMS: thin films stress measurement system
TFT: thin film transistors
THC: total hydrocarbon
TiN: titanium nitride
TLV: threshold limit value
TLV-STEL: threshold limit value-short term exposure limit
TLV/TWA: threshold limit value/timeweighted average
TMAH: tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide
TMP: trimethylphosphate, turbomolecular pump
TOC: total organic carbon; total oxidizable carbon
TPG: test pattern generation
TSOP: thin small outline package
UCL: upper confidence limit; upper control limit
UEL: upper explosive limit
UHP: ultra-high purity
UHV: ultra-high vacuum
ULK: ultra low-k
ULPA: ultra-low particulate air
ULSI: ultra large-scale integration
UPDIW: ultra-pure deionized water
UPW: ultrapure water
USG: undoped silica glass
USOP: ultra small outline package
UV: ultraviolet
VASE: variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry
VCSEL: vertical cavity surface emitting laser
VDP: Van der Pauw
VHSIC: very high-speed integrated circuit
VLSI: very large-scale integration
VOC: volatile organic compound
VPE: vapor phase epitaxy
VUV: vacuum ultra-violet
WDS: wavelength-dispersive spectrometry of X-rays
WIB: within-batch
WIP: work in process; work in progress
WIW: within-wafer
WLBI: wafer-level burn-in
WLT: wafer-level test
WPH: wafers per hour
WSI: wafer-scale integration
WSPW: wafer starts per week
XPS: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
XRD: X-ray diffraction
XRF: X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
XRL: X-ray lithography