A process control methodology applied to manufacturing GaAs MMIC's

• Published in: IEEE transactions on semiconductor manufacturing Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 304 - 311
• Main Authors: Moran, P.W., Elliott, S.S., Wylie, N., Henderson, R.M., del Alamo, J.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.11.1991; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Application specific integrated circuits; Applied sciences; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Gallium arsenide; Integrated circuit measurements; Lithography; Manufacturing processes; Microwave integrated circuits; Microwave theory and techniques; MMICs; Monolithic integrated circuits; Process control; Gallium Arsenides; Methodology; Lithography; Process control; Microwave circuit; Traveling wave; Manufacturing; Limit; Amplifier; Monolithic integrated circuit
• ISSN: 0894-6507; 1558-2345
• DOI: 10.1109/66.97814

A methodology for guiding process-driven manufacturing organizations in instituting process control on a facility-wide basis is proposed. The methodology begins with defining a specific process and the customer's expectations of this process, then increases control over the process through four levels: measurable, predictable, acceptable, and recoverable. An application of this methodology to the control of submicron-gate lithography on a GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) process is discussed. Experience suggests that the realization of process control is as much a managerial problem as it is a technical one. This application suggests that the proposed methodology serves as a useful conceptual guideline for operators, engineers, and managers in uniformly applying a wide variety of process control tools.< >