A SOFTWARE MODELING ENVIRONMENT FOR VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING OF SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION EQUIPMENT

APPLICATION OF SIMULATION AND MODELLING TO THE DESIGN OF SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION EQUIPMENT WILL REDUCE DEVELOPMENT TIME AND COSTS AND PROMOTE INNOVATION IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING. THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF AN INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENT FOR VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING OF THIS EQUIPMENT. USING THIS SOFTWARE, DESIGNERS CAN PERFORM CRITICAL MODELLING AND DESIGN TRADES PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION OF A PHYSICAL PROTOTYPE SYSTEM. THE VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING SOFTWARE WILL INCLUDE AN INTUITIVE USER INTERFACE, DESIGN DATABASE, AND PROVIDE USER-FRIENDLY ACCESS TO EXISTING TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS OF GAS FLOWS, HEAT TRANSFER, CHEMICAL REACTIONS, PARTICLE TRANSPORT, SYSTEM CONTROL, MECHANICAL DESIGN AND RELIABILITY. THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THIS PHASE I PROJECT ARE TO SHOW THAT SUCH A SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENT IS FEASIBLE AND TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION IN PHASE II. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS - THE VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING ENVIRONMENT WILL REDUCE THE COSTS OF SEMICONDUCTORS TO THE DOD BY MAKING DEVELOPMENT OF SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION EQUIPMENT FASTER AND LESS COSTLY. NEW CONCEPTS CAN BE TESTED MORE EASILY AND QUICKLY, SPURRING INNOVATION. THE PROGRAM WILL HAVE WIDE APPLICABILITY TO DESIGNERS OF FABRICTION EQUIPMENT FOR BOTH MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS.