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

"E - En "

earth port n		European term for an equipment ground. [SEMI E33-94]
E-bit (end-bit) n		in a header for message transfer, a bit that identifies the last block of a message. [SEMI E4-91]
ECO		abbreviation for engineering change order. See change order.
ECR		see electron cyclotron resonance.
edge bead n		1 : a residual resist that remains on the edge of a substrate after the application process. [SEMATECH] 2 : a thin (3 mm) ring at the edge of the wafer in which photoresist is selectively removed by solvent or exposure. [SEMATECH]
edge chip		see chip.
edge contour		see edge profile.
edge crown n		an increase of epitaxial layer thickness around the periphery of the wafer arising from differences in deposition rate. [SEMATECH]
edge effect n		localized structure about the edge of a specimen. [ASTM F1241]
edge exclusion n		wafer layout in which the periphery of the wafer is not used in recognition of the low yields obtained there. [1994 National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors]
edge indent n		in dielectrically isolated (DI) wafers, an edge defect that extends from the front surface to the back surface. [SEMI M22-92]
edge perimeter distance n		in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the distance from the edge of a wafer in a wafer carrier to the top face of the wafer carrier. [SEMI E1-86]
edge profile n		on edge contoured wafers (whose edges have been shaped chemically or mechanically), a description of the contour of the boundary of the wafer that joins the front and back surfaces. [SEMI M1-94 and ASTM F1241] Also called edge contour.
edge raggedness n		the subjective impression of irregular deviations of a visual edge from an intended smooth curve or straight line, such as an etched pattern. [SEMATECH]
edge sensor n		a sensor on automatic test equipment that determines the location of the edge of the wafer. [SEMATECH]
effective die attach area n		in cofired ceramic packages, an area in the die attach cavity that is not excluded from most of the requirements of flatness and metallization coverage. Typically, an area around the periphery of the die attach cavity (the width of which is agreed upon between customer and supplier) is excluded from these requirements and reduces the effective die attach area from the nominal cavity size. [SEMATECH] Contrast with die attach area.
effective electrical contact radius (cm) n		of a spreading resistance probe assembly, an empirical quantity a defined by the following equation: [ASTM F1241]
effective layer thickness n		in the manufacture of silicon epitaxial wafers, the depth from the front surface in which the net carrier density is within the specified limits. [SEMI M2-94]
effective wire bond area		see lead flat surface. Also see coined area.
EFV		see excess flow valve.
electrical die n		in dielectrically isolated (DI) wafers, an identifiable, repetitive, monolithic combination of tubs and polysilicon areas surrounded by a grid border that, when packaged, becomes a component. [SEMI M22-92]
electrical resistivity		see resistivity.
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) n		the ability of electronic equipment to function properly with respect to environmental electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge. [SEMI E33-94]
electromagnetic interference (EMI) n		any electrical signal in the nonionizing (suboptical) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with the potential to cause an undesired response in electronic equipment. [SEMI E33-94]
electromigration (EM or EMG) n		the self-diffusion of metal along interconnects, caused by the current flow through the metal. [SEMATECH]
electron beam lithography n		a direct-write lithography technique using a beam of electrons to expose resist on a wafer. [SEMATECH]
electron beam masks n		1 : image mask used in conjunction with E-beam exposure tools; generally of two types: stencil, which is used with proximity E-beam and cell projection tools, and scatterer, which is used with projection E-beam tools (for example, SCALPEL). [SEMATECH] 2 : a photomask produced on an E-beam mask writer to differentiate from a mask produced with other tools. [SEMATECH]
electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) n		a technology that uses a high-frequency microwave energy source to create a plasma in a confined region using a magnetic field for the purpose of etching and deposition. [SEMATECH]
electronic performance support system (EPSS) n		a computer-based interactive system, usually located near a specific workstation, designed to provide tutorials, instructions, reference information, and troubleshooting aids to guide a worker while performing a job task. [SEMATECH]
electron shower n		a neutralizing technique for ion implantation in which electrons are added to a positive ion beam to achieve electrical neutrality on the exposed wafer. [SEMATECH]
electropolish (EP) n		treatment that electrochemically alters the surface of a metal. When electropolish is applied to 316L stainless steel, the surface becomes enriched with chromium, and a minor amount of fine polishing of the surface roughness occurs. [SEMATECH]
electrostatic chuck (ESC) n		a mechanism for holding wafers using electrostatic attraction. [SEMATECH]
electrostatic discharge (ESD) n		1 : a sudden electric current flow, such as between a human body and a metal oxide semiconductor semiconductor, with potential damage to the component. [SEMATECH] 2 : the transfer of electrostatic charge between bodies at different electrostatic potentials. [SEMI E33-94]
electrostatic plotter n		an output device that uses static electrical energy to draw a graphic representation of data on paper. [SEMATECH]
electrostatic properties n		1 : surface and/or volumetric material properties that allow dissipation or accumulation of static charge. [SEMATECH] 2 : the ability of a material, when grounded, to dissipate a charge induced onto the surface of that material. [SEMI G60-94]
element n		1 : in cofired ceramic packages, part of a semiconductor package feature. For example, package leads have braze paddle/stand-off and contact elements, and pins have the nail head/braze area and contact elements. [SEMI G61-94] 2 : in a bar code, a single bar or space. [SEMI T1-93] 3 : a fundamental chemical building block of the universe that is chemically or physically indivisible into any substance with differing properties. [SEMATECH]
ELF-sensitive equipment n		any equipment for which performance is adversely affected by extremely low frequency magnetic fields, such as a scanning electron microscope. [SEMI E33-94]
ellipsometer n		equipment used to measure the thickness and refractive index of dielectric films. [SEMATECH]
ellipticity n		in optics, of elliptically polarized light, the angle X given by the inverse tangent of the ratio of the minor to the major axis of the ellipse described by the electric vector of the light. [ASTM F1241]
eluent n		in the ionic contamination testing of semiconductor leadframes, the solvent used to carry the extracted ions through the ion exchange chromatograph. [SEMI G59-94]
EM or EMG		see electromigration.
EMC		see electromagnetic compatibility.
embedded abrasive grains n		abrasive particles mechanically forced into the surface of the wafer. [SEMI M10-89]
emergency off (EMO) n		fail safe control switch or circuit that, when de-energized, will stop the operation of associated equipment and will shut off all potential hazards outside the main power enclosure. [SEMI E20-91]
emergency off circuit (EMO) n		in facilities and safety, a control circuit that, when deactivated, places the equipment into a safe shutdown condition and will restrict all hazardous potentials to the main power enclosure. This is a condition in which all hazardous voltage has been removed from the equipment, all hazardous production materials flow has been stopped, any radiation sources have been de-energized or totally contained, any capacitors have been grounded, all moving parts stopped, internal and external heat sources shut off, and the equipment presents minimum hazard to personnel or the facility. [Adapted from SEMI S2-93]
EMI		see electromagnetic interference.
EMO interface n		the location at which a process or cassette module EMO cable is connected into the cluster tool circuit. [SEMI E20-91]
enabled adj		refers to one of the two major SECS communication states (enabled and disabled). The enabled state has two substates, communicating and not communicating. In the enabled state, the equipment will periodically attempt to establish communication with a host computer or uphold communications with the host. [SEMI E30-94]
encapsulation n		1 : in packaging, the process of sealing or covering a circuit for mechanical and environmental protection. [SEMATECH] 2 : in computer software systems, a technique in which data is packaged with its corresponding procedures. In object-oriented technology, the mechanism for encapsulation is the object. [SEMATECH]
enclosed interface n		any port that cannot satisfy the minimum requirements of clearance to obstructions without sacrificing the port's technical performance (such as a vacuum loadlock). [SEMI E15-91]
enclosure n		in minienvironments, a physical barrier between the localized environment and its surroundings. [SEMI E44-95]
enclosure port n		in semiconductor manufacturing facilities, the physical boundary of the apparatus through which electromagnetic fields may radiate or impinge. [SEMI E33-94]
enclosures n		1 : ventilated enclosure, an enclosed or partially enclosed space not designed for human occupancy, having a ventilation system that is capable of capturing and directing 100% of the released toxic gas into a discharge system. 2 : nonroutine access enclosure, an enclosure that is not routinely opened more than once a week for operational or maintenance purposes. 3 : access enclosure, an enclosure that meets the preceding criteria when it is closed but that also provides adequate face velocity to control exposure when the door/access panel is opened for maintenance or process adjustment. 4 : vacuum pump enclosure, an enclosure around a vacuum pump or other process that has no high pressure component or systems, resulting in a lower control velocity requirement. Heat exhaust requirements can generally provide the necessary control. [SEMI S2-93]
end n		either wall of a wafer carrier that is parallel to the wafer plane. [SEMI E2-93] Also see bar end and end wall.
end-to-end wafer transfer n		the pair of point-to-point wafer transfers required to transfer a wafer from a port resource of an attached module to another. [SEMATECH]
end effector n		in cluster tools, a physical location attached to a transport resource, capable of holding a wafer during an end-to-end material transfer. [SEMATECH]
end slot to other end slot n		in quartz and high-temperature wafer carriers, the center line of the first slot to the center line of the slot on the other end. [SEMI E2-86]
end wall n		the wall of a wafer carrier opposite the bar end of the wafer carrier. [SEMI E1-93]
energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer n		a detector used to determine which elements are present in a sample by analyzing X-ray fluorescence for energy levels that are characteristic of each element. [SEMATECH]
engineering change order (ECO)		see change order.
engineering drawing		see composite drawing.
engineering state		one of the six equipment states or conditions; a period of engineering time during which equipment is in a condition to perform its intended function but is operated for the purpose of conducting engineering experiments. No equipment or process problems exist. [SEMI E10-92]
engineering time n		total time for which the equipment is not able to perform its intended function because of incoming out-of-spec material, process enhancement, and process training; includes engineering time and characterization/experiments. [SEMI E10-92]
ENQ n		"Request to Send" handshake code. NOTE-ENQ (derived from ENQuire) is one of the four standard handshake codes used in block transfer protocol. The code ENQ (00000101) corresponds to the ASCII code that has the same pattern. [SEMI E4-91]
environmental control zones n		controlled areas in fabrication designed to prevent contamination from one area reaching any other area in the event of an incident. [SEMATECH]
environmental isolation n		separation from the ambient atmospheric environment. [SEMI E21-94]

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