A Full Factory Transient Simulation Model for the Analysis of Expected Performance in a Transition Period
Intel's Fab-18 is based in Israel, and has transitioned from producing 0.18-micron logic devices to producing 90 nM flash products. During this transition period, the factory has de-ramped in volume of logic while ramping-up flash. AutoSched AP software was utilized for the development of a transient simulation model of the Fab's behavior during this period. It is the first attempt, at Intel, to utilize a full factory simulation in order to analyze and support decisions that pertain to a transient period of parallel de-ramp and ramp-up of technologies. Unlike typical simulation models for the analysis of factory performance and behavior in steady-state, the transient model poses several modeling challenges and requires major adjustments in dealing with these challenges. In this paper, we discuss those aspects. The benefits and contribution of such a model to decision making and the improvement of factory performance are also presented
Towards a new simulation testbed for semiconductor manufacturing
We propose the creation of a new set of fab simulation testbeds. Extensions and additional features, not considered in the original MIMAC datasets, shall be incorporated in these new testbeds, thus allowing researchers to evaluate new methodologies with the same frame of reference. To do this, we surveyed the literature and mapped the pertinent research efforts of the past two decades. In this paper, we discuss in detail the various aspects of the new testbeds, in order to receive feedback from the simulation community on the importance of inclusion of some of the items in question; and the verification of the required inclusion of other items. Given the feedback, we aim to generate these testbeds within a year to serve as the new frame of reference for the benefit of the entire semiconductor manufacturing simulation community.
Experimental study of thermal modeling for stratospheric platform airships
R&D work on the Japanese stratospheric platform airship is discussed from the viewpoint of the thermal modeling. The work includes two experiments on the thermal characteristics of the 25m-long airship and the 35m-long PV-equipped airship model. The validity of the current thermal model was confirmed by comparing the calculated results with the measured data. The other important work is the Ground-to-Stratosphere (GTS) flight test. A 47mlong airship-shaped balloon was flown to the stratosphere. The flight simulation program into which the thermal model was integrated, was developed and applied successfully to predict the ascent behavior and the flight trajectory.