For the past decade, the semiconductor industry has evolved at an extremely fast pace as the personal computer segment gave way to a surge of personal technology like smartphones, tablets, wearables, and the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Semiconductor or Integrated Circuitry (IC) Research and Development Managers are tasked with innovating to evolve the landscape of this highly competitive industry which are rapidly refreshing products. RD are constantly investing to find ways to bring products to market faster and yield better ROI to increase profitability. To keep up with one of the world’s most fast-paced industries, developing the right set of processes, selecting the right chemicals and materials, while employing cutting edge data analytics software and the most reliable technology solutions, are central to manufacturing success and reinvestment back into the RD cycle.

During IC fabrication, or front-end fabrication phase researchers develop and employ ultra-clean processes and contamination control for trace metals and organics, while also planning for back-end device fabrication, by carefully selecting, analyzing and characterizing substrate and conductor materials thermal properties and chemical composition. The choices and recommendations semiconductor RD managers deploy will impact the operation’s ability to achieve 24/7 manufacturing operations, downstream production ROI and subsequent reinvestment for future RD.