SEMI International Standards
Standards New Activity Report Form (SNARF)
Date Prepared: 12/02/2020Revised (if Applicable):

Document Number: 6840
SNARF for: New Standard: Specification for Equipment Adoption Criteria for GEM And GEM-Based Standards

Originating Global Technical Committee: Information & Control
Originating TC Chapter: North America
Task Force (TF) in which work is to be carried out: Advanced Backend Factory Integration
Note: If a new task force is needed, also submit a task force organization form (TFOF)

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1. Rationale:
a. Describe the need or problem addressed by this activity.
(Indicate the customer, what benefits they will receive, and if possible, quantify the impact on the return on investment [ROI] if the Document is implemented.)
There are numerous SEMI equipment communication standards built on top of the E30 (GEM) technology. This includes the unofficial GEM 300 designation which includes the standard set E5, E30, E37, E39, E40, E87, E90, and E94. It also includes but is not limited to additional other standards like E84, E142, E116 and E157 that are useful to implement on many equipment and Specific Equipment Model standards like E122, E123 and a few others. Without guidance and extensive expertise, it can be difficult to know which standards should be implemented as part of an equipment’s interfaces.

Wafer fabrication has been utilizing the GEM 300 standard set very successfully for many years to facilitate factory automation. Other factories that fall outside of the semiconductor front end manufacturing designation seek the same benefits, but it is not always clear which standards should be used due to the manufacturing differences. For example, differences include:
· There are no official means of tracking consumables or durables.
· The primary unit of material is not always a wafer, but can be a mixture of other substrate types such as strip, panel, tray, tape and reel, PCB etc. It is not always clear how these are mapped to E40/E94 jobs.
· Material may be processed continuously on a conveyor, rather working with slot-to-slot integrity.
· Devices are transferred from one substrate to another and consumable raw materials are added.
· The single device and raw materials traceability is covered to some extent in the E142 standard but guidance may be required how and when this should be applied.


b. Estimate effect on industry.
1: Major effect on entire industry or on multiple important industry sectors - identify the relevant sectors
Sector or Company Information: Any equipment supplier and factory that chooses to follow the guidelines put forth in the new standard.

c. Estimate technical difficulty of the activity.
II: Some Difficulty - Disagreements on known requirements exist but developing consensus is possible

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2. Scope:
a: Describe the technical areas to be covered or addressed by this Document development activity. For Subordinate Standards, list common concepts or criteria that the Subordinate Standard inherits from the Primary Standard, as well as differences from the Primary Standard:
This activity intends to develop a new standard to:
1. Define an official “GEM 300” set of standards (for example, E5, E37, E30, E39, E40, E87, E90, E94)
2. For each of the standards built on the E30 (GEM) standard, define the conditions when the standard should be implemented. This includes E4, E5, E37, E30, E39, E40, E87, E90, E94, E109, E116, E142, E157, E167, E172, E173, other Specific Equipment Model standards like (but not limited to E122, E123) and any other standards built on E4/E5/E37 technology.
3. Include conditions for using other SEMI documents related to equipment interfaces like (but not limited to) E84, EDA standards and E95
4. Define requirements for managing and tracking consumables and durables.
5. Define requirements for process tracking, similar to E157 but that applies when E157 cannot be directly implemented.
6. Define traceability requirements for E142 usage
7. Define an implementation matrix for equipment manufacturers to summarize which interface standards are implemented, and identifying high level implementation variations, such as:
a. Single vs multiple GEM HSMS-SS ports
b. E87 fixed load port vs internal load ports
c. E90 single substrate tracking vs batch tracking

This standard intends to match equipment characteristics with applicable standards based on equipment behavior and functionality.
During the development of the new Standard, Task Force members may identify additional topics that should be included in the ballot to meet the needs of the expected users of this Standard.

This standard targets the equipment side of implementation. This standard is not limited to backend equipment.

b: Expected result of activity
New Standard or Safety Guideline (including replacement of an existing Standard or Safety Guideline)

For a new Subordinate Standard, identify the Primary Standard here:




For Standards, identify the Standard Subtype below:
Specification

Miscellaneous (describe below):

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3. Projected Timetable for Completion:

a: General Milestones
a. Activity Start: 08/01/2021b. 1st Draft by: 11/01/2021
c. (Optional) Informational Ballot by: d. Letter Ballot by: 01/01/2022
e. TC Chapter Approval By:07/01/2022

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4. Liaisons with other Global Technical Committees/TC Chapters/Subcommittees/TFs:
a. List SEMI global technical committees, TC Chapters, subcommittees, or task forces in your or other Regions/Locales that should be kept informed regarding the progress of this activity. (Refer to SEMI Standards organization charts and global technical committee charters and scopes as needed.)
Global I&C Technical Committee
Global GEM300 Task Force
Global HB-LED Technical Committee
Automation Technology Technical Committee
Taiwan PCB Task Force

b. List any planned Type I Liaisons with external nonprofit organizations (e.g., SDO) that should receive Draft Documents from Standards staff for feedback during this activity and be notified when the Letter Ballot is issued (refer to Procedure Manual § 7):


c. Intercommittee Ballots:
will not be issued

Identify the recipient global technical committee(s):

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5. Safety Considerations:
The resulting document is expected:
NOT to be a Safety Guideline

NOTE FOR "to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is NOT technically sound and complete - Refer to Section 15.1 of the Regulations for special procedures to be followed.

NOTE FOR "NOT to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is still technically sound and complete.

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6. Intellectual Property Considerations:
Note: Both a: and b: below should be checked for Revision of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s).

a. For a new Standard or Safety Guideline and for any part to be modified or added in a Revision of published Standards and Safety Guidelines:
the use of patented technology is NOT required.

If "patented technology is intended to be included in the proposed Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s) " is selected above, then also check one:


b. For Revision, Reapproval, Reinstatement, or Withdrawal of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s):
there is no known material patented technology necessary to use or implement the Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s)

c. The body of the Document and any Appendices, Complementary Files, Related Information sections, or Various Materials that may or may not be a part of the Document by reference:
the incorporation of Copyrighted Item will NOT be required



NOTE FOR ‘the use of patented technology or the incorporation of Copyrighted Item(s) is NOT required’: If in the course of developing the Document, it is determined that the use of patented technology or Copyrighted Item(s) is necessary for the Document, the provisions of Regulations § 16 must be followed.

NOTE FOR ’will incorporate Copyrighted Item’: A copyright release letter must be obtained from the copyright owner prior to publication.

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7. Comments, Special Circumstances:
None.

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8. TC Member Review:
took place between (put dates below ) before approval at the TC Chapter Meeting, or

Member Review Start Date; 2/13/2021
Member Review End Date: 2/26/2021

NOTE FOR ‘TC Member Review’ is required by the Regulations for a period of at least two weeks
before approval of a new, or a major revision of an existing, Standard or Safety Guideline. (Refer to Regulations ¶ 8.2.1)
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9. SNARF Approval Dates:
TC Chapter or GCS07/23/2021
Recorded in TC Minutes08/18/2021

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10. SNARF Extension Dates:
TC Chapter Extension Granted on
Extension Expires on