SEMI International Standards
Standards New Activity Report Form (SNARF)
Date Prepared: 11/06/2019Revised (if Applicable): 02/08/2021

Document Number: 6592
SNARF for: New Standard: Specification for Container for Transport and Storage of Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) Lamella Carriers within Electron Microscopy Workflows

Originating Global Technical Committee: Physical Interfaces & Carriers
Originating TC Chapter: North America
Task Force (TF) in which work is to be carried out: Electron Microscopy Workflow Task Force
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.)
The PIC TC Chapter recently approved SEMI E177-0919 specifying the lamella carriers (LCs) used in Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations. This was a first step for enabling automated workflows for TEM investigations in a fab environment. For a fully automated workflow standardization of other steps and components is required. One logical next step is the standardization of a container for the LCs. The LCs need to be transported between the different tools in a fab or lab that are part of the TEM workflow (FIB-SEM, plasma cleaner, TEM, storage). For this a well-defined, standardized container is required - similarly to FOUPs used for transporting silicon wafers - so that the interfaces of the various tools used can be designed and which complies with existing automated transport systems. This container is intended only for transporting the LCs within a fab/lab as well as for long term storage and not for shipping the LCs from the LC manufacturers to the LC customers/end-users.


b. Estimate effect on industry.
2: Major effect on an industry sector - identify the relevant sector
Sector or Company Information: Suppliers and users of FIB, SEM, TEM, lamella carriers, cleaning and storage equipment.

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:
- The new standard will specify the form factor, parts and physical dimensions of the LC container.
- It will also specify the detailed design of the LC container such as the pockets/slots for the LCs and the fixture mechanism for the LCs.
- It will also specify physical features related to the storage, handling, transport and identification of the LC containers (e.g. fiducials for alignment, id location, etc.)
- In addition, the new standard will define new terms related to this activity.
To arrive at the new standard it will also be required to consider the possible mechanism(s) by which the LCs will be transported in and out of the container and how LC identification within the container will be realized (LC face-up/down; LC horizontal/vertical; vacuum end-effectors from top or bottom, ID read-out from top or bottom, etc.)


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: 11/06/2019b. 1st Draft by: 12/01/2021
c. (Optional) Informational Ballot by: d. Letter Ballot by: 04/01/2022
e. TC Chapter Approval By:09/01/2022

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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.)


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:
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):


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 FORthe 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 FORwill 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:
Winter 2021 Meetings: Updated "Projected Timetable for Completion" dates to the below
•1st draft  by: December 2021    (was: July 22, 2020)
•Letter Ballot by: April 2022   (was: November 4, 2020)
•TC Chapter approval by: September 2022  (was: March 31, 2021)

Granted one-year extension at NA Spring 2023 Meetings (LNN)


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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; 10/09/2019
Member Review End Date: 10/22/2019

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 GCS11/06/2019
Recorded in TC Minutes11/06/2019

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10. SNARF Extension Dates:
TC Chapter Extension Granted on 04/05/2023
Extension Expires on04/05/2024
SNARF LCContainer_v5_final.docSNARF LCContainer_v5_final.doc