SEMI International Standards
Standards New Activity Report Form (SNARF)
Date Prepared: 07/19/2021Revised (if Applicable):

Document Number: 6832
SNARF for: New Standard: Specification for Shipping Container for Transport of Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) Lamella Carriers (LC) from LC-supplier to LC-end user

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.)
In 2019 the PIC TC Chapter approved SEMI E177 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. A new activity was started in 2019 to develop a standard for a LC container (LCC) as 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 LCC is intended only for transporting the LCs within a fab/lab and possibly also for long term storage but not for shipping the LCs from the LC manufacturers to the LC customers/end-users.

However, to ensure that LCs can be automatically transferred from the shipping container into a FIB-SEM system or LCC, such LC shipping container needs to be compatible with the automation infrastructure that will be developed at system level around the LC and LCC Standards. Currently used LC shipping boxes are not compatible with the envisaged automation infrastructure based on what currently is known and specified for the LCC. Hence, the proposed new activity aims at specifying the relevant characteristics of a new LC shipping container to ensure its compatibility with automated TEM workflows within a fab/lab; the new shipping container and existing LCC activities will run in parallel as shipping container specifications will derive from LCC specifications. Co-development of both LCC and LC shipping container is required to guarantee that interdependencies are correctly captured and that both elements are available for early automated TEM workflow implementations in Semiconductor fabs/labs.



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, cleaning and storage equipment. Suppliers of Lamella Carriers (LC), Lamella Carriers Containers (LCC) and Lamella Carriers Shipping Containers

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 shipping container.
- It will also specify the detailed design of the LC shipping container such as the pockets/slots for the LCs and kinematic coupling features.
- It will also specify physical features related to the handling, transport and identification of the LC shipping containers (e.g., fiducials for alignment, ID location, etc.)
- It will also specify material choices/characteristics in relation to the envisaged use case (consumable, single use) and constraints (anti-statics, outgassing, optical properties,..)
- In addition, the new standard will define new terms related to this activity.
It is envisaged that the LCC and LC shipping container have several specifications in common and that the LC shipping container will be a ‘light version’ of the LCC but with adapted specifications for e.g., number of LC pockets/slots and physical dimensions.

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: 08/13/2021b. 1st Draft by: 01/01/2022
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:
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):


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; 07/28/2021
Member Review End Date: 08/11/2021

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 GCS08/12/2021
Recorded in TC Minutes08/12/2021

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10. SNARF Extension Dates:
TC Chapter Extension Granted on
Extension Expires on
SNARF_LC_ShippingContainer.docSNARF_LC_ShippingContainer.docSNARF_LC_ShippingContainer.pdfSNARF_LC_ShippingContainer.pdf