S
Selected Area Chemical Vapor Deposition. See deposition.
(1) Served Available Market. That segment of the
marketplace that is actually addressed by the human and capital resources of an
enterprise. (2) Statistical Analysis and Modeling Menu. A
modeling system within FASTRACK that allows geometry-dependent analog simulations to model
a large number of possible process variations, thus predicting the range of behaviors of
the chip across wafer runs. See FASTRACK.
A system or IC in which a sample of an analog input signal is frozen in time and held
while it is converted to a digital representation or otherwise processed. Intersil sample
and hold ICs are the fastest in the industry. Abbreviation: S/H.
Successive Approximation Register. An A/D conversion method where
the input voltage is compared to the output of a sequentially programmed D/A converter.
First, the most significant bit (MSB) of the D/A is turned on and compared to the analog
input. If the input is greater than the D/A output, the MSB is left on; otherwise it is
turned off. This process is then repeated for all other bits in decreasing order until the
least significant bit (LSB) is reached.
Switched Capacitor ANalysis. A simulator available in FASTRACK
that simulates a switched capacitor design. See FASTRACK.
Source Control Drawing. A specification for a military
semiconductor device that is specific to a program, a vendor, or a customer. Compare SMD.
The capture of circuit design by graphical means. The symbols representing functional
blocks or individual circuit elements are placed on a graphical design workstation and
interconnected by graphical representations of wires, pins, etc.
Silicon Controlled Rectifier. A type of thyristor that is designed
for forward bias, undirectional power switching and control. See thyristor.
The procedure used to separate a processed wafer into individual ICs. Narrow channels
between individual ICs are mechanically weakened by scratching with a diamond tip
(scribe), sawing with a diamond blade, or burning with a laser. The wafer is mechanically
stressed and broken apart along the channels (called scribe lines), thereby separating the
individual ICs (dice).
Joining the package case header or substrate to its cover or lid.
SEmiconductor MAnufacturing TECHnology research consortium. A
consortium of 14 American semiconductor manufacturing firms dedicated to restoring
America's manufacturing leadership in semiconductors. Located in Austin, Texas, half of
its annual funding is provided by its member companies and half by the federal government.
Research results are transferred to member firms and to the government for both commercial
and military applications. Intersil was a charter member of SEMATECH.
A class of materials, such as silicon and germanium, whose electrical properties lie
between those of conductors (such as copper and aluminum) and insulators (such as glass
and rubber). A material that exhibits relatively high resistance in a pure state and much
lower resistance when it contains small amounts of certain impurities. The term is also
used to denote electronic devices made from semiconductor materials. See semiconductor device.
An electronic device whose essential characteristics are governed by the flow of charge
carriers within a semiconductor.
An integrated circuit in which a portion of the circuit function is predefined and
unalterable, while other portions can be configured to meet the designer's specific needs.
Designers have the capability of designing application-specific circuits themselves, using
either standard cell libraries or preconfigured arrays. Semicustom circuits can be analog,
digital or mixed signal. Semicustom ICs are an area of Intersil's special
strength--particularly analog and mixed signal semicustom circuits.
A component that provides an electrical signal in response to a specific physical or
chemical stimulus such as heat, pressure, magnetic field, or a particular chemical vapor.
Microsensors are the modern breed of sensor fabricated using processes similar to those
for manufacturing ICs, or extensions of such processes. Integrated microsensors
incorporate an integrated circuit on the same die as that used for the sensor element.
Microsensors are expected to gain widespread acceptance in the 1990s for monitoring
sophisticated automobile engine conditions.
Single-Event Upset. Refers to the response of an IC to a single
radiation event, such as an alpha particle or a cosmic ray, which can cause the temporary
failure of an integrated circuit. Generally occurs in space applications and can be caused
by such things as solar flares. Intersil radiation-hardened ICs are designed to withstand
SEU.
S/H
Sample and Hold. See sample and hold.
Any electronic visual, audible, or other indication used to convey information. In
semiconductors, an electrical quantity (typically voltage, current, or light level)
corresponding to some physical quantity. Signals are coded in frequency or amplitude to
separate them from unwanted noise. See noise.
A broad class of electronic functions that enhance the representations of physical or
electrical phenomena. Temperature, pressure, vibration, acceleration and flow are examples
of physical properties that rely on signal processing enhancements. The detection and
conversion of RF, X-ray or ultrasonic energy into images and sound is another form of
signal processing. See analog signal processing
and digital signal processing.
A solid element that is abundantly available in the form of SiO2 (glass). It
is element 14 in the periodic table, with an atomic weight of 28.09. Silicon has a diamond
crystal lattice, a density of 2.328 g/cm3 and a melting point of 1415oC.
Its extreme abundance, moderate processing temperatures, and the stability of its native
oxide (SiO2) have made it the electronic semiconductor material of choice for
nearly four decades. It supports about $50 billion in IC and discrete sales annually.
See SOI.
See simulation, simulator.
Separation by IMplantation of OXygen. A process used to prepare
SOI substrates. A very heavy dose of oxygen is implanted below the surface of a silicon
wafer, after which the wafer is annealed at high temperature to convert the
oxygen-implanted region into silicon dioxide. The growth of epitaxial silicon (on the
surface, above the oxide layer) completes the SOI substrate. SIMOX is used in the Intersil
RHD1 process to isolate individual components. See RHD1, SOI.
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry.
The process of using software to model an electronic system. Because it is expensive
and time consuming to build silicon devices, simulation is used extensively before
fabrication to verify that devices will work properly. There are several common types of
simulation, each with different programs. "Device Simulation" models an
individual transistor, working from such things as a description of the doping profiles
and oxide thicknesses. "Circuit Simulation" models a collection of several
transistors, working from a netlist describing their interconnections and models of the
transistors' I-V curves. "Logic Simulation" models a collection of logic gates,
working from a netlist and models that tell only the function and speed of the gates.
Other simulators represent components at different levels of abstraction, to give the best
tradeoff between speed and accuracy of simulation. See also SCAN,
SLICE, Verilog, and VHDL
single in-line package
See SIP.
Single In-line Package. A package having a single row of external
leads, usually mounted vertically with leads through the PC board, but can be surface
mounted with leads bent in gull-wing fashion. Intersil offers SIP in both Power and IC
products.
Subscriber Line Interface Circuit. An integrated circuit
widely used as an interface into telephone networks, and a key Intersil competency.
Intersil makes SLICs using DI (dielectric isolation) process technology, which offers
several distinct advantages, including increased tolerance to wide ambient temperature
variations and improved resistance to line over-voltages. Intersil's monolithic SLIC
manufacturing experience dates back to 1981. Intersil CO (central office) SLICs are used
in central-office branch exchange applications, while PBX SLICs are used in
private-branch-exchange applications. See PBX.
slice
(verb) To cut into wafers. In semiconductor technology, to cut a crystalline ingot into
thin pieces (wafers or slices) upon which the device patterns are subsequently formed.
(noun) Another term for wafer. Also, a type of chip architecture that permits the
cascading or stacking of devices to increase word bit size.
Simulation Language with Integrated Circuit Emphasis.
For the design of the analog portions of mixed signal circuits, the FASTRACK simulation
environment consists of a BASIC-like language called SLICE with powerful expression
scanning coupled with standard language constructs such as looping, conditionals and
arrays, and the ability to call simulators from within the language. With the language,
Intersil has built subsystems for statistical analysis, macro-model development, and
optimization. Over the years, engineers have written many routines for setting up
simulation structures for a particular performance assessment and many routines for
analyzing the outputs of one or multiple simulations. There are probably greater than 100
engineering-years invested in the development of SLICE and its sub-systems.
Single-Level Metal. The use of only one level of metal to form the
contact interconnections in an IC. Compare DLM.
smart discrete
See intelligent discrete.
(1) Standard Military Drawing. A military specification
developed by the Defense Electronic Supply Center (DESC) for a semiconductor device. The
specification applies to all manufacturers of the device. Compare SCD. (2) Surface
Mount Device. See SMT.
Surface-Mount Technology. The mounting of components on the
surface of a printed circuit board, as contrasted with through-hole mounting where
component leads extend through the board. Intersil offers a full line of both plastic and
hermetic SMT packages.
Small Outline (package). Similar to a miniature plastic flat pack, but
with gull-wing lead forms primarily or wholly constructed for surface mounting. Typical
lead spacing is 0.05 inch. Intersil offers a complete line of SO/SOIC packaging for IC
products. See SOIC.
The changeable programs and instructions for a computer, as opposed to the fixed
hardware that implements the programs.
Spin On Glass, a type of dielectric used to try to planarize the
die surface so that large step coverage issues are avoided. See dielectric
and die.
Silicon-On-Insulator. A composite structure consisting of an
active layer of silicon deposited on an insulating material. The insulator can be sapphire
(as in SOS), silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or even an insulating form of silicon
itself. The ICs subsequently deposited in the active silicon layer can have advantages of
radiation hardness, speed, and high-temperature operation. Intersil is developing SOI
technology for a process called RHD1, which is being used for radiation-hardened 256K
SRAMS. Compare SOS. See RHD1.
Small Outline Integrated Circuit. A miniature plastic flat
pack designed for surface mount with gull-wing leads. Most versions have lead spacing of
0.05 inches. See SO.
The ability of a conductor to be wetted by hot solder and to form a strong
low-resistance bond with the solder.
Refers to the electronic properties of crystalline materials, generally
semiconductor--as opposed to vacuum and gas-filled tubes that function by flow of
electrons through space, or by flow through ionized gases. Solid state devices involve the
interaction of light, heat, magnetic field, and electric currents in crystalline
materials. Compared to earlier vacuum-tube devices, solid-state components are smaller,
less expensive, more reliable, use less power, and generate less heat. The integration and
miniaturization of solid-state devices has led the high-technology electronic evolution
throughout the past 30 years.
Silicon-On-Sapphire. A CMOS technology in which a layer of silicon
is epitaxially grown on a sapphire wafer, with specific regions subsequently etched away
between individual transistors. Each device is thus totally isolated from other devices.
Intersil is using SOS technology on 64K SRAMs in a process called TSOS-4 at Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina. Since sapphire is an insulator, SOS is a subset of SOI
(silicon-on-insulator) technology. Both SOI and SOS technologies provide for high levels
of radiation hardness. Compare SOI.
One of the three regions that form a field-effect transistor. Majority-carriers
(electrons in an N-channel FET or holes in a P-channel FET) originate at the source and
flow across the channel to the drain as a result of the electric field applied between
source and drain. See also channel, drain,
FET and gate.
Statistical Process Control. A technique to ensure that a
manufacturing process is controlled to the limits of its capability. With SPC, each time a
process is monitored its behavior is compared against limits that have been established by
statistical data on the same process. Intersil has been one of the industry leaders in
applying SPC, and is committed to its use over the full range of manufacturing processes.
The most commonly used military specs for hybrid circuit packaging are MIL-M-38510C,
for general microelectronics, and MIL-STD-883A, for test methods.
Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis.
Simulator used to model electrical circuits at the transistor level. This popular
simulator was developed by UC Berkeley, and has been customized and enhanced by many
companies, including Intersil. See SLICE.
See PVD.
Static Random Access Memory. A read/write memory in which
the data are latched and retained. SRAMs do not lose their contents as long as power is
on. This memory does not need to be refreshed as does DRAM. Compare DRAM.
Semiconductor Research Corporation. The SRC is a consortium of
more than 60 member companies and government agencies planning and executing programs of
applied research at leading U.S. universities to strengthen the competitive ability of the
U.S. semiconductor industry. Formed by the Semiconductor Industry Association in 1982, the
SRC today is the largest industry-driven research program in the nation. Harris
Semiconductor (now Intersil) has been an active member and supporter of the SRC since
1983.
Small-Scale Integration. Integrated circuits containing fewer than
ten logic gates. See also MSI, LSI, VLSI.
A switching diode designed for low voltage stabilizing applications. See diode.
Predefined circuit elements that may be selected and arranged to create a custom or
semicustom integrated circuit more easily than through original (custom) design.
Intersil's comprehensive standard cell libraries provide the building blocks from which
designers create ASICs (application specific integrated circuits). See FASTRACK and semicustom IC.
standard logic
See logic.
A state in which a quantity exhibits no appreciable change over time.
static RAM
See SRAM.
A circuit modeling technique available in Intersil FASTRACK in which the parameters
that define the model are not fixed numbers but are correlated to a fundamental set of
independent variables. This allows Monte-Carlo type analysis controlled by random numbers
to cause the same distributions of performance in the simulator that occur in
manufacturing. Statistical analysis routines can then be applied to the statistical
simulation database to predict yields, performance to spec, and high-level performance
distributions.
Photo equipment used to transfer a reticle pattern onto a wafer. Because of its limited
field of view, low throughput, and high cost, such equipment is usually used only for
feature size smaller than 1.5 microns, where resolution and line-width control are
critical. Most of Intersil' advanced wafer processes use steppers for maximum dimensional
control.
Off-line information retention. See memory.
The underlying material on which a microelectronic device is built. Such material may
be electrically active, such as silicon, or passive, such as alumina ceramic.
The flow of electric current with negligible resistance in certain metals and alloys
and over certain temperature ranges. In recent years, superconductivity has been achieved
at temperatures as "high" as -140oC.
Solid-state devices formed by combining a thyristor and a Zener diode. It is designed
to protect circuitry and equipment from damage due to transient surges, such as contact
with power lines, lightning strikes, induced voltages due to magnetic or electric fields,
and static discharges. Protection is provided by diverting the surge current through a
low-impedance path around the vulnerable components. Ideal for data communication and
telecommunication applications, but cannot be used in DC circuits where available current
exceeds holding current. Harris surgectors are designed and produced in Mountaintop, Penn.
Compare MOV.
As pertaining to semiconductors, an analog IC (typically CMOS) which, on command,
either passes or blocks an electrical signal. Intersil is the leading worldwide supplier
of DI (dielectric isolation) and JI (junction isolation) analog switches. See DI and JI.
A technique commonly used in analog signal processing to create filtering and signal
conditioning circuits.
An advanced way of producing custom quality layouts with reduced manual intervention.
The symbols of transistors and interconnects are placed either automatically or manually.
From there the compaction algorithms replace the symbolic representation with the
correctly sized physical transistors and interconnects and compacts the layout to the
limit of the algorithms and ground rules.
An integrated whole that is comprised of diverse interacting, specialized structures
and sub-functions. A collection of people, machines (hardware) and software organized to
accomplish a set of specific functions.
(1) In semiconductor design and fabrication, packing more and more devices into
an IC or designing multi-chip modules that are more and more complex. (2) In
electronics in general, the progressive linking and testing of system components into a
complete system. See multi-chip module.
