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This study describes a novel algorithm for optimizing the quality yield of silicon wafer slicing. 12 inch wafer slicing is the most difficult in terms of semiconductor manufacturing yield. As silicon wafer slicing directly impacts production costs, semiconductor manufacturers are especially concerned with increasing and maintaining the yield, as well as identifying whey yeilds decline. The criteria for establishing the proposed algorithm are derived from a literature review and interviews with a group of experts in semiconductor manufacturing. The modified Delphi method is then adopted to analyze those results. The proposed algorithm also incorporates the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the weights of evaluation. Additionally, the proposed algorithm can select the evaluation outcomes to identify the worst machine of precision. Finally, results of the exponential weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed AHP‐based algorithm in effectively selecting the evaluation outcomes and evaluating the precision of the worst performing machines. So, through collect data (the quality and quantity) to judge the result by AHP, it is the key to help the engineer can find out the manufacturing process yield quickly effectively.

Silicon wafer slicing manufacturing process exhibits several characteristics. They are: (1) the product type is small batch production, (2) saw cutting must be very precise, (3) the process run time is long, and (4) inspecting samples is difficult. Furthermore, the process involves several synchronously occurred multiple quality characteristics, such as thickness (THK), bow and warp, which must be closely monitored and controlled. Synchronously monitoring multiple quality characteristics is more expensive than monitoring a single quality characteristic in the manufacturing process. The sizes of inspected samples in the existing process are difficult to maintain the quality control chart. Grey situation decision method is used to screen the worst quality control chart. Grey situation decision method is used to screen the worst quality characteristic from the synchronously occurred multiple quality characteristics to monitor the process. Finally, a case study is presented to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of proposed decision method. The exponential weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart is used to verify that the process quality is more reliable.

IN wishing all our readers happiness and prosperity throughout 1973 we are very conscious of the fact that it is a climateric year for the people of these islands. As these words are read we shall be a part of the European Economic Community.

One of the key drivers behind the recent growth in the global solar energy market is the decline in solar module prices. Many empirical analyses have been carried out to identify the mechanism behind this price reduction. However, studies on the price reduction mechanism of solar modules over the years have focused purely on the technological aspect of manufacturing. The purpose of this study is to consider the influence of economic and monetary factors such as the interest rate and exchange rate on solar module pricing in addition to other factors that considered in earlier studies including technology, wage rate and other energy prices.

In this paper, an oligopolistic model and econometric method are used to determine the economic factors that have an influence on solar module prices. The paper constructs a solar module pricing model and conducts a fully modified ordinary least squares analysis to estimate the influence of each factor. Analysis is conducted for the top five solar module producing countries in the world from 1997 to 2015. The five countries are the People’s Republic of China, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the USA.

Empirical analysis provides several findings concerning the solar module pricing mechanism. These vary for each country. However, generally the interest rate has a positive correlation with solar module prices, while the exchange rate, knowledge stock and oil price have a negative correlation with solar module prices.

First, the government must expand channels for renewable energy funding. As renewable industries are high-tech, the influence that capital cost has on technology price is significant. Government efforts to provide industries with low-interest finance will accelerate renewable business. There have been many attempts to lower interest rates for renewable energy technology to accelerate growth in the green technology market. Second, the government must expand research and development (R&D) expenditures focused on renewable energy technology. The technological advancements acquired through R&D enhance module performance efficiency, thereby reducing costs. Therefore, government policies aimed at increasing targeted R&D expenditure will be an effective means of expanding the installation of renewable energies.

Studies on the price reduction mechanism of solar modules over the years have focused purely on the technological aspect of the manufacturing. This is the first research to bring economic, monetary and technological factors of solar module pricing together.

For assembling ‘smart’ cards, flexible but high‐volume production methods are required. Anna Kochan reports from a French company based in picturesque Provence.

In the literature, many multi attributes decision making (MADM) models allow evaluation of the alternatives considering their current or last performance. However, in some MADM problems, not only current performance of alternatives but also their past performance should be taken into account in order to select the most appropriate alternative. For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to develop four procedures to evaluate the alternatives in MADM problems with multi terms.

This study uses dynamic operators to aggregate the evaluation in different terms and then, grey relational analysis (GRA) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods are utilized to determine the most appropriate alternative. Thus, four procedures which consist of these operators and methods are developed to evaluate the alternatives in multi terms.

Some numerical examples are presented for the proposed procedures in multi-terms. Moreover, these four procedures are compared with other four procedures. The analyses of the results show that dynamic aggregation operators based on intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) and interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IVIFS) with GRA and TOPSIS can be used jointly for MADM problems in which alternatives are evaluated for different terms.

One of the significant mistakes faced in some MADM problems is to take into account the current performance of alternatives or is to ignore their past performance. The right selection depends on past and current performance of the alternatives. The novelty of this study is to propose four procedures for solving MADM problems in multi terms based on IFS and IVIFS using dynamic aggregation operators and GRA and TOPSIS methods.

Green supply chain management (GSCM) has become an important issue with increasing awareness of environmental protection. A firm's environmental approach is not only relevant to its inner efforts, but its suppliers' environmental performance is also important. The aim of this study is to propose an integrated multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM) approach based on intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) and grey relational analysis (GRA) for green supplier selection.

Green supplier selection is a MCDM process that contains different kinds of uncertainties. Because of the vagueness and imprecision of decision makers' evaluations and subjectivity of the criteria, IFS and GRA are exploited to handle these uncertainties.

A numerical example is presented for the proposed approach. The analyses of the results show that fuzzy set theory and grey theory can be used jointly for green supplier selection problems in uncertain environments.

There are different kinds of uncertainties in the supplier selection process. The novelty of this study is to use proper uncertainty methods in different steps instead of denoting the whole selection process by the same uncertainty theory. Supplier selection problems occupy wide space in operations research literature. Different criteria are used in different papers. In this study, detailed literature review has been carried out and some criteria among frequently confronted ones proposed for green supplier selection.

The aim of this study is to make a contribution towards reducing the deflections of silicon wafers. The deformation of silicon wafers used in the manufacture of electronic micro-components is one of the most common problems encountered by industrialists during manufacturing. Stack warping is typically produced during the process of depositing thin layers on a substrate. This is due to the thermal-mechanical stresses caused by the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the materials. Reducing wafer deformation is essential to increase reliability and improve quality. In this paper, the authors propose an approach based on minimal geometrical modifications to reduce the deformation of a silicon wafer coated with two thin layers. Numerical finite element models have been developed to evaluate the impact of geometrical modifications on warping amplitude. Finite element models have been validated compared with experimental models. The results obtained are encouraging and clearly show a considerable reduction in wafer deformation.

Reducing wafer deformation is essential to increase reliability and improve quality. In this paper, the authors propose an approach based on minimal geometrical modifications to reduce the deformation of a silicon wafer coated with two thin layers. Numerical finite element models have been developed to evaluate the impact of geometrical modifications on warping amplitude. Finite element models have been validated compared with experimental models.

The results obtained are encouraging and clearly show a considerable reduction in wafer deformation.

This paper describes the influence of geometric modification on wafer deformation. The work show also the cruciality of stress reduction in the purpose to obtain less wafer deformation.

Whatever one may feel is the importance of particular interconnection and assembly technologies with which one is associated, Thin Film or Thick Film Hybrid, PCB Through Hole, Surface Mounting, etc., the driving force in electronics is the high degree of low cost functionality brought by semiconductor technology. However, semiconductor science cannot provide systems solutions on its own and needs to be combined with suitable interconnection and assembly technologies to bring its potential processing power to fulfilment. Hybrid technology holds a key role in the use of silicon in overall system integration. On hybrid substrates semiconductors can be applied in any of the forms available, from bare dice to encapsulated, tested and burnt‐in complex functions in LSI. Over the years hybrids have developed, needing semiconductors as the active elements in providing functional modules. The relationship between the technologies has been close but not always in perfect harmony at the commercial interfaces. The first part of this paper reviews development of semiconductors in relation to the forms of packaging available for application in hybrid assembly including the emergent means being adopted to tackle the problems of ever increasing lead counts that will be with us for some time until the dream of total self‐sufficiency on silicon becomes a reality. The second part of the paper reviews silicon design options with the emphasis on the relevance of combining silicon implementation with hybrid methods.

The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of the processing parameters of diamond wire sawing on surface morphology and roughness.

First, a wire saw cutting model is established to determine the positional relationship between a wire saw and the machined surface of the workpiece, and the abrasive grain cutting trajectory is generated. Through the data processing of the cutting trajectory, the simulation of the three-dimensional surface topography of the slice and the calculation of the surface roughness are realized by using the GUI programming of MATLAB. Finally, different surface roughness values are obtained by changing the machining parameters (saw wire speed and workpiece feed speed).

The conclusion is that the surface roughness of the slice is larger when the feed speed is higher and smaller when the linear speed is higher.

Diamond wire saw cutting is the first process of chip processing, and its efficiency and quality have an important impact on subsequent processing. This paper will focus on the influence of the sawing wire cutting processing parameters (sawing wire speed and workpiece feed speed) on the surface roughness to optimize the processing parameters and obtain smaller surface roughness values. Through MATLAB three-dimensional simulation, the surface morphology can be observed more intuitively, which provides a theoretical basis for improving the processing quality.