Chip lifecycle / Equipment lifecycle / Concept & System Architecture

Concept & System Architecture

Choosing how the tool will meet its requirements: the process module or chamber concept, the platform and wafer handling, the split into subsystems with their interfaces and error budgets, the control architecture, the safety concept and a cost of ownership model, with a business case for development.

Where this stage sits

This stage with its neighbours. Each row is a discipline active here, shaded by how mature its work is by the end of each stage.

Stage

^A01 Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements

^A02 Concept & System ArchitectureYou are here

^A03 Module & Subsystem Development

Business and customers milestones

RCCustomer roadmap commitment CAConcept and business case approval

Tool engineering milestones

RBTechnology requirements baseline AFTR1System architecture freeze SDRSubsystem critical design review

Product management and customer roadmap^A

Concept^A

Design^A

Systems engineering and architecture^A

Concept^A

Design

Process and applications^O

Concept

Design^A

Mechanical, vacuum and wafer handling^A

Design^A

Electrical, power, RF and controls hardware^A

Design

Optics, sources and sensing^A

Design^A

Equipment software and factory automation^D

Design

System integration and test^A

Design

Reliability, safety and compliance^A

Design

Customer programmes and evaluations^A

Concept

Design

Tool manufacturing and supply chain^A

Design

Quality, configuration and change control^A

Design

Export control and trade compliance^O

Concept

Design

Programme management^A

Concept

Design

KeyConceptRequirements and conceptDesignArchitecture and designPrototypePrototype toolAlphaAlpha toolBetaBeta toolProductionProduction toolFaded block: Held, the status shown before it still standsFreeze or sign-off pointMilestone for one item; the rest of the work carries onMilestone gateTRTechnical readiness review (TR): a gate that checks the technology is ready before the next commitment.You are here: Concept & System ArchitectureAI impactDisruption (red)Augmentation (blue)Opportunity (green)How AI is changing the workWhat the steps mean What the codes mean

Show this chart as a list

Stages

Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements^A
Concept & System Architecture (this stage)^A
Module & Subsystem Development^A

Business and customers milestones

Tool engineering milestones

Technology requirements baseline (RB)
System architecture freeze (AF) (technical readiness review TR1)
Subsystem critical design review (SDR)

Disciplines

Product management and customer roadmap^A
- Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements: maturity Concept, Requirements and concept. Customer roadmap assessed and the programme proposed to the timing of the lead customers.^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Business case and pricing approved on the frozen architecture, and the customer roadmap kept current during design.^A
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Business case and pricing approved on the frozen architecture, and the customer roadmap kept current during design.
Systems engineering and architecture^A
- Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements: maturity Concept, Requirements and concept. Technology requirements baselined with traceability to the customer roadmap.^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Architecture, subsystem specifications and interfaces frozen, and the error budget held through design.; Architecture frozen (milestone for one item)
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Architecture, subsystem specifications and interfaces frozen, and the error budget held through design.
Process and applications^O
- Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements: maturity Concept, Requirements and concept. Process requirements agreed with customer process teams.
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Process feasibility shown on test hardware for the architecture, and demonstration lab process work started.^A
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Process feasibility shown on test hardware for the architecture, and demonstration lab process work started.
Mechanical, vacuum and wafer handling^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Platform and chamber concept set and subsystem designs through their critical design review, with prototype parts ordered.^A
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Platform and chamber concept set and subsystem designs through their critical design review, with prototype parts ordered.^A
Electrical, power, RF and controls hardware^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Electrical and control architecture set, schematics and harnesses designed, and interlocks checked with the control software.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Electrical and control architecture set, schematics and harnesses designed, and interlocks checked with the control software.
Optics, sources and sensing^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Optical, source and sensor concept set and designs through their critical design review, with calibration development started.^A
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Optical, source and sensor concept set and designs through their critical design review, with calibration development started.
Equipment software and factory automation^D
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Software architecture set, and the control software and host interface released for the prototype.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Software architecture set, and the control software and host interface released for the prototype.
System integration and test^A
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Integration and test plan final at the critical design review, and the prototype build started.
Reliability, safety and compliance^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Reliability targets allocated, and the safety concept and hazard analysis built into the design.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Reliability targets allocated, and the safety concept and hazard analysis built into the design.^A
Customer programmes and evaluations^A
- Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements: maturity Concept, Requirements and concept. Lead customers engaged and first agreements drafted.
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Lead customer engagement kept up through design.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Lead customer engagement kept up through design.
Tool manufacturing and supply chain^A
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Make or buy plan, should-cost estimate and critical suppliers set during design.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Make or buy plan, should-cost estimate and critical suppliers set during design.
Quality, configuration and change control^A
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Design reviews run and recorded.
Export control and trade compliance^O
- Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements: maturity Concept, Requirements and concept. Preliminary export assessment made for the roadmap commitment.
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Technology control plan drafted and classification work under way on the design.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Technology control plan drafted and classification work under way on the design.
Programme management^A
- Customer Roadmap & Technology Requirements: maturity Concept, Requirements and concept. Programme charter and plan set.
- Concept & System Architecture: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Development plan and budget approved, and development coordinated.
- Module & Subsystem Development: maturity Design, Architecture and design. Development plan and budget approved, and development coordinated.

Register or sign in to read on

The full lifecycle detail, with its charts, flows, tables and every section, is for registered members. Registration is free and takes a minute. You come back to this page afterwards.