A question about semiconductor fabbing...

Motoman · 8th May 2008, 01:43 PM

...why do all the semiconductor fabs (as far as I know) manufacture on round wafers, when all chip designs (as far as I know) are rectilinear in shape? Is there not useless wastage around the edge of the wafer?

...why not have square wafers?

Adrian Wong · 8th May 2008, 05:39 PM

AFAIK, the round shape is due to the way they manufacture pure silicon - in the shape of cylindrical ingots. So they just slice a thin layer for each wafer.

Midicow · 16th May 2008, 12:54 AM

Alternative To Silicon Chip Invented By Student

what about gallium nitride transistors in

3-D Chips: IBM Moves Moore's Law Into The Third Dimension

a 3d-chip format?

or ditch transistors altogether and go for memristors?

8th May 2008, 01:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Motoman Just Started Join Date: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 70 Reputation: 62 Rep Power: 0	A question about semiconductor fabbing... ...why do all the semiconductor fabs (as far as I know) manufacture on round wafers, when all chip designs (as far as I know) are rectilinear in shape? Is there not useless wastage around the edge of the wafer? ...why not have square wafers?

8th May 2008, 05:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
Adrian Wong Da Boss Join Date: 10 Oct 2002 Location: In front of my BenQ Joybook 7000 notebook! Posts: 29,719 Reputation: 2878 Rep Power: 64	AFAIK, the round shape is due to the way they manufacture pure silicon - in the shape of cylindrical ingots. So they just slice a thin layer for each wafer. __________________ Dr. Adrian Wong Tech ARP \| Blog @ Tech ARP \| The Free Trade Zone DYKT : The only offshore account I have is at the sand bank? Keep Tech ARP free! Visit our sponsors! We need PROGRAMMERS and TECHNICAL WRITERS! Contact us if you are a hot shot programmer or technical writer! My items for sale : 50x SD Card \| Memory Stick PRO \| Cyclone Energy Saver \| Seiko SS watch \| Tiger/Carlsberg beer jugs \| Travel Speakers \| Motorola V600 \| Nokia N90 SOLD! \| New Lowepro Mini Trekker AW Other items for sale @ the FTZ : Zalman CNPS9500 LED @ $20 \| Zalman CNPS7700 Cu @ $20 \| Zalman CNPS7000 Cu @ $20 \| Swarovski bracelet watches \| Dell 17" LCD \| Hi-Fi speakers \| English DIVX movies \| HP LaserJet toners! \| Office chairs

16th May 2008, 12:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
Midicow Just Started Join Date: 4 May 2008 Posts: 53 Reputation: 0 Rep Power: 0	Alternative To Silicon Chip Invented By Student what about gallium nitride transistors in 3-D Chips: IBM Moves Moore's Law Into The Third Dimension a 3d-chip format? or ditch transistors altogether and go for memristors? __________________

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