Progress and perspectives in dry processes for leading-edge manufacturing of devices: toward intelligent processes and virtual product development

Semiconductor device production has grown year on year, with high-volume manufacturing supported by advances in plasma processes. In plasma-based processing, ions and reactive species synergistically enhance chemical reactions, whose kinetics is in a nonequilibrium state in the region of the surface subjected to ion bombardment. To control such processing, methods for process monitoring, equipment control, modeling and simulation, and controlling plasma-induced damage, are required. Here, we conduct a systematic review of the literature over the last 40 years to evaluate the history and progress of dry processes in regard to intelligent process-control. We also address the challenges of implementing "virtual product development" utilizing information technology.