base process
A base process is a single processing recipe that we regard as an indivisible unit. Typically, a base process represents one operation performed on a specific piece of equipment at a specific fab.
draft run
A draft run is a run under construction by the customer.
equipment
A particular piece of semiconduconductor processing or metrology hardware.
generic process
Also referred to as an "Uncharacterized process", a generic process is a process that can be used when the exact desired process can't be found in our catalog. If you use a generic process in a run, our engineers will try to find a way to get the job completed.
material
A particular substance or a category of substances. For example, the material "photoresist" is a category of materials which includes the material "SU-8".
modular process
Also known as a "process module" or simply as a "module", a modular process represents a useful sequence of process capabilities. We have, for example, modular processes to represent lithography, which involves a sequence of processes for resist coating, alignment, exposure, development, etc.
process capability
A process capability is either a base process or a modular process. It is an operation that we can offer as a step in a run, and it typically involves some sort of wafer processing.
property
A property is a named value (or possibly a range of values), typically serving to characterize or specify a process, equipment, or a step. For example, deposition processes always have a "thickness" property.
run
A run, or Process Run, is our advanced version of a shopping basket. It is the statement of work to be performed by the MNX. A run includes all the relevant details such as materials (wafers and masks) and the sequence of process steps to be executed.
run card
The run card is the web page that lists the details of the run, including wafer and mask descriptions, and the process sequence. Every run has a unique identifier called the run number. For run number 1167, for example, the run card is the web page where the URL is https://www.mems-exchange.org/run/1167/ .
sequence
A sequence, or Process Sequence, is a list of steps performed as part of a run.
step
A step, or Process Step, is a specific application of a particular process capability, customized as required with properties, special instructions, wafers, and masks specified by the customer. For example, a step may specify that an LPCVD nitride deposition process be used to apply 1 micron of material to 5 wafers described as part of a run.
work order
A work order is a run that has been approved for manufacturing by all of the parties involved, typically the MNX and the customer.
work request
A work request (sometimes identified as "work order (pending)") is a run that has been submitted by the customer for review by MNX staff. If the reviewers request changes to the run before they can accept it, the work request goes back to being a draft run so that the customer can edit it.