Effective Host Simulation

Abstract

Adherence to Semiconductor Equipment and Materials, International (SEMI) standards is critical for semiconductor equipment. It is the responsibility of the developers who work on the equipment software to ensure compliance to SEMI standards. These developers often use high level computer languages such as C++ and C#. Unit tests need to be implemented using host simulator software. However, developers are often not comfortable writing scripts using the propriety language of host simulator software, so they rely on others to write scripts for them, or to do partial testing. Factory Automation (FA) scripting will be of immense help to developers if made available in high level languages.

Excerpts from the Paper

Host simulation software (HSS) is a testing tool used to communicate with equipment according to the SEMI E37 standard by sending and receiving SECS II messages. Host simulator software is used to verify the implementation of SEMI standards, and helps to understand SEMI compliance levels and identify equipment deviations that can be addressed before shipping to a Fabrication plant (FAB)/actual environment. HSS  is used to test equipment performance with respect to FA standards (timeouts, response time, processing time), and to 

automate regression testing (FA scenarios) and qualification runs.