The Making of a Chip

[Leon]

"

Wafer Sort Test -- scale: die level (~10mm / ~0.5 inch) - This fraction of a ready wafer is being put to a first functionality test. In this stage test patterns are fed into every single chip and the response from the chip monitored and compared to "the right answer."



Wafer Slicing -- scale: wafer level (~300mm / 12 inch) - The wafer is cut into pieces (called die).

[Leon]

Discarding Faulty Die -- scale: wafer level (~300mm / 12 inch) - The die that responded with the right answer to the test pattern will be put forward for the next step (packaging)



Individual Die -- scale: die level (~10mm / ~0.5 inch) - This is an individual die which has been cut out in the previous step (slicing). The die shown here is a die of an Intel® Core™ i7 Processor

[Leon]

Discarding Faulty Die -- scale: wafer level (~300mm / 12 inch) - The die that responded with the right answer to the test pattern will be put forward for the next step (packaging)



Individual Die -- scale: die level (~10mm / ~0.5 inch) - This is an individual die which has been cut out in the previous step (slicing). The die shown here is a die of an Intel® Core™ i7 Processor

[Leon]

Packaging -- scale: package level (~20mm / ~1 inch) - The substrate, the die and the heatspreader are put together to form a completed processor. The green substrate builds the electrical and mechanical interface for the processor to interact with the rest of the PC system. The silver heatspreader is a thermal interface where a cooling solution will be put on to. This will keep the processor cool during operation.



Processor -- scale: package level (~20mm / ~1 inch) - Completed processor (Intel® Core™ i7 Processor in this case). A microprocessor is the most complex manufactured product on earth. In fact, it takes hundreds of steps – only the most important ones have been visualized in this picture story - in the world's cleanest environment (a microprocessor fab) to make microprocessors.



Class Testing -- scale: package level (~20mm / ~1 inch) - During this final test the processors will be tested for their key characteristics (among the tested characteristics are power dissipation and maximum frequency).

[Leon]

 

Binning -- scale: package level (~20mm / ~1 inch) - Based on the test result of class testing processors with the same capabilities are put into the same transporting trays.



Retail Package -- scale: package level (~20mm / ~1 inch) - The readily manufactured and tested processors (again Intel® Core™ i7 Processor is shown here) either go to system manufacturers in trays or into retail stores in a box such as that shown here

[melting eyes]

  Great shiring

[Leon]

 

[impressible4u]

VERY NICE SHARING

[Samera]

good sharing

[Dreamboy]

very nice info..and sharing