Occupation

Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Human Advantage 63%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
4.3 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.

Also Known As: Charge Preparation Technician, Chemical Etch Operator, Circuit Recorder, Crystal Cutter, Crystal Finisher, Crystal Grower, Crystal Growing Technician, Crystal Lapper +54 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Manipulate valves, switches, and buttons, or key commands into control panels to start semiconductor processing cycles.
  2. Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports.
  3. Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measuring instruments, microscope, and standard procedures.
  4. Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands.
  5. Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations.
  6. Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing.
  7. Clean and maintain equipment, including replacing etching and rinsing solutions and cleaning bath containers and work area.
  8. Place semiconductor wafers in processing containers or equipment holders, using vacuum wand or tweezers.

Supplemental Tasks (12)

  1. Set, adjust, and readjust computerized or mechanical equipment controls to regulate power level, temperature, vacuum, and rotation speed of furnace, according to crystal growing specifications.
  2. Etch, lap, polish, or grind wafers or ingots to form circuitry and change conductive properties, using etching, lapping, polishing, or grinding equipment.
  3. Load semiconductor material into furnace.
  4. Monitor operation and adjust controls of processing machines and equipment to produce compositions with specific electronic properties, using computer terminals.
  5. Count, sort, and weigh processed items.
  6. Calculate etching time based on thickness of material to be removed from wafers or crystals.
  7. Inspect equipment for leaks, diagnose malfunctions, and request repairs.
  8. Align photo mask pattern on photoresist layer, expose pattern to ultraviolet light, and develop pattern, using specialized equipment.
  9. Stamp, etch, or scribe identifying information on finished component according to specifications.
  10. Scribe or separate wafers into dice.
  11. Connect reactor to computer, using hand tools and power tools.
  12. Measure and weigh amounts of crystal growing materials, mix and grind materials, load materials into container, and monitor processing procedures to help identify crystal growing problems.

Education & Training

Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
84%
Less than a High School Diploma
12%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
2%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
1%
Some College Courses
0%
Post-Doctoral Training
0%
Bachelor's Degree
0%
Master's Degree
0%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • Python
  • SAP software

Software (11)

  • Camstar Systems Camstar Semiconductor Suite
  • Database software
  • Eyelit Manufacturing
  • National Instruments TestStand
  • yieldWerx

Tools & Equipment (61)

  • Antistatic wrist straps
  • Atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition APCVD systems
  • Automatic notched wafer aligners
  • Automatic wafer cleaners
  • Chemical vapor deposition CVD systems
  • Clean room ovens
  • Clean room suits
  • Clean-room air particle analyzers
  • Desktop computers
  • Die bonders
  • Diffusion furnaces
  • Diffusion pumps
  • Digital hygrometers
  • Digital multimeters
  • Electron beam evaporators
  • Epitaxial deposition equipment
  • Gas blow torches
  • High precision tweezers
  • Ion implanters
  • Laboratory fume hoods
  • Laser wafer markers
  • Lithography exposure systems
  • Load ports
  • Low pressure chemical vapor deposition LPCVD machines
  • Manual wet benches
  • Mask aligners
  • Micro diamond scribers
  • Oxidation systems
  • Photolithography equipment
  • Photoresist strippers
  • Photostabilizers
  • Physical vapor deposition systems
  • Plasma ashers
  • Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition PECVD machines
  • Rapid thermal processors
  • Safety eyewear
  • Sanding machines
  • Scanning electron microscopes
  • Semiconductor etchers
  • Semiconductor polishers
  • Semiconductor processing chillers
  • Semiconductor test probes
  • Slurry filter cabinets
  • Solder reflow ovens
  • Solder-paste printers
  • Soldering guns
  • Spectrum analyzers
  • Spin rinse dryers
  • Sputterers
  • Surface profilers
  • Surface resistivity meters
  • Vacuum ovens
  • Vacuum pumps
  • Vacuum wands
  • Wafer arbor presses
  • Wafer mappers
  • Wafer probers
  • Wafer scanners
  • Wafer sorters
  • Water surface contamination analyzers
  • X-ray inspection equipment

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Production & Automation Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers 77% match
Zone 2
Semiconductor Processing Technicians You are here
Zone 3
Chemical Technicians 81% match
Zone 4
Fuel Cell Engineers 81% match
Zone 5
Microsystems Engineers 92% match

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