SEMATECH and the University of Texas cooperative research in semiconductor manufacturing technology

An overview is provided of current research in microelectronics manufacturing technology being conducted by University of Texas graduate students for SEMATECH's Factory Integration division. As part of these planned internships, the candidates for Master of Science degrees in Operations Research selected academic report topics related to factory performance issues for advanced-technology wafer fabrication facilities. The relevance of such work to understanding the robustness of high-technology production operations is discussed. Additionally, the paper critiques the internship program itself, sharing successes and lessons learned.