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By Nanochip Staff

The annual Advanced Process Control (APC) Conference will convene in Austin, Texas in October, marking its 30th year as the focal point for chipmakers and suppliers to learn about the latest smart manufacturing solutions for microelectronics.

For 30 years the APC Conference has been a premier showcase for the latest advanced process control innovations for microelectronics manufacturing. Its technology focus has evolved over time—from the first run-to-run (R2R) control and fault detection and classification (FDC) successes in the 1990s, to fab-wide solutions in the 2000s—and now is exploring new trends such as as virtual metrology, predictive maintenance (PdM), big data, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Notably, a majority of the talks at this year’s event (October 8-11) will focus on smart manufacturing (SM) solutions in microelectronics.These include discussions of analytical and roadmap solutions leveraging predictive technologies; new big data analytics; digital twin approaches; remote analysis; cloud techniques; and new data security practices.

Overall, the 2018 APC technical program features more than 50 presentations and posters, including presentations from most major chip manufacturers. Two tutorials also will be offered:

• "Introduction to, and Practical Application of, APC" is aimed at those who are new to microelectronics manufacturing APC or who are looking to ramp up activities in this area, and also to anyone seeking a refresher and an understanding of the latest trends in SM and other aspects of APC.
• "Machine Learning, Deep Learning – Artificial Intelligence for the Semiconductor Industry" will examine the latest trends in machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how to apply them to our industry.

A keynote address by Chris Maloney, Intel Corporation’s Manager of APC and Litho Applications, and an APC Council meeting of experts who will discuss “Data-Driven Versus Physically-Enhanced Modeling in Microelectronics Solutions” will round-out the conference agenda.

Who, What, When, and Where

APC Conference 2018 takes place October 8-11 (Monday – Thursday) at the Airport Hilton in Austin, Texas. (Late or on-site registrations are accepted.) It kicks off with the tutorials and a welcome reception on Monday, technical presentations including keynotes along with poster presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a technical APC Council Meeting on Thursday morning.

The conference is underwritten by the Integrated Measurement Association (IMA), which has organized the event for the past six years. Conference platinum sponsors are Applied Materials, BISTel and Rudolph Technologies, with support also provided by Inficon, SC Solutions and Tokyo Electron. Conference registration and a complete listing of agenda can be found at www.APCconference.com.

Austin in October

Austin is a cuturally rich city with a world-renowned music scene, not to mention vibrant culinary options featuring local to international cuisines. Enjoy southwestern culture and hospitality while advancing yourself and your organization at the 2018 APC Conference, which is predicted to be the largest in 10 years. It is the perfect venue for understanding state-of-the-art APC and smart manufacturing technologies, determining how your organization compares with your peers, and discovering how you can better leverage the latest technologies and innovations. Be sure to stay for the whole conference and attend the Thursday APC Council meeting to get your voice heard and questions answered on how to leverage data and expertise to maximize the effectiveness of your solutions. Register here, and join us in Austin in October (Late or on-site registrations are accepted).

For additional information, contact conference co-chair and Applied Materials consultant James Moyne at moyne@umich.edu