Recent advances in process synthesis for semiconductor devices

Recently, work has been started on a new methodology, called process synthesis, that has the potential to revolutionize integrated circuit (IC) process design in the same way that ASIC and microelectronics manufacturing science and technology (MMST) revolutionized circuit design and factory operation. This paper provides an overview of process synthesis, discusses synthesis methodologies, potential roadblocks to execution of this strategy, and presents recent progress in developing this capability.