Glossary

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Term	Definition
CAD	Computer-Aided Design. Sophisticated, computerized workstations and software used to design integrated chips.
Cassettes	Wafer handling apparatus
Cast Iron	A ternary alloy of iron, silicon, and carbon. The primary distinction between cast iron and steel is the carbon content of the metal. Steels contain less than 2% carbon. Gray iron, ductile iron, white iron, and malleable iron are all considered types of cast iron.
Cast/Wrought Aluminum	Multi-component alloys consisting of aluminum, silicon, magnesium, titanium and zinc.
Casting	Pouring or injecting liquid metal or powder into a mold to obtain a desired shape. Distinct from a piece shaped by a mechanical or metal removal process.
Centrifuge	A machine consisting of a rotating container in which substances of different densities may be separated by centrifugal force.
Chelating Agent	An organic compound in which atoms form more than one coordinate bond with metals in solution.
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)	The amount of oxygen required for total oxidation of organic and oxidizable inorganic compounds in water.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)	Chemical Vapor Deposition is a chemical process widely used in the semiconductor industry for the deposition of a thin film of various materials. In a typical CVD process, the substrate is exposed to one or more volatile precursors that react and/or decompose on the substrate surface to produce the desired deposit. Often, volatile byproducts are also produced and are removed by gas flow through the reaction chamber. Chemical usage for a vapor deposition process is typically 1% of wet processes.
Chemical-Mechanical Planarization (CMP)	Chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP), also known as chemical-mechanical polishing, is a technique used for planarizing the top surface of an in-process semiconductor wafer or other substrate.
Chip	An individual integrated circuit built in a tiny, layered square or rectangle on a silicon wafer.
Chip on Board	A bare chip mounted directly on the printed circuit board (PCB). Once the wires are attached, a glob of plastic or epoxy is used to cover the chip and its connections. The tape automated bonding (TAB) process is then used to place the chip on the board.
Chloride	Refers to the chloride ion which contributes to metallic corrosion and fluid mix instability.
Circuit Board	A board with microprocessors, transistor and other electronic components. Sometimes called a circuit card.
Cleanroom	Sterile room where chips are fabricated. The air in a cleanroom is typically 1,000 times cleaner than a typical hospital operating room.
CMOS	Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors. Combine both positive-channel and negative-channel transistors on the same circuit design. CMOS circuits consume relatively low amounts of power.
Coating Weight	The weight of a residual film remaining on a part after coating and drying. Calculated by weighing and measuring the parts, coating, drying and re-weighing. weight of part after - weight of part before / surface area of part
Coefficient Of Friction	Dimensionless ratio of the friction force (F) between two bodies to the normal force (LN) pressing the bodies together.
Concentration	A measurement of one or more substances dispersed or dissolved in a material or metal working fluid.
Conductivity	The measurement of the ability of a material to conduct an electric current (typically a liquid or solid solution). In metal working fluid, conductivity is dependent on the amount of dissolved ionic material present. The higher the conductivity of a material, the more likely the material will conduct an electrical current.
Contact Angle	The angle at which a liquid/vapor interface meets the solid surface. The concept can be visualized as a small water droplet resting on a flat horizontal surface. If the contact angle is small, the droplet lies flat (hydrophilic). If the contact angle is large, the droplet is round and resists touching the surface (hydrophobic).
Copper and its Alloys	Brass: copper/tin alloy (up to 10% tin) Bronze: copper/zinc alloy (up to 40% zinc)
Copper Anneal	In the semiconductor industry, an anneal heat treatment step is used to improve the properties of a copper layer.
Copper Capping	Copper capping is the practice of inserting a barrier between the copper and the surrounding dielectric. When the copper is annealed some of the copper molecules tend to diffuse into the dielectric reducing the insulation. If a cap is placed in between them the copper cannot diffuse into the dielectric.
Corrosion	The chemical or electrochemical reaction between a material, usually a metal and its environment, that produces a deterioration of the material and its physical properties.
Corrosive Flux	A flux containing corrosive chemicals such as halides, amines, inorganic or organic acids that can cause oxidation of copper or tin conductors.
Crosslinking	Crosslinking is the process of chemically joining molecules by a covalent bond, thereby linking one polymer chain to another.
Cure Time	The time needed to complete curing of an epoxy at a specific temperature.
Curing	The irreversible process of polymerizing a thermosetting epoxy in a temperature-time profile.
Czochralski Process	A method used to grow large cylindrical ingots (boules) of single crystal silicon.