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Reference · Official sources

Standards Glossary

A supplier brochure promises an "ISO certified Class 10,000 cleanroom". Those five words refer to three different things. Class 10,000 is a US federal standard withdrawn in 2001. ISO does not certify cleanrooms. The certificate is almost certainly the company's ISO 9001, which says nothing about air. A fab buyer notices all three.

This page decodes the vocabulary a supplier meets on the way into a fab or an OSAT: 101 standards, rules and terms of art in 10 groups, each linked to the parts of the ecosystem map it governs.

Standards at a glance

Tap a domain to expand. Tap a standard to jump to its card below.

Semiconductor Standards 101
Cleanrooms and contamination 15
Quality and management systems 14
Reliability and qualification 16
Equipment, automation and fab safety 10
Materials, chemicals, gases and water 6
Board assembly and soldering 5
Design, data formats and test 13
Environmental and product compliance 6
Indian regulators and approvals 11
Trade, customs and export control 5

Cleanroom classes, old and new names

Maximum airborne particles of 0.5 micron or larger per cubic metre, per ISO 14644-1. The US FED-STD-209E names counted per cubic foot, which is why Class 100 (about 3,530 per m³) lines up with ISO 5.

ISO 14644-1 Old US name Particles ≥0.5 µm per m³ Where you typically find it
ISO 1 — No 0.5 µm limit Inside sealed wafer carriers and tool load ports
ISO 2 — No 0.5 µm limit Inside sealed wafer carriers and tool load ports
ISO 3 Class 1 35 Minienvironments around leading-edge lithography and wafer handling
ISO 4 Class 10 352 Front-end fab bays for critical process steps
ISO 5 Class 100 3,520 Fab process bays; photomask handling; wafer-level packaging
ISO 6 Class 1,000 35,200 Advanced packaging and bumping lines; front-of-line OSAT
ISO 7 Class 10,000 352,000 Conventional OSAT assembly: die attach, wire bond, mould
ISO 8 Class 100,000 3,520,000 Final test floors, gowning rooms, clean packing
ISO 9 — 35,200,000 Roughly ordinary indoor air; buffer zones

Typical uses are indicative; each fab and OSAT sets its own zones. Always state the occupancy state with the class.

Cleanrooms and contamination

How clean the air, surfaces and people have to be, and how that is measured.

ISO 14644-1

ISO

Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments, Part 1: Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration

The standard that defines cleanroom classes ISO 1 (cleanest) to ISO 9 by the maximum number of airborne particles per cubic metre at set particle sizes. Each class step is a tenfold change in allowed particles. The 2015 edition changed how many sampling points a room needs.

In practice. A class is only meaningful with its occupancy state attached. "ISO 7 at rest" and "ISO 7 operational" are different rooms; buyers auditing an OSAT or a cleanroom-consumables supplier will ask which one the test report shows.

Also written as ISO class, cleanroom classification, ISO 5, ISO 6, ISO 7, ISO 8

Official source ISO 14644-1:2015

On the map Cleanroom Build, Cleanroom Consumables

See also FED-STD-209E, As-built, at-rest, operational, "ISO certified Class 10,000"

FED-STD-209E

US General Services Administration · Withdrawn

US Federal Standard 209E, Airborne particulate cleanliness classes in cleanrooms and clean zones

The old US cleanroom standard, cancelled on 29 November 2001 and superseded by ISO 14644-1 and 14644-2. Its classes are named for the maximum particles of 0.5 micron or larger per cubic foot: Class 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000.

In practice. The names outlived the standard. "Class 10,000" is ISO 7 and "Class 100" is ISO 5. Quote the ISO class in any document that a customer will audit, and use the old name only as a translation.

Also written as Class 100, Class 1,000, Class 10,000, Class 100,000, Federal Standard 209

Official source IEST: FED-STD-209E cancellation · ISO 14644-1:2015

On the map Cleanroom Build

See also ISO 14644-1, "ISO certified Class 10,000"

"ISO certified Class 10,000"

Common usage

A phrase that mixes three different things. "Class 10,000" is the withdrawn US name for ISO 7. ISO does not certify cleanrooms; a room is classified by testing it against ISO 14644-1, usually by an independent validation firm. "ISO certified" normally refers to the company's ISO 9001 quality system, which says nothing about air cleanliness.

In practice. The accurate claim reads: "ISO 14644-1 Class 7 (operational), last classified on [date] by [firm]", with the company's ISO 9001 certificate listed separately. A customer auditor will ask for both documents.

Also written as ISO certified cleanroom, certified cleanroom

Official source ISO 14644-1:2015 · ISO: Certification (ISO does not issue certificates)

On the map Cleanroom Build

See also ISO 14644-1, FED-STD-209E, ISO 9001, As-built, at-rest, operational

As-built, at-rest, operational

ISO (defined in ISO 14644-1)

The three conditions in which a cleanroom can be classified. As-built: empty, services running, no equipment. At-rest: equipment installed and running, no people. Operational: equipment and people working normally.

In practice. People are the largest particle source in most rooms, so the operational figure is the one that predicts yield. A builder's handover certificate is usually as-built or at-rest.

Also written as occupancy state, at rest, in operation

Official source ISO 14644-1:2015

On the map Cleanroom Build

See also ISO 14644-1

ISO 14644-2

ISO

Monitoring to provide evidence of cleanroom performance related to air cleanliness by particle concentration

Sets out how a cleanroom proves it is still in class between formal classifications: a documented monitoring plan, sample locations chosen by risk assessment, alert and action levels, and periodic reclassification.

In practice. The monitoring log, not the original classification certificate, is what a customer audit looks at.

Official source ISO 14644-2:2015

On the map Cleanroom Build

See also ISO 14644-1, ISO 14644-3

ISO 14644-3

ISO

Test methods

The test methods behind classification and commissioning: airflow velocity and volume, pressure differential between rooms, installed filter leak testing, recovery time after a particle challenge, and containment leak tests.

Official source ISO 14644-3:2019

On the map Cleanroom Build

See also ISO 14644-2, ISO 14644-4

ISO 14644-4

ISO

Design, construction and start-up

Requirements for designing and building a cleanroom: airflow patterns (unidirectional or mixed), pressure cascades, materials of construction, and the sequence of commissioning tests before handover.

In practice. The reference a cleanroom EPC contractor designs to, and the one to write into the construction contract.

Official source ISO 14644-4:2022

On the map Cleanroom Build

See also ISO 14644-3, ISO 14644-5

ISO 14644-8

ISO

Assessment of air cleanliness by chemical concentration (ACC)

Classifies air by the concentration of gaseous chemical contaminants rather than particles. Acids, bases, organics and dopants in the air can ruin wafers in a room that passes its particle count.

In practice. Fabs specify AMC limits for lithography and gate-oxide areas and pay for chemical filtration to meet them.

Also written as AMC, airborne molecular contamination, ISO-AMC

Official source ISO 14644-8:2022

On the map Filtration, Cleanroom Build

See also SEMI F21, ISO 14644-1

SEMI F21

SEMI

Classification of airborne molecular contaminant levels in clean environments

The semiconductor industry's own AMC classification, grouping contaminants into acids (MA), bases (MB), condensable organics (MC) and dopants (MD), each with a concentration level.

Official source SEMI F21

On the map Filtration

See also ISO 14644-8

ISO 14644-9

ISO

Assessment of surface cleanliness for particle concentration

Classifies the cleanliness of surfaces (tool parts, carriers, packaging) by particles per square metre, as 14644-1 does for air.

In practice. Relevant to anyone supplying precision-cleaned chamber parts or cleanroom packaging.

Official source ISO 14644-9:2022

On the map Parts Cleaning, Precision Engineering

See also ISO 14644-1

HEPA and ULPA filter classes

CEN (EN 1822) / ISO (ISO 29463)

Filter efficiency grades measured at the most penetrating particle size. Under EN 1822, H13 and H14 are HEPA grades (99.95% and 99.995%) and U15 to U17 are ULPA grades. ISO 29463 is the international equivalent with its own class names.

In practice. Fab ceilings use ULPA filters; OSAT assembly rooms commonly use H14 HEPA. Each installed filter is leak-tested under ISO 14644-3.

Also written as EN 1822, ISO 29463, H13, H14, U15, ULPA

Official source ISO 29463-1:2024

On the map Cleanroom Build, Filtration

See also ISO 14644-3

IEST Recommended Practices (IEST-RP-CC)

Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (US)

Practical guidance documents that sit alongside ISO 14644. The ones consumables suppliers meet most often: CC003 (garments), CC004 (wipers), CC005 (gloves and finger cots) and CC034 (HEPA and ULPA filter leak tests).

In practice. A glove or wiper datasheet that cites the IEST test method for particle and ion release is taken far more seriously by a fab buyer.

Also written as IEST-RP-CC003, IEST-RP-CC004, IEST-RP-CC005, IEST-RP-CC034

Official source IEST-RP-CC003 (garments) · IEST-RP-CC004 (wipers) · IEST-RP-CC005 (gloves)

On the map Cleanroom Consumables

See also ISO 14644-5

FOUP, SMIF and minienvironments

SEMI

Instead of making a whole fab ISO 1, wafers travel in sealed carriers and are only exposed inside small, ultra-clean enclosures at each tool. The 300 mm carrier is the FOUP (SEMI E47.1); the kinematic coupling that locates it is SEMI E57; the load port interface is SEMI E62. 200 mm fabs used SMIF pods (SEMI E19).

Also written as SEMI E47.1, SEMI E57, SEMI E62, SEMI E19, EFEM, load port

Official source SEMI E47.1 (FOUP)

On the map Fab Automation, Cleanroom Build

See also SEMI E84, ISO 14644-1

ANSI/ESD S20.20

EOS/ESD Association (US); IEC for 61340-5-1

The requirements for an electrostatic discharge control programme: grounding, ESD-protected areas, packaging, training and compliance verification. IEC 61340-5-1 is the international counterpart and the two are close enough that many sites certify to both.

In practice. An OSAT or test house will expect S20.20 certification from anyone handling bare die or unpackaged parts, including logistics and rework partners.

Also written as ESD control program, IEC 61340-5-1, EPA, ESD protected area

Official source ANSI/ESD S20.20-2021 · IEC 61340-5-1:2024

On the map Cleanroom Consumables, Final Test, Tape and Reel, HAZMAT Logistics

See also HBM and CDM ESD ratings

Quality and management systems

The certificates a buyer asks for before a first purchase order.

ISO 9001

ISO

The baseline quality management system standard: documented processes, management review, internal audit, corrective action and customer focus. The 2026 edition has replaced the 2015 edition, and certified companies move across during a transition period. Certification is done by an accredited certification body, not by ISO.

In practice. Table stakes for any supplier to a fab or OSAT. Check that the certificate carries an accreditation mark (NABCB in India, or an IAF member elsewhere); unaccredited certificates are common and carry little weight with auditors.

Also written as QMS, quality management system, ISO 9001:2026, ISO 9001:2015

Official source ISO 9001:2026 · ISO: Certification (ISO does not issue certificates)

See also IATF 16949, NABCB, "ISO certified Class 10,000"

IATF 16949

International Automotive Task Force

IATF 16949:2016, Quality management system requirements for automotive production and relevant service parts organizations

The automotive quality system, written as a supplement to ISO 9001. Adds the AIAG core tools, customer-specific requirements, product safety, warranty management and a zero-defect orientation. It replaced ISO/TS 16949.

In practice. Any OSAT, test house or materials supplier that wants automotive chip volume will be asked for it. Certification takes one to two years of evidence, so it belongs in the plan from the first day, not after the first customer.

Also written as TS 16949, automotive QMS

Official source IATF 16949:2016

On the map Qualification, Final Test, Moulding

See also AIAG core tools, AEC-Q100, ISO 9001

AIAG core tools

Automotive Industry Action Group (with VDA for FMEA)

Five methods required under IATF 16949. APQP plans a new product launch; PPAP is the approval package a customer signs before volume shipments; FMEA ranks failure risks; MSA proves the measurement system is trustworthy; SPC keeps the process in statistical control. 8D is the standard problem-solving report after a customer complaint.

In practice. A first PPAP submission is where most new automotive suppliers stall. Budget engineering time for it separately from the capex.

Also written as APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, SPC, 8D, control plan

Official source AIAG Quality Core Tools

On the map Qualification

See also IATF 16949, Cpk, DPPM, FIT

AS9100

International Aerospace Quality Group / SAE

The aerospace and defence quality system, ISO 9001 plus requirements on configuration management, counterfeit-part prevention, product safety and first-article inspection. The current edition is AS9100D; the IAQG is revising it under the new name IA9100.

In practice. Needed to supply defence and space programmes, which are a real early market for Indian compound-semiconductor and hi-rel packaging lines.

Also written as AS9100D, IA9100, aerospace QMS

Official source SAE AS9100D

See also MIL-PRF-38535 (QML), ISO 9001

ISO 13485

ISO

The medical device quality system. Relevant to chips and modules built into regulated medical devices.

Official source ISO 13485:2016

See also ISO 9001

ISO 14001

ISO

The environmental management system standard: identifying environmental aspects, legal compliance, objectives and continual improvement.

In practice. Most multinational fab and OSAT customers list it alongside ISO 9001 in supplier questionnaires, particularly for chemical and gas suppliers.

Also written as EMS, environmental management system

Official source ISO 14001:2026

On the map Wastewater and ZLD, Acids and Solvents

See also ISO 45001, ISO 50001

ISO 50001

ISO

Energy management system standard. A fab draws power on the scale of a small town, so energy baselines and savings are a board-level topic.

Also written as energy management system

Official source ISO 50001:2018

On the map Power Continuity

See also SEMI S23

ISO/IEC 17025

ISO/IEC

General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories

The standard a test or calibration laboratory is accredited against. Unlike ISO 9001 it assesses technical competence: method validation, measurement uncertainty, traceable calibration.

In practice. A reliability, failure-analysis or calibration lab in India gets accredited by NABL. Customers will accept its reports without re-testing only if the specific test method is on the accreditation scope.

Also written as lab accreditation, NABL accreditation

Official source ISO/IEC 17025:2017

On the map Failure Analysis, Burn-In, Metrology

See also NABL

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO/IEC

Information security management system. For design services, customers are handing over RTL, netlists and GDS files that are the whole value of their company.

In practice. Expect it in the vendor questionnaire of any foreign customer outsourcing design or verification, often with a request for air-gapped project environments.

Also written as ISMS, information security

Official source ISO/IEC 27001:2022

On the map Turnkey ASIC Design, Verification Services, Physical Design Services, Mask Data Prep

See also Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408)

ISO 26262

ISO

Road vehicles, Functional safety

The automotive functional safety standard. Hazards are rated ASIL A (lowest) to ASIL D (highest), and the rating drives development process, safety mechanisms and diagnostic coverage. Part 11 (added in 2018) interprets the standard for semiconductors and IP.

In practice. An automotive chip or IP block sells with a safety manual and an FMEDA report. Design-service firms with certified functional safety engineers command a premium.

Also written as functional safety, ASIL, ASIL-D

Official source ISO 26262-11:2018 (semiconductors)

On the map Qualification, Turnkey ASIC Design, Verification Services, CPU and GPU IP

See also IEC 61508, ISO/SAE 21434, AEC-Q100

IEC 61508

IEC

The parent functional safety standard for electrical and electronic systems, using Safety Integrity Levels SIL 1 to SIL 4. Industrial, railway and process-control chips are assessed against it or its sector derivatives.

Also written as SIL, safety integrity level

Official source IEC 61508-1:2010

See also ISO 26262

Reliability and qualification

How a chip or package proves it will survive heat, moisture and time.

JESD47

JEDEC

Stress-test-driven qualification of integrated circuits

The JEDEC baseline for qualifying a commercial or industrial IC: which stress tests to run, on how many parts from how many lots, and what counts as a pass. The tests themselves are defined in JESD22.

Official source JEDEC JESD47

On the map Burn-In, Failure Analysis

See also JESD22 test methods, AEC-Q100

JESD22 test methods

JEDEC

The family of reliability test methods. The ones every qualification plan contains: A108 high-temperature operating life (HTOL), A104 temperature cycling, A110 highly accelerated stress test (HAST), A101 temperature-humidity-bias (THB), A103 high-temperature storage, and A113 preconditioning to simulate board assembly before the rest.

In practice. An Indian reliability lab earns its keep by running these to JEDEC conditions with NABL-accredited scope, so customers do not ship samples overseas for qualification.

Also written as HTOL, HAST, THB, temperature cycling, TC, preconditioning, JESD22-A104, JESD22-A110, JESD22-A108

Official source JEDEC JESD22-A108 (HTOL) · JEDEC JESD22-A104 (temperature cycling) · JEDEC JESD22-A110 (HAST)

On the map Burn-In, Failure Analysis, Qualification

See also JESD47, J-STD-020 and MSL, ISO/IEC 17025

J-STD-020 and MSL

IPC/JEDEC

Moisture/reflow sensitivity classification for non-hermetic surface mount devices

Classifies how long a plastic package can sit in factory air before moisture it absorbs will crack it during reflow soldering ("popcorning"). MSL 1 is unlimited floor life at 30 C and 85% RH; MSL 3 is 168 hours at 30 C and 60% RH; MSL 6 must be baked before every use.

In practice. The MSL rating is printed on every reel label and drives the dry-pack and handling cost of a package. Mould compound and substrate choices move it.

Also written as moisture sensitivity level, MSL 1, MSL 3, popcorning

Official source IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020

On the map Moulding Compound, Moulding, Package Substrates, Tape and Reel

See also J-STD-033, JESD22 test methods

J-STD-033

IPC/JEDEC

Handling, packing, shipping and use of moisture/reflow sensitive surface mount devices

How moisture-sensitive parts are dried, sealed with desiccant and a humidity indicator card in a barrier bag, stored, and re-baked if the floor life is exceeded.

Also written as dry pack, moisture barrier bag, HIC, humidity indicator card, bake

Official source IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

On the map Tape and Reel, HAZMAT Logistics

See also J-STD-020 and MSL

AEC-Q100

Automotive Electronics Council

Failure mechanism based stress test qualification for integrated circuits

The automotive IC qualification. Parts are qualified to an ambient temperature grade: Grade 0 (-40 to +150 C), Grade 1 (-40 to +125 C), Grade 2 (-40 to +105 C) or Grade 3 (-40 to +85 C). The test flow is harsher and larger than JESD47.

In practice. AEC does not certify anything. "AEC-Q100 qualified" is a claim by the chip maker backed by its own test data, which an automotive customer will ask to see. The OSAT and its materials are part of what was qualified, so changing either triggers requalification.

Also written as automotive grade, Grade 0, Grade 1, automotive qualified

Official source AEC qualification documents (Q100 Rev J1 and family)

On the map Qualification, Burn-In, Final Test

See also AEC-Q101 to Q104, AEC-Q006, IATF 16949, JESD47

AEC-Q101 to Q104

Automotive Electronics Council

Sister qualifications to AEC-Q100 for other device types: Q101 discrete semiconductors (MOSFETs, IGBTs, diodes), Q102 optoelectronics, Q103 MEMS sensors and Q104 multichip modules.

In practice. Q101 is the gate for SiC and GaN power devices going into EVs, the most active compound-semiconductor market.

Also written as AEC-Q101, AEC-Q102, AEC-Q103, AEC-Q104

Official source AEC qualification documents (Q100 Rev J1 and family)

On the map Qualification, SiC Substrates, GaN Substrates, SiP Assembly

See also AEC-Q100, AEC-Q200

Cpk, DPPM, FIT

Industry practice (JESD85 for FIT)

The numbers behind quality claims. Cpk measures how far a process sits inside its specification limits; automotive customers usually ask for 1.33 or 1.67. DPPM is defective parts per million shipped. FIT is failures per billion device-hours, the unit of a field failure rate.

In practice. Automotive chip customers target single-digit DPPM or lower. A supplier who can show Cpk data per lot is easier to qualify than one with only pass/fail records.

Also written as process capability, defective parts per million, failures in time, zero defect, MTTF, JESD85

Official source JEDEC JESD85 (FIT calculation) · AEC qualification documents (Q100 Rev J1 and family)

On the map Qualification, Final Test, Metrology

See also AIAG core tools

MIL-STD-883

US Department of Defense (DLA)

Test method standard, microcircuits

The US military test methods for microcircuits, still the reference vocabulary for hi-rel and space parts worldwide: temperature cycling (Method 1010), burn-in (Method 1015), hermeticity, radiography and many more.

In practice. Indian defence and space procurement specifications commonly cite 883 screening methods even where the parts are not US-military.

Also written as Method 1010, Method 1015

Official source DLA: MIL-STD-883

On the map Burn-In, Failure Analysis

See also MIL-PRF-38535 (QML), AS9100

MIL-PRF-38535 (QML)

US Department of Defense (DLA Land and Maritime)

Qualifies a whole manufacturing line, not a single part, for military (Class Q) and space (Class V) microcircuits: the Qualified Manufacturers List. MIL-PRF-19500 does the same for discrete devices with JAN, JANTX, JANTXV and JANS levels.

Also written as QML, Class Q, Class V, MIL-PRF-19500, JANTX, JANS

Official source DLA: MIL-PRF-38535 QML listing · DLA: MIL-PRF-19500

See also MIL-STD-883, AS9100

JESD51

JEDEC

The family of standards for measuring package thermal resistance (junction-to-ambient, junction-to-case) with defined test boards and conditions, so datasheet numbers are comparable.

Also written as theta-JA, junction-to-ambient, thermal resistance

Official source JEDEC JESD51

On the map Thermal Materials, Package Design

JEDEC memory standards

JEDEC

The interface definitions that let any memory maker's DRAM work with any processor: JESD79 (DDR, with JESD79-5 for DDR5), JESD209 (LPDDR for phones) and JESD235 / JESD238 (High Bandwidth Memory, stacked beside AI accelerators).

In practice. Memory controller and PHY IP is licensed by compliance to these specifications. HBM is also why 2.5D interposer and hybrid-bonding capacity is scarce.

Also written as JESD79, DDR5, JESD209, LPDDR5, JESD235, HBM, JESD238, HBM3

Official source JEDEC: DDR SDRAM and HBM standards · JEDEC: LPDDR standards

On the map Interface PHY IP, 2.5D Packaging, 3D Stacking

Known Good Die (KGD)

Industry practice

A bare die tested thoroughly enough at wafer level to be trusted without packaging it first. The economics of chiplets and stacked memory depend on it: one bad die in a six-die package scraps five good ones.

Official source An industry term with no single governing standard; each supplier and customer agrees its own test coverage.

On the map Wafer Probe, 2.5D Packaging, 3D Stacking

See also UCIe

Equipment, automation and fab safety

What a tool must satisfy before it is allowed onto a fab floor.

SEMI S2

SEMI

Environmental, health and safety guideline for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

The EHS baseline every fab tool is evaluated against: electrical, chemical, fire, radiation, seismic, ergonomic and exhaust hazards. It points to companions such as S8 (ergonomics), S14 (fire risk), S22 (electrical design) and S6 (exhaust ventilation).

In practice. A fab will not install a tool, or often a subsystem, without a third-party S2/S8 evaluation report. Indian equipment and subsystem makers should budget for it before their first customer demo, not after.

Also written as S2/S8, SEMI S8, SEMI S14, SEMI S22, SEMI S6, S2 report

Official source SEMI S2

On the map Clean Equipment, Etch Equipment, CVD and ALD, Gas Delivery, Fab Automation, Equipment Services, Test Handlers

See also SEMI F47, SEMI S23, NFPA 318

SEMI F47

SEMI

Requires equipment to keep running through short voltage sags: down to 50% of nominal for up to 0.2 s, 70% for up to 0.5 s and 80% for up to 1 s. Sags are the most common grid disturbance, and a tool that drops out mid-process scraps the wafers inside it.

In practice. For a fab on an Indian grid, F47 compliance of tools plus plant-level power conditioning is a yield question, not a formality.

Also written as voltage sag immunity, ride-through

Official source SEMI F47

On the map Power Continuity, Equipment Services

See also SEMI S2

SEMI E10 and E79

SEMI

E10 defines the equipment time states (productive, standby, engineering, scheduled and unscheduled downtime, non-scheduled) and how to calculate reliability, availability and maintainability. E79 builds overall equipment efficiency (OEE) on top.

In practice. Service contracts for installed tools are written against E10 uptime. A local field-service business sells a better E10 number than a remote vendor can.

Also written as OEE, uptime, MTBF, equipment states, RAM

Official source SEMI E10 · SEMI E79

On the map Equipment Services, Parts Cleaning

SECS/GEM

SEMI

The protocol by which a tool talks to the factory host computer: SECS-II messages (E5) carried over HSMS/Ethernet (E37) or legacy serial (E4), with GEM (E30) defining standard behaviour. 300 mm fabs add GEM300 standards such as E87 carrier management, E40 process jobs and E94 control jobs.

In practice. A tool without a working GEM interface cannot be automated. It is also a common entry point for Indian software firms into factory automation.

Also written as SEMI E4, SEMI E5, SEMI E30, SEMI E37, HSMS, GEM300, SEMI E87, SEMI E40, SEMI E94

Official source SEMI E30 (GEM)

On the map Fab Automation, Equipment Services, Test Handlers

See also SEMI E84, SEMI E142

SEMI E142

SEMI

A standard XML format for wafer and strip maps: which die on a wafer passed probe, and where each die went in assembly. It is how pass/fail data travels from the probe floor to the die-attach tool.

Also written as substrate map, wafer map, E142 map

Official source SEMI E142

On the map Wafer Probe, Wafer Mount, Die Attach

See also STDF, SEMI T7

SEMI T7

SEMI

Specifies the laser-marked two-dimensional matrix code on the back of a wafer that identifies it through every process step.

Also written as wafer ID, 2D matrix, backside marking

Official source SEMI T7

On the map Silicon Wafers, Fab Automation

See also SEMI E142

NFPA 318

National Fire Protection Association (US)

Standard for the protection of semiconductor fabrication facilities

Fire protection for fabs: sprinklers in cleanrooms and exhaust ducts, fire protection of wet benches, storage and distribution of hazardous production materials such as silane.

In practice. Indian fire codes do not yet address fabs in this detail, so insurers and global customers use NFPA 318 as the reference.

Also written as fab fire protection, HPM

Official source NFPA 318

On the map Cleanroom Build, Gas Delivery, Clean Equipment

See also FM 4910, SEMI S2

FM 4910

FM Approvals

A fire propagation and smoke test for plastics used inside cleanrooms (wet bench bodies, ducting, panels). Materials that pass are listed as FM-approved.

In practice. A wet bench fabricator using non-listed polypropylene can lose a fab tender on this alone, since the fab's insurer sets the rule.

Also written as FM-approved plastics, cleanroom materials flammability

Official source ANSI/FM 4910 (PDF)

On the map Clean Equipment, Cleanroom Build, Precision Engineering

See also NFPA 318

Materials, chemicals, gases and water

Purity grades and specifications for everything that touches a wafer.

SEMI M1

SEMI

Specification for polished single crystal silicon wafers

Defines the geometry of a silicon wafer: diameter, thickness (775 microns nominal at 300 mm), notch or flat, edge profile, flatness and warp. Every tool and carrier is designed around it.

Also written as wafer specification, 300 mm, 200 mm, notch, flatness

Official source SEMI M1

On the map Silicon Wafers, Epi Wafers, Reclaim Wafers

See also SEMI T7, Purity in nines (6N, 9N, 11N)

Purity in nines (6N, 9N, 11N)

Industry practice

Shorthand for purity by counting nines: 6N is 99.9999%, 9N is 99.9999999%. Electronic-grade polysilicon runs 9N to 11N. Process gases are typically 5N to 6N; impurities in liquid chemicals are specified in parts per billion (ppb) or trillion (ppt).

In practice. The last nine is the expensive one. Making 6N material is a chemical plant; proving 9N consistently is an analytical laboratory.

Also written as five nines, electronic grade, EG, ppb, ppt

Official source SEMI liquid chemical standards · SEMI C3: Specification for gases

On the map Polysilicon, Specialty Gases, Targets, Acids and Solvents

See also SEMI C-series and chemical grades

SEMI C-series and chemical grades

SEMI

SEMI's specifications for individual process chemicals (sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, IPA, ammonia and so on) and gases (the C3 series), setting assay and limits on metals, anions and particles. Liquid chemicals are sold in tiers from SEMI Grade 1 up to Grade 5, the purest, with metals in parts per trillion.

In practice. A Grade 1 or 2 product is a sensible first step for an Indian chemical maker; OSATs and mature-node fabs buy it. Leading-edge fabs need Grade 4 or 5 with the analytical data to prove every lot.

Also written as SEMI Grade 5, SEMI grade, SEMI C3, electronic grade chemicals, EL grade

Official source SEMI liquid chemical standards · SEMI C3: Specification for gases

On the map Acids and Solvents, Resist Ancillaries, Specialty Gases, Dopant Gases, Plating Chemicals

See also Purity in nines (6N, 9N, 11N)

ASTM D5127 and SEMI F63

ASTM International / SEMI

The two reference specifications for ultrapure water. ASTM D5127 grades water from E-1 (for the finest line widths) downward; SEMI F63 is the fab-oriented guide. Both set limits on resistivity (18.2 megohm-cm at 25 C is theoretical pure water), total organic carbon, particles, dissolved oxygen, silica and metals.

Also written as ultrapure water, UPW grade, E-1, resistivity 18.2

Official source ASTM D5127 · SEMI F63

On the map Ultrapure Water, Wastewater and ZLD

See also SEMI F57

SEMI F19 and F20

SEMI

F20 specifies 316L stainless steel for high-purity gas and chemical systems; F19 specifies the finish of wetted surfaces (roughness, electropolish, passivation). Together they define the tubing and fittings in a gas line.

In practice. Indian precision shops entering gas-system fabrication need orbital welding, cleanroom assembly and the surface metrology to certify against these.

Also written as 316L, electropolished, VIM-VAR, high-purity stainless

Official source SEMI F20 · SEMI F19

On the map Gas Delivery, Precision Engineering

See also SEMI F57, SEMI S2

Board assembly and soldering

Where the packaged chip meets the printed circuit board.

IPC-A-610

IPC

Acceptability of electronic assemblies

The visual acceptance criteria for assembled boards, used by inspectors worldwide. Products fall into Class 1 (general), Class 2 (dedicated service, most industrial and consumer) and Class 3 (high reliability: medical, aerospace, automotive safety).

In practice. IPC certifies individual inspectors and trainers, which is a cheap, fast credential for an Indian EMS or module assembler.

Also written as Class 2, Class 3, workmanship standard

Official source IPC-A-610

On the map SiP Assembly

See also J-STD-001

Design, data formats and test

The languages and file formats that carry a chip from idea to tester.

GDSII and OASIS

Industry format (GDSII); SEMI P39 (OASIS)

The file formats that carry a finished chip layout to the mask shop. GDSII dates to the 1970s and is still universal; OASIS (SEMI P39) is its compact successor, needed because leading-edge layouts run to hundreds of gigabytes.

In practice. "Tapeout" means handing over this file. It is the most sensitive artefact a design-services firm touches.

Also written as GDS, tapeout file, SEMI P39, layout database

Official source SEMI P39 (OASIS)

On the map Mask Data Prep, Photomasks, Physical Design Services

See also LEF, DEF and Liberty, ISO/IEC 27001

LEF, DEF and Liberty

Industry formats (Si2 maintains LEF/DEF)

LEF describes the physical abstract of cells and IP; DEF describes a placed-and-routed design; Liberty (.lib) carries timing and power models. Together they are how synthesis and place-and-route tools understand a foundry's library.

Also written as .lib, timing library, standard cell library

Official source Si2: LEF/DEF downloads

On the map Digital Implementation, Foundation IP, Physical Design Services

See also PDK (process design kit), GDSII and OASIS

PDK (process design kit)

Each foundry

The foundry's package that makes design for its process possible: device SPICE models, design rules and the DRC/LVS checking decks, parameterised cells and standard-cell libraries. Not a standard in the formal sense, but the most important contract document in design.

In practice. Access is gated by NDA. An Indian fab's PDK quality and EDA-vendor support will decide how quickly design houses adopt it.

Also written as DRC deck, LVS, SPICE models, design rules

Official source Each foundry publishes its own PDK under NDA; there is no public standard to link.

On the map PDK Enablement, Analog Design Tools, TCAD

See also LEF, DEF and Liberty, SPICE and BSIM

UVM

IEEE (developed by Accellera)

The standard methodology and class library for building SystemVerilog testbenches. Verification is often more than half the engineering effort in a chip, and UVM is its common language.

In practice. UVM fluency is the single most hired-for skill in Indian verification services.

Also written as IEEE 1800.2, Universal Verification Methodology

Official source IEEE 1800.2 (UVM) · Accellera: UVM

On the map Verification Services, Verification Tools

See also Verilog, SystemVerilog, VHDL

JTAG and DFT standards

IEEE

The test-access standards built into chips. IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG, boundary scan) gives a standard test port; IEEE 1500 wraps embedded cores for test; IEEE 1687 (IJTAG) manages on-chip instruments; IEEE 1450 (STIL) carries test patterns to the tester.

Also written as IEEE 1149.1, boundary scan, IEEE 1500, IEEE 1687, IJTAG, STIL, IEEE 1450

Official source IEEE 1149.1 · IEEE 1500 · IEEE 1687 · IEEE 1450 (STIL)

On the map DFT Services, DFT Tools, Final Test

See also STDF

STDF

Industry format (originated by Teradyne)

The binary format in which testers record every measurement on every part. Yield analysis, outlier screening and customer data packages are all built on STDF files.

In practice. Yield-analytics software on STDF data is a capital-light opening next to any Indian test floor.

Also written as Standard Test Data Format, test data log

Official source Created by Teradyne; the V4 specification circulates through tester vendors and has no current official publisher page.

On the map Final Test, Wafer Probe, Post-Silicon Validation

See also SEMI E142, JTAG and DFT standards

Interface specifications

PCI-SIG, USB-IF, MIPI Alliance, IEEE, Arm and others

The consortium specifications that interface IP must comply with: PCI Express, USB, MIPI (camera and display links), Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), and Arm's AMBA/AXI for on-chip buses. Each has its own compliance testing and logo programme.

In practice. Interface IP is sold on passing the compliance workshop, not on the datasheet. Membership fees and compliance test costs belong in an IP company's budget.

Also written as PCIe, USB, MIPI, Ethernet, IEEE 802.3, AMBA, AXI, SerDes

Official source PCI-SIG specifications · USB-IF documents · MIPI specifications · IEEE 802.3 Ethernet · Arm AMBA specifications

On the map Interface PHY IP, CPU and GPU IP, Post-Silicon Validation

See also UCIe, JEDEC memory standards, IP-XACT

UCIe

UCIe Consortium

An open die-to-die interconnect specification so chiplets from different vendors can share one package, over standard organic substrates or advanced 2.5D and 3D packaging.

In practice. Chiplets lower the cost of entry for a design company: build one die well and buy the rest. Adoption is early and still led by the largest firms.

Also written as Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express, chiplet standard, die-to-die

Official source UCIe Consortium

On the map 2.5D Packaging, 3D Stacking, Fan-Out WLP, Interface PHY IP

See also Known Good Die (KGD), Interface specifications

Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408)

ISO/IEC; national schemes (STQC runs India's IC3S)

The international framework for evaluating the security of IT products at Evaluation Assurance Levels EAL1 to EAL7. Smart card, SIM, passport and secure-element chips are typically certified at EAL5+ or higher.

In practice. An Indian secure-element chip for identity or payments will need a Common Criteria certificate. India's own scheme, run by STQC, certifies up to EAL4, so the higher-assurance evaluations typical for smart-card chips are currently done under overseas schemes.

Also written as EAL, EAL5+, IC3S, secure element

Official source ISO/IEC 15408-1:2026 · Indian Common Criteria Certification Scheme

On the map Turnkey ASIC Design, CPU and GPU IP

See also STQC, ISO/IEC 27001

Environmental and product compliance

Restricted substances and the paperwork that proves their absence.

RoHS

European Union

Restricts ten substances in electrical and electronic equipment: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, two brominated flame retardants (PBB, PBDE) and four phthalates, each to 0.1% by weight of homogeneous material (0.01% for cadmium). Time-limited exemptions permit some uses, such as lead in high-melting-point solders.

In practice. Lead-rich die-attach solder in power devices survives only through exemption 7(a). Anyone developing lead-free die attach should watch its renewal closely.

Also written as EU RoHS, 2011/65/EU, RoHS 3, lead-free, exemption 7(a)

Official source European Commission: RoHS Directive · Directive 2011/65/EU (EUR-Lex)

On the map Die-Attach Adhesive, Paste and Flux, Lead Finish, Solder Balls

See also E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, REACH and SVHC, IECQ QC 080000

PFAS restrictions

European Union (proposal); US federal and state rules · Proposed

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are used across the fab: photoacid generators in resists, surfactants, fluoropolymer pipes, seals and chamber parts, heat-transfer fluids. A universal EU restriction was proposed in January 2023. ECHA's risk committee adopted its opinion in March 2026 and the socio-economic committee consulted on its draft opinion until May 2026; ECHA supports a restriction with targeted derogations. The European Commission then decides.

In practice. Timelines have shifted repeatedly, so check the ECHA page before any sourcing decision. A PFAS-free alternative to a fluorinated input is a product with a waiting market.

Also written as forever chemicals, PFAS, fluoropolymers, PFOS

Official source ECHA: PFAS restriction

On the map Photoresists, Resist Ancillaries, Parts Cleaning, Ultrapure Water

See also REACH and SVHC

Conflict minerals (3TG)

US SEC (Dodd-Frank s.1502); European Union; Responsible Minerals Initiative

Tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold must be traced to smelters audited as conflict-free. Suppliers report through the Responsible Minerals Initiative's Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT); smelters are audited under RMAP.

In practice. Every multinational customer will send a CMRT with the first order. Gold wire, tin plating, tantalum targets and tungsten precursors all fall in scope.

Also written as 3TG, CMRT, RMAP, Dodd-Frank 1502, EU 2017/821, RMI

Official source RMI: Conflict Minerals Reporting Template · US SEC: Conflict minerals disclosure · EU Conflict Minerals Regulation

On the map Bonding Wire, Targets, Plating Chemicals, Leadframes, Solder Balls

See also Material declarations

Material declarations

IPC; IEC; automotive IMDS

Standard data formats for declaring what a part is made of. IPC-1752A is the electronics XML format; IEC 62474 maintains the list of declarable substances; automotive customers require entries in IMDS.

Also written as IPC-1752A, IEC 62474, FMD, full material declaration, IMDS

Official source IPC-1752 · IEC 62474 database

On the map Moulding Compound, Leadframes, Die-Attach Adhesive, Package Substrates

See also REACH and SVHC, RoHS, Conflict minerals (3TG)

Indian regulators and approvals

Licences, consents and accreditations specific to building in India.

BIS and the Compulsory Registration Scheme

Bureau of Indian Standards

BIS is India's national standards body and publishes IS standards, many adopted directly from ISO and IEC. Its Compulsory Registration Scheme requires listed electronic products to be tested at a BIS-recognised lab and registered before sale in India.

In practice. CRS applies to finished electronic products and a small number of components, not to wafers or chips as such. Check the current order before assuming either way.

Also written as BIS, CRS, IS standards, Bureau of Indian Standards

Official source BIS: Compulsory Registration Scheme · BIS CRS portal

See also NABL, E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022

NABL

Quality Council of India

Accredits Indian testing and calibration laboratories to ISO/IEC 17025. It is a signatory to the ILAC mutual recognition arrangement, so its accredited reports are accepted internationally.

In practice. A reliability or FA lab should put specific JEDEC and MIL methods on its NABL scope. Customers read the scope, not the certificate.

Also written as National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories

Official source NABL

On the map Failure Analysis, Burn-In, Metrology

See also ISO/IEC 17025, NABCB

NABCB

Quality Council of India

Accredits the certification bodies that issue ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and similar certificates in India. It is an IAF member, which is what gives an Indian ISO certificate international standing.

In practice. Check for the NABCB or another IAF-member mark on any ISO certificate you rely on or buy. Unaccredited certificates are common and customers know it.

Also written as accredited certification, IAF

Official source NABCB

See also ISO 9001, NABL

STQC

Ministry of Electronics and IT

MeitY's testing, calibration and certification directorate. It runs labs across India and is the certification body for the Indian Common Criteria Certification Scheme (IC3S), which evaluates IT security products at EAL1 to EAL4.

Also written as Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification, IC3S

Official source STQC: Common Criteria certification

On the map Metrology

See also Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408), NABL

PESO licences

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation

Licenses the storage, filling and transport of compressed gases and pressure vessels under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 and the Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules, 2016. Fab bulk gas yards, cylinder storage and specialty-gas cabinets all need PESO approval.

In practice. Import of new gas cylinder and valve designs also needs PESO approval, which regularly adds months to a specialty-gas supply chain.

Also written as Gas Cylinders Rules 2016, SMPV(U) Rules, CCOE, explosives licence

Official source PESO: SMPV(U) Rules, 2016

On the map Specialty Gases, Dopant Gases, Bulk Gas, Gas Delivery, HAZMAT Logistics

See also MSIHC Rules, 1989

MSIHC Rules, 1989

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Rules under the Environment (Protection) Act for sites holding listed hazardous chemicals above threshold quantities: notification, safety reports, on-site emergency plans and, for the largest sites, major-accident-hazard status.

Also written as Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, MAH, major accident hazard

Official source MSIHC Rules, 1989 (MoEFCC, PDF)

On the map Acids and Solvents, Specialty Gases, Dopant Gases, HAZMAT Logistics

See also PESO licences, Consent to Establish and to Operate

Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Govern the generation, storage, transport, recycling and disposal of hazardous waste, including spent acids, solvents, etchants and sludges from fabs and OSATs. Generators need authorisation from the State Pollution Control Board.

In practice. Spent-chemical recovery and regeneration is a regulated but real business next to any fab cluster.

Also written as HOWM Rules, hazardous waste authorisation, TSDF

Official source CPCB: Hazardous Waste Rules, 2016

On the map Wastewater and ZLD, Acids and Solvents, Parts Cleaning

See also Consent to Establish and to Operate

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

India's extended-producer-responsibility regime for electronic waste, in force from 1 April 2023. Rule 16 carries India's RoHS limits: lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE at 0.1% and cadmium at 0.01% by weight of homogeneous material, the same thresholds as the EU but without the EU's four phthalates.

Also written as India RoHS, EPR, extended producer responsibility

Official source CPCB: E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 · CPCB: E-Waste Rules FAQ (PDF)

See also RoHS, BIS and the Compulsory Registration Scheme

MOOWR (Section 65)

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs

Lets a unit manufacture inside a customs-bonded warehouse under Section 65 of the Customs Act, deferring duty on imported inputs and capital goods. Duty is paid only on goods that enter the domestic market; exports leave duty-free.

In practice. For an export-oriented OSAT or materials unit outside an SEZ, MOOWR is often the simplest way to avoid cash locked up in import duty.

Also written as Manufacture and Other Operations in Warehouse Regulations, 2019, bonded manufacturing, Section 65

Official source CBIC Circular 34/2019 (MOOWR)

On the map HAZMAT Logistics

See also AEO (Authorised Economic Operator), HS codes 8541, 8542, 8486

AEO (Authorised Economic Operator)

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (WCO SAFE framework)

A customs trusted-trader status. Certified importers get faster clearance, fewer inspections and deferred duty payment; the top tiers are recognised by partner customs administrations.

In practice. For time-critical imports such as spare parts for a down tool, AEO status can decide whether a line waits hours or days.

Also written as AEO-T1, AEO-T2, AEO-T3, WCO SAFE

Official source Indian AEO Programme

On the map HAZMAT Logistics, Equipment Services

See also MOOWR (Section 65)

Trade, customs and export control

Tariff codes and the control lists that decide who may ship what.

HS codes 8541, 8542, 8486

World Customs Organization; India's ITC-HS

The customs chapters for the industry. 8541 covers diodes, transistors, LEDs and photovoltaic cells; 8542 covers integrated circuits; 8486 covers machines used principally to make wafers, semiconductor devices, ICs and flat panels. Materials fall across the chemical and metal chapters.

In practice. Each entry in this map lists the HS codes it imports under where we have reconciled them, so the import figures can be checked against DGCI&S data.

Also written as harmonized system, tariff code, ITC-HS, customs classification

Official source WCO: Harmonized System

See also WTO Information Technology Agreement, MOOWR (Section 65)

WTO Information Technology Agreement

World Trade Organization

The 1996 plurilateral agreement under which members eliminated tariffs on listed IT products, including semiconductors and their manufacturing equipment. India signed the original agreement but did not join the 2015 expansion.

In practice. It is why imported chips and fab tools enter India at or near zero basic customs duty, which shapes the economics of making their inputs locally.

Also written as ITA, ITA-1, ITA expansion

Official source WTO: Information Technology Agreement

See also HS codes 8541, 8542, 8486

SCOMET

Directorate General of Foreign Trade

India's list of controlled dual-use items, aligned with Wassenaar and the other regimes India belongs to. Exporting a listed item or technology, including some semiconductor equipment, chemicals and design know-how, needs a DGFT licence.

In practice. An Indian firm exporting fab subsystems or certain precursor chemicals should classify against SCOMET before the first shipment.

Also written as Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies, DGFT export licence

Official source DGFT: SCOMET

On the map Specialty Gases, Precursors, Metrology

See also Wassenaar Arrangement, US EAR and ECCNs

US EAR and ECCNs

US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security

US Export Administration Regulations classify items by Export Control Classification Number. Category 3 covers electronics: 3B001 covers semiconductor manufacturing equipment and 3A090 covers advanced computing chips. The foreign direct product rule extends US control to items made abroad with US technology.

In practice. US controls on China since 2022 reshaped where equipment makers will ship and service tools. They reach Indian fabs mainly through service and re-export conditions attached to US-origin equipment.

Also written as ECCN, 3B001, 3A090, Entity List, foreign direct product rule, EAR99

Official source US BIS: Commerce Control List

On the map EUV Lithography, DUV Scanners, Etch Equipment, CVD and ALD, Metrology

See also Wassenaar Arrangement, SCOMET

How to read this page. Every standard links to its issuer's own page: the ISO or IEC catalogue, the SEMI, IPC or ASTM store, JEDEC, or the regulator's published text. Links were checked on 23 September 2026. Standards are revised on their own schedules, and editions matter: cite the edition your customer's specification names. Summaries here describe what each document covers, not its full requirements; buy the standard itself from the issuer (or from BIS, where India has adopted it) before designing to it. Regulatory entries reflect Indian and international rules as we understand them and are not legal advice.