Virtual training for real-world microchip fabrication

Working in a semiconductor fabrication cleanroom can feel overwhelming for students stepping into the environment for the first time. Much like a surgeon working with delicate tissue in a sterile operating room, the work involves manipulating microscopic electronics in a highly controlled environment. And just like surgery, tiny errors or contamination can ruin the outcome.

“The learning curve for semiconductor manufacturing can definitely seem steep,” said computer science senior Shan Peck. “There’s a lot that could potentially go wrong working with such specialized and expensive equipment, especially in an environment you’re trying to keep sterile. Our goal is to create something that helps students start the learning process in a way that’s straightforward and hopefully a little fun. It should take away some of the intimidation and help them feel prepared.”

Peck is part of a University of Idaho College of Engineering student team training the next generation of individuals entering the global semiconductor manufacturing workforce — a growing field. Semiconductor fabrication job openings are expected to rise three times as fast as other engineering fields, with an 11% projected increase according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Used in everything from cell phones to airplanes, semiconductors are tiny, highly specialized electronic components that enable our electronics to do more computing in a smaller space. Semiconductors are the backbone of modern technologies, so many businesses have a vested interest in expanding semiconductor education to meet an expanding workforce need.

Peck and the rest of the students on her team are designing a new virtual reality training program that simulates what it’s like working in a cleanroom, a specialized laboratory where semiconductors are manufactured. Cleanrooms are controlled environments with cleanliness protocols that safeguard sensitive electrical components; even a tiny speck of dust can render a brand-new semiconductor inoperable.

Modeled after U of I’s Next Generation Microelectronics Research Center (NGeM), the virtual reality cleanroom uses a headset and handheld motion controllers to immerse students in a low-stakes environment where they can replicate procedural requirements of a cleanroom, build confidence using specialized equipment and easily learn from mistakes.

“As semiconductor technology is constantly evolving, the need for graduates skilled in emerging microelectronics areas is critical,” said Feng Li, Micron Endowed Professor and NGeM director and the one who commissioned the project through the college’s nationally recognized Interdisciplinary Senior Capstone Design Program. “Our lab equipment and teaching tools ensure our graduates are equipped with the latest skills in a rapidly evolving field.”

Following his time in Computer Science’s software engineering class, Michael Crapse, a computer science senior and member of the design team, was already familiar with some of the skills the project would require. The students on this project had to mimic an existing cleanroom and make the program compatible with a virtual reality headset. Users would complete immersive experiences to achieve goals and progress through the simulation.

One specific task the team needed to incorporate into the virtual experience was a simulation of the gowning process scientists complete to enter a cleanroom. This protocol is roughly equivalent to surgeons scrubbing in for an operation wherein they try to reduce as many contaminants as possible from entering the operating field. Students playing the VR simulation are trying to minimize contaminants like dust and microbes from entering the cleanroom, as contaminants will disrupt the fabrication of sensitive electronic components.

“We didn’t really care what the VR cleanroom looked like in the first semester. That was more of the functional half of it,” said Alex Senst, a senior in computer science. “The second half has been a lot more of making it look like an actual cleanroom.”

The team had some experience with virtual modeling, the process of creating the 3D shapes and objects that appear in a virtual world, but they also collaborated with College of Art and Architecture’s Virtual Technology and Design student Evan Staaben to add more polish.

Now, they’ve finished up all the necessary modeling and are working to fix unexpected complications they’ve discovered through rigorous testing.

Faculty advisor and computer science Professor Terry Soule suggested a variety of outreach events to the team, including bringing the VR headset to the Moscow School District STEAM Show.

“We got the best feedback there,” computer science senior Ben Randolph said. “The real test of whether your application is user friendly is whether kids can understand and use it easily. We learned from user experiences and made changes to make the game more accessible, like adding text pop-ups with specific instructions.”

Shan said the team has accomplished the major goals of the project and is now testing and polishing the simulation. The virtual reality program will be used to engage prospective students at outreach events, integrate cleanroom lab experiences into introductory undergraduate courses, and improve the accessibility of the NGeM cleanroom.

The virtual reality project is supported by a $1.1 million grant from the Idaho Workforce Development Council, in partnership with semiconductor manufacturers Micron, onsemi and JST.