Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[SemiconEng]

A few questions:
1. What is meant by the term 'stepping' as in '...the next stepping should resolve this...'


Chips are made in layers, like a sandwich. A stepping is a change to one or more of those Layers. The Change usually includes changing the Lihography masks used to imprint the patterns on the Layer material itself, prior to the unwanted material being removed in Etch. A stepping can be classified as minor, or major, depending on what layers are being changed, how many layers being changed, and what specifically about each layer is being changed. A0 is usually the first stepping. A Minor Stepping change would make it A1 stepping, A2 etc. A Major stepping Change would be designated as B0, then C0 etc. Changing layers, changes the characteristics of the chip.

Semi