Semicon has defined a strict interface

<p>A <a class="wikilink" href="/wafer/">wafer</a> has very strict dimensional properties, and this makes it an ideal interface to create interoperability across different instruments. </p> <p>A robotic arm only needs to care about moving a flat surface with a known weight and radius. And the same is true for every other instrument in the chan of <a class="wikilink" href="/making_a_wafer/">Making a wafer</a>. </p> <p>An <a class="wikilink" href="/atomic_force_microscopy/">Atomic Force Microscopy</a> system (<a class="wikilink" href="/nearfield_instruments/">Nearfield Instruments</a>) only needs to deal with a known sample size with strict requirements when it comes to acceleration, vibration and cleanliness. The same is true for any other deposition system (<a class="wikilink" href="/advanced_materials_(amat)/">Advanced Materials (AMat)</a>) or lithography tool (<a class="wikilink" href="/asml/">ASML</a>). </p> <p>I like to think that <a class="wikilink" href="/fabs/">Fabs</a> are a massive example of a highly developed, purposed-built, <a class="wikilink" href="/sdl_(self-driving_labs)/">SDL (self-driving labs)</a>. And the challenge is to define such a clean and universal interface so that other tool vendors can focus on creating interoperable systems.</p>