Introduction

Welcome to imec.netzero™, the imec virtual fab webapp, which gives a quantified view of the environmental impact of integrated circuit (IC) high-volume manufacturing for various technologies. With this tool, imec aims to help identify and classify high-impact environmental challenges in the industry and is one of the objectives of the sustainable semiconductor technologies and systems (SSTS) program.

The imec.netzero webapp is available in two versions:

Private - This version is for SSTS partners only. It models a wide range of IC technologies, including future ones, not yet in production. It gives users many options to parameterize the virtual fab models and finetune them to their constraints. The results can be explored up to a high level of granularity.
Public - This version offers the broader audience the chance to get more insight into the environmental impact of IC manufacturing by providing high-level information. imec.netzero Public exploits the same fab models and process databases as imec.netzero Private, but offers more limited options.

With imec.netzero, the user can estimate the environmental impact of manufacturing ICs based on current logic technologies. imec.netzero compiles large datasets and complex models of the semiconductor industry to provide quality results that are useful for:

Increasing the accuracy of life-cycle-assessment of products employing IC chips,
Identifying high impact problems and work on these, and
Projecting the future impact of IC chip manufacturing and guide decision makers.

imec.netzero uses a bottom-up approach starting with process flows, recipes, and tool data to build the inventory of a virtual high volume semiconductor manufacturing fab. A range of Logic and Memory (DRAM and NAND) technologies are available, with a mix of nodes that are presently in production or will be in production in the near future. The inventory is enabled by a series of fab models that articulate process flows and process steps in a realistic manner.

From the inventory, an impact analysis is conducted resulting in aggregated results on metrics such as Climate Change and Water Usage.

For further information about the imec Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems (SSTS) Program go to our webpage, download our 'White paper' or contact: ssts@imec-int.com.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the imec.netzero webapp is based on model data and the modelled technologies do not represent those made by any specific manufacturer. Imec explicitly emphasizes that the content and information made available does not constitute a general standard and cannot be understood as a recommendation made by any individual SSTS partner nor by the semiconductor industry as a whole.