MARC ENGEL, CEO and DR. FAHAD GOLRA, Director of Product Innovation, Agileo Automation
As we look toward 2025, one trend we observe gaining momentum is the increased adoption of GEM300 standards for wafer sizes smaller than 300mm. Historically, GEM300 was predominantly associated with 300mm tools, but its relevance is now expanding across fabs that are being retrofitted or that are introducing automated guided vehicles (AGV) and overhead hoist transport (OHT) systems for wafer delivery. Automation between 200mm and 300mm wafer fabs is no longer a differentiating factor. The so-called GEM300 standards, initially designed for 300mm wafer fabs, are now being adopted in greenfield 200mm wafer fabs that prioritize state-of-the-art automation. Many of these 200mm fabs now use Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS) with Overhead Hoist Transport (OHT) or Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) systems for carrier delivery, aligning their automation capabilities with those of 300mm fabs. This shift brings with it a crucial requirement – E84 (automated material hand-off) in combination with E87 (carrier management), a key part of the GEM300 suite, is becoming necessary, even in fabs handling smaller wafers.
In addition, both 200mm and 300mm fabs increasingly rely on standard equipment front-end modules (EFEMs) equipped with atmospheric and vacuum robots to load and unload wafers within process modules. While automation differences between 200mm and 300mm fabs remain significant for older plants, newer 200mm fabs are now closing that gap by incorporating GEM300 standards. This shift represents a key change, as older 200mm facilities often relied solely on SECS/GEM standards without standardized job definitions or carrier delivery systems, which hindered their ability to optimize cycle time throughout the fab.
Cybersecurity: A growing priority for semiconductor manufacturing
Cybersecurity is also becoming a critical focus for semiconductor fabs and equipment manufacturers. With the increased connectivity of tools and systems, the risk of cyber threats has never been higher. Technical committees such as SEMI’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Cybersecurity Consortium (SMCC) are working closely with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a semiconductor-specific framework profile for the Cybersecurity Framework 2.0. This profile aims to address the unique challenges of semiconductor manufacturing, helping fabs implement more tailored security measures to protect their intellectual property, production data, and operational continuity.
Additionally, the growing emphasis on cybersecurity is reflected in such regulatory initiatives as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which aims to improve cybersecurity and cyber resilience by establishing common standards for products with digital elements, making it an important consideration for semiconductor manufacturers to evaluate and mitigate risks in their manufacturing environments. Equipment manufacturers are increasingly required to not only design security into their systems from the start, but also continuously update and patch their software to align with evolving standards and secure it against known vulnerabilities. Outdated operating systems and unpatched software represent significant risks. Fabs will need to prioritize regular updates to ensure compliance with industry standards and avoid potential disruptions caused by security breaches. In 2025, the convergence of expanded GEM300 standard usage and enhanced cybersecurity measures will be pivotal for enabling fabs and equipment manufacturers to achieve both operational efficiency and security in an increasingly automated and interconnected landscape.
Click here to read the 2025 Executive Viewpoints in Semiconductor Digest
