Development of Measurement Capability for Micro-Vibration Evaluations with Application to Chip Fabrication Facilities

Abstract

The research was performed to measure the ground vibration level at a site in West Seneca, NY to determine if the site was suitable for the fabrication of the second generation of IC chips (ChipFab). The site is located near a major expressway, a train thoroughfare, and an active mining operation. Measurements were taken between November 3-25, 1998 and included the following vibration sources: trains, ground traffic, blasts, and windy weather with heavy water waves in Lake Erie. The key issues involved: 1) the selection of suitable sensors with sufficient sensitivity, low measurement frequency and other appropriate qualifications; 2) the configuration of the measurement system setup (including calibration, acoustic isolation, and data acquisition); 3) procedures to ensure the signal pickup; and 4) development of appropriate methods for data analyses. The report also introduces the theoretical development for the relationship between frequency spectra and RMS values which can be adopted for a wide range of applications on interpretations of the data obtained from up-to-date data acquisition systems. (Adapted from authors' abstract).