Vietnamese and Japanese Students Explore Semiconductor Fabrication in Immersive SHTPLabs Cleanroom Tour

# Vietnamese and Japanese Students Explore Semiconductor Fabrication in Immersive SHTPLabs Cleanroom Tour

HO CHI MINH CITY — Research Laboratories of Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTPLabs) recently hosted an immersive educational tour for a combined delegation of high school students from Vietnam and Japan. The primary objective of the visit was to provide the students with a comprehensive, hands-on understanding of the complex, multi-step semiconductor fabrication workflow, to showcase the advanced machinery and specialized equipment used in cleanroom operations, and to highlight the practical, real-world applications of MEMS sensor chips developed directly by SHTPLabs.

The educational program opened in the main briefing hall, where an SHTPLabs representative delivered a detailed presentation outlining the laboratory’s overarching mission, organizational structure, specialized research divisions, and strategic role within the country’s high-tech innovation ecosystem (Figure 1). Following the general overview, an expert from the Semiconductor Technology Laboratory took the floor to introduce the facility’s cleanroom infrastructure and walk the students through the lifecycle of specialized chip production (Figure 2). The presentation systematically detailed the core stages of chip manufacturing—from circuit design and front-end wafer fabrication to back-end packaging and testing—with a particular focus on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors and their growing demand in smart devices and industrial automation.

Figure 1: SHTPLabs representative presenting the laboratory’s organizational structure and core mandate

Figure 2: Expert briefing on cleanroom architecture and MEMS chip fabrication processes

Before entering the fabrication area, the delegation attended a mandatory safety and protocol session led by a cleanroom specialist (Figure 3). The instructor emphasized the critical importance of contamination control, explaining how microscopic dust particles can destroy semiconductor yields. The students learned about air-pressure differentials, air-shower procedures, and step-by-step gowning protocols, reinforcing the concept that personal discipline is a fundamental requirement of semiconductor manufacturing.

Figure 3: Cleanroom specialist instructing students on safety regulations and gowning protocols

Fully suited in protective cleanroom garments, the students embarked on a guided tour through the core operational bays to observe key production equipment in action:

Photolithography Bay (Yellow Room): Students entered the specialized yellow-lit environment designed to protect UV-sensitive photoresist chemicals, observing lithography aligners and mask-transfer systems that print microscale circuit patterns onto silicon wafers (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Students observing wafer patterning processes in the specialized Yellow Room.

Packaging and Assembly Area: The tour proceeded to the packaging suite, where students observed high-precision die- and wire-bonding machinery that encapsulates delicate silicon dies into robust, commercial-grade sensor components (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Demonstration of micro-chip packaging and assembly equipment.

Inspection and Testing Suite: In the final stage of the tour, students gathered around wafer probers and high-magnification optical microscopes, learning how engineers perform electrical parameter testing and surface defect analysis to ensure chip reliability (Figures 6 and 7).

Figure 6: Close-up observation of wafer probing and microscopic surface inspection.

Figure 7: Students examining silicon wafers and electrical testing instruments.

# About SHTPLabs Facilities

SHTPLabs is equipped with an advanced cleanroom system spanning approximately 600 square meters, featuring a synchronized and modern array of semiconductor processing equipment. The facility serves as a vital hub for research, development, and pilot-scale production of specialized integrated circuits and MEMS sensors, fulfilling key national science and technology tasks while delivering practical technological solutions for industrial applications.