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AI Factory Glossary

442 technical terms and definitions

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layer norm,rmsnorm,normalization

Layer normalization stabilizes training. RMSNorm is simpler variant used in Llama. Pre-norm is standard now.

layer normalization variants, neural architecture

Different normalization schemes.

layer skipping, optimization

Skip intermediate layers during inference for efficiency.

layer transfer, advanced packaging

Transfer thin layer from one wafer to another.

layer-wise activation checkpointing, optimization

Checkpoint every N layers.

layer-wise learning rates, fine-tuning

Different learning rates per layer.

layer-wise relevance propagation, lrp, explainable ai

Backpropagate relevance scores.

layer-wise relevance, interpretability

Layer-wise relevance propagation backpropagates prediction scores to input attributing importance.

layered representations for video, 3d vision

Decompose scene into layers.

layernorm epsilon, neural architecture

Small constant preventing division by zero.

layerscale, computer vision

Scale layer outputs for training stability.

layout mathematics

# Semiconductor Manufacturing Process: Layout Mathematical Modeling ## 1. Problem Context A modern semiconductor fabrication facility (fab) involves: ### Process Complexity - **500–1000+ individual process steps per wafer** - **Multiple product types with different process routes** - **Strict process sequencing and timing requirements** ### Re-entrant Flow Characteristics - **Wafers revisit the same tool types** (e.g., lithography) 30–80 times - **Creates complex dependencies** between process stages - **Traditional flow-shop models are inadequate** ### Stochastic Elements - **Tool failures and unplanned maintenance** - **Variable processing times** - **Yield loss at various process steps** - **Operator availability fluctuations** ### Economic Scale - **Leading-edge fab costs**: $15–20+ billion - **Equipment costs**: $50M–$150M per lithography tool - **High cost of WIP** (work-in-process) inventory ## 2. Core Mathematical Formulations ### 2.1 Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) The foundational model for facility layout optimization: $$ \min \sum_{i=1}^{n} \sum_{j=1}^{n} \sum_{k=1}^{n} \sum_{l=1}^{n} f_{ij} \cdot d_{kl} \cdot x_{ik} \cdot x_{jl} $$ **Subject to:** $$ \sum_{k=1}^{n} x_{ik} = 1 \quad \forall i \in \{1, \ldots, n\} $$ $$ \sum_{i=1}^{n} x_{ik} = 1 \quad \forall k \in \{1, \ldots, n\} $$ $$ x_{ik} \in \{0, 1\} \quad \forall i, k $$ **Variables:** | Symbol | Description | |--------|-------------| | $f_{ij}$ | Material flow frequency between tool groups $i$ and $j$ | | $d_{kl}$ | Distance between locations $k$ and $l$ | | $x_{ik}$ | Binary: 1 if tool group $i$ assigned to location $k$, 0 otherwise | | $n$ | Number of departments/locations | **Complexity Analysis:** - **Problem Class**: NP-hard - **Practical Limit**: Exact solutions feasible for $n \leq 30$ - **Large Instances**: Require heuristic/metaheuristic approaches ### 2.2 Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) Extension For realistic industrial constraints: $$ \min \sum_{i,j} c_{ij} \cdot f_{ij} \cdot z_{ij} + \sum_{k} F_k \cdot y_k $$ **Capacity Constraint:** $$ \sum_{p \in \mathcal{P}} d_p \cdot t_{pk} \leq C_k \cdot A_k \cdot y_k \quad \forall k $$ **Space Constraint:** $$ \sum_{i} a_i \cdot x_{ik} \leq S_k \quad \forall k $$ **Adjacency Requirement (linearized):** $$ x_{ik} + x_{jl} \leq 1 + M \cdot (1 - \text{adj}_{kl}) \quad \forall (i,j) \in \mathcal{R} $$ **Variables:** | Symbol | Description | |--------|-------------| | $c_{ij}$ | Unit transport cost between $i$ and $j$ | | $z_{ij}$ | Distance variable (linearized) | | $y_k$ | Binary: tool purchase decision for type $k$ | | $F_k$ | Fixed cost for tool type $k$ | | $d_p$ | Demand for product $p$ | | $t_{pk}$ | Processing time for product $p$ on tool $k$ | | $C_k$ | Capacity of tool type $k$ | | $A_k$ | Availability factor for tool $k$ | | $a_i$ | Floor area required by department $i$ | | $S_k$ | Available space in zone $k$ | | $M$ | Big-M constant | | $\mathcal{R}$ | Set of required adjacency pairs | ### 2.3 Network Flow Formulation Wafer flow modeled as a **multi-commodity network flow problem**: $$ \min \sum_{(i,j) \in E} \sum_{p \in \mathcal{P}} c_{ij} \cdot x_{ij}^p $$ **Flow Conservation Constraint:** $$ \sum_{j:(i,j) \in E} x_{ij}^p - \sum_{j:(j,i) \in E} x_{ji}^p = b_i^p \quad \forall i \in V, \forall p \in \mathcal{P} $$ **Arc Capacity Constraint:** $$ \sum_{p \in \mathcal{P}} x_{ij}^p \leq u_{ij} \quad \forall (i,j) \in E $$ **Variables:** | Symbol | Description | |--------|-------------| | $E$ | Set of arcs (edges) in the network | | $V$ | Set of nodes (vertices) | | $\mathcal{P}$ | Set of product types (commodities) | | $x_{ij}^p$ | Flow of product $p$ on arc $(i,j)$ | | $c_{ij}$ | Cost per unit flow on arc $(i,j)$ | | $b_i^p$ | Net supply/demand of product $p$ at node $i$ | | $u_{ij}$ | Capacity of arc $(i,j)$ | ## 3. Queuing Network Models ### 3.1 Fundamental Performance Metrics **Little's Law** (fundamental relationship): $$ L = \lambda \cdot W $$ Equivalently: $$ \text{WIP} = \text{Throughput} \times \text{Cycle Time} $$ **Station Utilization:** $$ \rho_k = \frac{\lambda \cdot v_k}{\mu_k \cdot m_k} $$ **Definitions:** - $L$ — Average number in system (WIP) - $\lambda$ — Arrival rate (throughput) - $W$ — Average time in system (cycle time) - $\rho_k$ — Utilization of station $k$ - $v_k$ — Average number of visits to station $k$ per wafer - $\mu_k$ — Service rate at station $k$ - $m_k$ — Number of parallel tools at station $k$ ### 3.2 Cycle Time Approximation **Kingman's Formula (GI/G/1 approximation):** $$ W_q \approx \left( \frac{C_a^2 + C_s^2}{2} \right) \cdot \left( \frac{\rho}{1 - \rho} \right) \cdot \bar{s} $$ **Extended GI/G/m Approximation:** $$ CT_k \approx t_k \cdot \left[ 1 + \frac{C_a^2 + C_s^2}{2} \cdot \frac{\rho_k^{\sqrt{2(m_k+1)}-1}}{m_k \cdot (1-\rho_k)} \right] $$ **Total Cycle Time:** $$ CT_{\text{total}} = \sum_{k \in \mathcal{K}} v_k \cdot CT_k + \sum_{\text{moves}} T_{\text{transport}} $$ **Variables:** | Symbol | Description | |--------|-------------| | $W_q$ | Average waiting time in queue | | $C_a^2$ | Squared coefficient of variation of inter-arrival times | | $C_s^2$ | Squared coefficient of variation of service times | | $\bar{s}$ | Mean service time | | $t_k$ | Mean processing time at station $k$ | | $CT_k$ | Cycle time at station $k$ | | $\mathcal{K}$ | Set of all stations | | $T_{\text{transport}}$ | Transport time between stations | ### 3.3 Re-entrant Flow Complexity **Characteristics of Re-entrant Systems:** - **Variability Propagation**: Variance accumulates through network - **Correlation Effects**: Successive visits to same station are correlated - **Priority Inversions**: Lots at different stages compete for same resources **Variability Propagation (Linking Equation):** $$ C_{a,j}^2 = 1 + \sum_{i} p_{ij}^2 \cdot \frac{\lambda_i}{\lambda_j} \cdot (C_{d,i}^2 - 1) $$ **Departure Variability:** $$ C_{d,k}^2 = 1 + (1 - \rho_k^2) \cdot (C_{a,k}^2 - 1) + \rho_k^2 \cdot (C_{s,k}^2 - 1) $$ Where: - $p_{ij}$ — Routing probability from station $i$ to $j$ - $C_{d,k}^2$ — Squared CV of departures from station $k$ ## 4. Stochastic Modeling ### 4.1 Random Variable Distributions | Element | Typical Distribution | Parameters | |---------|---------------------|------------| | Processing time | Log-normal | $\mu, \sigma$ (log-scale) | | Tool failure (TTF) | Exponential / Weibull | $\lambda$ or $(\eta, \beta)$ | | Repair time (TTR) | Log-normal | $\mu, \sigma$ | | Yield | Beta / Truncated Normal | $(\alpha, \beta)$ or $(\mu, \sigma, a, b)$ | | Batch size | Discrete (Poisson) | $\lambda$ | **Log-normal PDF:** $$ f(x; \mu, \sigma) = \frac{1}{x \sigma \sqrt{2\pi}} \exp\left( -\frac{(\ln x - \mu)^2}{2\sigma^2} \right), \quad x > 0 $$ **Weibull PDF (for reliability):** $$ f(x; \eta, \beta) = \frac{\beta}{\eta} \left( \frac{x}{\eta} \right)^{\beta - 1} \exp\left( -\left( \frac{x}{\eta} \right)^\beta \right), \quad x \geq 0 $$ ### 4.2 Markov Decision Process (MDP) Formulation For sequential decision-making under uncertainty: **Bellman Equation:** $$ V^*(s) = \max_{a \in \mathcal{A}(s)} \left[ R(s, a) + \gamma \sum_{s' \in \mathcal{S}} P(s' | s, a) \cdot V^*(s') \right] $$ **Optimal Policy:** $$ \pi^*(s) = \arg\max_{a \in \mathcal{A}(s)} \left[ R(s, a) + \gamma \sum_{s' \in \mathcal{S}} P(s' | s, a) \cdot V^*(s') \right] $$ **MDP Components:** | Component | Description | Example in Fab Context | |-----------|-------------|------------------------| | $\mathcal{S}$ | State space | Queue lengths, tool status, lot positions | | $\mathcal{A}(s)$ | Action set at state $s$ | Dispatch rules, maintenance decisions | | $P(s' \| s, a)$ | Transition probability | Probability of tool failure/repair | | $R(s, a)$ | Immediate reward | Negative cycle time, throughput | | $\gamma$ | Discount factor | $\gamma \in [0, 1)$ | ## 5. Hierarchical Layout Structure ### 5.1 Bay Layout Architecture Modern fabs use a hierarchical **bay layout**: ```text │─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │ Bay 1 │ Bay 2 │ Bay 3 │ Bay 4 │ │ (Lithography)│ (Etch) │ (Deposition) │ (CMP) │ ├───────────────┴───────────────┴───────────────┴─────────────┤ │ INTERBAY AMHS (Overhead Hoist Transport) │ ├───────────────┬───────────────┬───────────────┬─────────────┤ │ Bay 5 │ Bay 6 │ Bay 7 │ Bay 8 │ │ (Implant) │ (Metrology) │ (Diffusion) │ (Clean) │ │───────────────┴───────────────┴───────────────┴─────────────│ ``` **Two-Level Optimization:** 1. **Macro Level**: Assign tool groups to bays - Objective: Minimize interbay transport - Constraints: Bay capacity, cleanroom class requirements 2. **Micro Level**: Arrange tools within each bay - Objective: Minimize within-bay movement - Constraints: Tool footprint, utility access ### 5.2 Distance Metrics **Rectilinear (Manhattan) Distance:** $$ d(k, l) = |x_k - x_l| + |y_k - y_l| $$ **Euclidean Distance:** $$ d(k, l) = \sqrt{(x_k - x_l)^2 + (y_k - y_l)^2} $$ **Actual AMHS Path Distance:** $$ d_{\text{AMHS}}(k, l) = \sum_{(i,j) \in \text{path}(k,l)} d_{ij} + \sum_{\text{intersections}} \tau_{\text{delay}} $$ Where $(x_k, y_k)$ and $(x_l, y_l)$ are coordinates of locations $k$ and $l$. ## 6. Objective Functions ### 6.1 Multi-Objective Formulation $$ \min \mathbf{F}(\mathbf{x}) = \begin{bmatrix} f_1(\mathbf{x}) \\ f_2(\mathbf{x}) \\ f_3(\mathbf{x}) \\ f_4(\mathbf{x}) \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} \text{Material Handling Cost} \\ \text{Cycle Time} \\ \text{Work-in-Process (WIP)} \\ -\text{Throughput} \end{bmatrix} $$ ### 6.2 Individual Objective Functions **Material Handling Cost:** $$ f_1(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_{i < j} f_{ij} \cdot d(\pi(i), \pi(j)) \cdot c_{\text{transport}} $$ **Cycle Time:** $$ f_2(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_{k \in \mathcal{K}} v_k \cdot \left[ t_k + W_{q,k}(\mathbf{x}) \right] + \sum_{\text{moves}} T_{\text{transport}}(\mathbf{x}) $$ **Work-in-Process:** $$ f_3(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_{k \in \mathcal{K}} L_k(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_{k \in \mathcal{K}} \lambda_k \cdot W_k(\mathbf{x}) $$ **Throughput (bottleneck-constrained):** $$ f_4(\mathbf{x}) = -X = -\min_{k \in \mathcal{K}} \left( \frac{\mu_k \cdot m_k}{v_k} \right) $$ **Variables:** | Symbol | Description | |--------|-------------| | $\pi(i)$ | Location assigned to department $i$ | | $c_{\text{transport}}$ | Unit transport cost | | $W_{q,k}$ | Waiting time at station $k$ | | $L_k$ | Average queue length at station $k$ | | $X$ | System throughput | ### 6.3 Weighted-Sum Scalarization $$ \min F(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_{i=1}^{4} w_i \cdot \frac{f_i(\mathbf{x}) - f_i^{\min}}{f_i^{\max} - f_i^{\min}} $$ Where: - $w_i$ — Weight for objective $i$ (with $\sum_i w_i = 1$) - $f_i^{\min}, f_i^{\max}$ — Normalization bounds for objective $i$ ## 7. Constraint Categories ### 7.1 Constraint Summary Table | Category | Mathematical Form | Description | |----------|-------------------|-------------| | **Space** | $\sum_i A_i \cdot x_{ik} \leq S_k$ | Total area in zone $k$ | | **Adjacency (required)** | $\| \text{loc}(i) - \text{loc}(j) \| \leq \delta_{ij}$ | Tools must be close | | **Separation (forbidden)** | $\| \text{loc}(i) - \text{loc}(j) \| \geq \Delta_{ij}$ | Tools must be apart | | **Cleanroom class** | $\text{class}(\text{loc}(i)) \geq \text{req}_i$ | Cleanliness requirement | | **Utility access** | $\sum_{i \in \text{zone}} \text{power}_i \leq P_{\text{zone}}$ | Power budget | | **Aspect ratio** | $L/W \in [r_{\min}, r_{\max}]$ | Layout shape | ### 7.2 Detailed Constraint Formulations **Non-Overlapping Constraint (for unequal areas):** $$ x_i + w_i \leq x_j + M(1 - \alpha_{ij}) \quad \text{OR} $$ $$ x_j + w_j \leq x_i + M(1 - \beta_{ij}) \quad \text{OR} $$ $$ y_i + h_i \leq y_j + M(1 - \gamma_{ij}) \quad \text{OR} $$ $$ y_j + h_j \leq y_i + M(1 - \delta_{ij}) $$ With: $$ \alpha_{ij} + \beta_{ij} + \gamma_{ij} + \delta_{ij} \geq 1 $$ **Cleanroom Zone Assignment:** $$ \sum_{k \in \mathcal{Z}_c} x_{ik} = 1 \quad \forall i \text{ with } \text{req}_i = c $$ Where $\mathcal{Z}_c$ is the set of locations with cleanroom class $c$. ## 8. Solution Methods ### 8.1 Exact Methods **Applicable for small instances ($n \leq 30$):** - **Branch and Bound**: - Uses Gilmore-Lawler bound for pruning - Lower bound: $\text{LB} = \sum_{i} \min_k \{ \text{flow}_i \cdot \text{dist}_k \}$ - **Dynamic Programming**: - For special structures (e.g., single-row layout) - Complexity: $O(n^2 \cdot 2^n)$ for general case - **Cutting Plane Methods**: - Linearize QAP using reformulation-linearization technique (RLT) ### 8.2 Construction Heuristics **CRAFT (Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities Technique):** ```text │─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │ Algorithm CRAFT: │ │ 1. Start with initial layout │ │ 2. Evaluate all pairwise exchanges │ │ 3. Select exchange with maximum cost reduction │ │ 4. If improvement found, goto step 2 │ │ 5. Return final layout │ │─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ ``` **CORELAP (Computerized Relationship Layout Planning):** ```text │────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │ Algorithm CORELAP: │ │ 1. Calculate Total Closeness Rating (TCR) for each dept │ │ 2. Place department with highest TCR at center │ │ 3. For remaining departments: │ │ a. Calculate placement score for candidate locations │ │ b. Place dept at location maximizing adjacency │ │ 4. Return layout │ │────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ ``` **ALDEP (Automated Layout Design Program):** ```text │─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │ Algorithm ALDEP: │ │ 1. Randomly select first department │ │ 2. Scan relationship matrix for high-rated pairs │ │ 3. Place related departments in sequence │ │ 4. Repeat until all departments placed │ │ 5. Evaluate layout; repeat for multiple random starts │ │─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ ``` ### 8.3 Metaheuristics **Genetic Algorithm (GA):** ```text │────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │ Algorithm GA_for_Layout: │ │ Initialize population P of size N (random permutations) │ │ Evaluate fitness f(x) for all x in P │ │ │ │ While not converged: │ │ Selection: │ │ Parents = TournamentSelect(P, k=3) │ │ Crossover (PMX or OX for permutations): │ │ Offspring = PMX_Crossover(Parents, p_c=0.8) │ │ Mutation (swap or insertion): │ │ Offspring = SwapMutation(Offspring, p_m=0.1) │ │ Evaluation: │ │ Evaluate fitness for Offspring │ │ Replacement: │ │ P = ElitistReplacement(P, Offspring) │ │ │ │ Return best solution in P │ │────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ ``` **Simulated Annealing (SA):** $$ P(\text{accept worse solution}) = \exp\left( -\frac{\Delta f}{T} \right) $$ ```text │────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ │ Algorithm SA_for_Layout: │ │ x = initial_solution() │ │ T = T_initial │ │ │ │ While T > T_final: │ │ For i = 1 to iterations_per_temp: │ │ x' = neighbor(x) (e.g., swap two departments) │ │ Δf = f(x') - f(x) │ │ │ │ If Δf < 0: │ │ x = x' │ │ Else If random() < exp(-Δf / T): │ │ x = x' │ │ │ │ T = α × T (Cooling, α ≈ 0.95) │ │ │ │ Return x │ │────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│ ``` **Cooling Schedule:** $$ T_{k+1} = \alpha \cdot T_k, \quad \alpha \in [0.9, 0.99] $$ ### 8.4 Simulation-Optimization Framework ```text │─────────────│ │──────────────────│ │─────────────────│ │ Layout │────▶│ Discrete-Event │────▶│ Performance │ │ Solution │ │ Simulation │ │ Metrics │ │─────────────│ │──────────────────│ │────────┬────────│ ▲ │ │ │ │ │──────────────────│ │ │─────────│ Optimization │◀────────────────│ │ Algorithm │ │──────────────────│ ``` **Surrogate-Assisted Optimization:** $$ \hat{f}(\mathbf{x}) \approx f(\mathbf{x}) $$ Where $\hat{f}$ is a surrogate model (e.g., Gaussian Process, Neural Network) trained on simulation evaluations. ## 9. Advanced Topics ### 9.1 Digital Twin Integration **Real-Time Layout Performance:** $$ \text{KPI}(t) = g\left( \mathbf{x}_{\text{layout}}, \mathbf{s}(t), \boldsymbol{\theta}(t) \right) $$ Where: - $\mathbf{s}(t)$ — System state at time $t$ - $\boldsymbol{\theta}(t)$ — Real-time parameter estimates **Applications:** - Real-time cycle time prediction - Predictive maintenance scheduling - Dynamic dispatching optimization ### 9.2 Machine Learning Hybridization **Graph Neural Network (GNN) for Layout:** $$ \mathbf{h}_v^{(l+1)} = \sigma\left( \mathbf{W}^{(l)} \cdot \text{AGGREGATE}\left( \{ \mathbf{h}_u^{(l)} : u \in \mathcal{N}(v) \} \right) \right) $$ **Reinforcement Learning for Dispatching:** $$ Q(s, a) \leftarrow Q(s, a) + \alpha \left[ r + \gamma \max_{a'} Q(s', a') - Q(s, a) \right] $$ **Surrogate Model (Neural Network):** $$ \hat{CT}(\mathbf{x}) = \text{NN}_\theta(\mathbf{x}) \approx \mathbb{E}[\text{Simulation}(\mathbf{x})] $$ ### 9.3 Robust Optimization **Min-Max Formulation:** $$ \min_{\mathbf{x} \in \mathcal{X}} \max_{\boldsymbol{\xi} \in \mathcal{U}} f(\mathbf{x}, \boldsymbol{\xi}) $$ **Uncertainty Set (Polyhedral):** $$ \mathcal{U} = \left\{ \boldsymbol{\xi} : \| \boldsymbol{\xi} - \bar{\boldsymbol{\xi}} \| _\infty \leq \Gamma \right\} $$ **Chance-Constrained Formulation:** $$ \min_{\mathbf{x}} \mathbb{E}[f(\mathbf{x}, \boldsymbol{\xi})] $$ $$ \text{s.t.} \quad P\left( g(\mathbf{x}, \boldsymbol{\xi}) \leq 0 \right) \geq 1 - \epsilon $$ Where: - $\boldsymbol{\xi}$ — Uncertain parameters (demand, yield, tool availability) - $\mathcal{U}$ — Uncertainty set - $\Gamma$ — Budget of uncertainty - $\epsilon$ — Acceptable violation probability ### 9.4 Multi-Objective Optimization **Pareto Optimality:** Solution $\mathbf{x}^*$ is Pareto optimal if there exists no $\mathbf{x}$ such that: $$ f_i(\mathbf{x}) \leq f_i(\mathbf{x}^*) \quad \forall i \quad \text{and} \quad f_j(\mathbf{x}) < f_j(\mathbf{x}^*) \quad \text{for some } j $$ **NSGA-II Crowding Distance:** $$ d_i = \sum_{m=1}^{M} \frac{f_m^{(i+1)} - f_m^{(i-1)}}{f_m^{\max} - f_m^{\min}} $$ ## 10. Key Insights ### 10.1 Fundamental Observations 1. **Multi-Scale Nature**: - Nanometer-scale process physics - Meter-scale equipment layout - Kilometer-scale supply chain 2. **Re-entrant Flow Complexity**: - Traditional queuing theory requires significant adaptation - Correlation effects are significant - Scheduling and layout are tightly coupled 3. **Simulation Necessity**: - Analytical models sacrifice too much fidelity - High-fidelity simulation essential for validation - Surrogate models bridge the gap 4. **Layout-Scheduling Interaction**: - Optimal layout depends on dispatch policy - Optimal dispatch depends on layout - Joint optimization is active research area 5. **Industry Trends Impact Modeling**: - EUV lithography changes bottleneck structure - 3D integration (chiplets, stacking) changes flow patterns - High-mix low-volume increases variability ### 10.2 Practical Recommendations - **Start with QAP formulation** for initial layout - **Use queuing models** for performance estimation - **Validate with discrete-event simulation** - **Apply metaheuristics** for large-scale instances - **Consider multi-objective formulation** for trade-off analysis - **Integrate digital twin** for real-time optimization ## Symbol Reference | Symbol | Description | Typical Units | |--------|-------------|---------------| | $n$ | Number of departments/tools | — | | $f_{ij}$ | Flow frequency | lots/hour | | $d_{kl}$ | Distance | meters | | $\lambda$ | Arrival rate | lots/hour | | $\mu$ | Service rate | lots/hour | | $\rho$ | Utilization | — | | $CT$ | Cycle time | hours | | $WIP$ | Work-in-process | lots | | $X$ | Throughput | lots/hour | | $C^2$ | Squared coefficient of variation | — | | $m$ | Number of parallel servers | — |

layout optimization, model optimization

Layout optimization selects memory formats for tensors minimizing data transformation overhead.

layout optimization, optimization

Optimize tensor memory layout.

layout versus schematic (lvs) clean,design

LVS with no errors.

layout-dependent effects (lde),layout-dependent effects,lde,design

Performance variation from layout.

layout-dependent yield, yield enhancement

Layout-dependent yield models incorporate design-specific critical areas rather than assuming uniform sensitivity.

layout,pdk,asic,fpga

I can explain the high-level flow from RTL to layout, how PDKs fit in, and when to choose ASIC vs. FPGA for your design.

lazy class, code ai

Class not doing enough.

lazy training regime, theory

Networks stay close to initialization.

lead length, packaging

Length of lead.

lead optimization, healthcare ai

Improve drug candidate properties.

lead pitch, packaging

Spacing between leads.

lead span, packaging

Distance across leads.

lead thickness, packaging

Thickness of lead.

lead time for parts, operations

Time to obtain replacement parts.

lead time management, supply chain & logistics

Lead time management optimizes procurement and delivery schedules minimizing delays and carrying costs.

lead time, manufacturing operations

Lead time spans from order placement to delivery including all waiting and processing.

lead time,production

Time from order to delivery for materials or equipment.

lead width, packaging

Width of individual lead.

lead-free package requirements, packaging

MSL and reflow for Pb-free.

lead-free soldering, packaging

Use tin-silver-copper alloys.

leaderboard climbing,evaluation

Optimizing specifically for benchmark performance sometimes overfitting.

leaderboard,arena,elo

Chatbot Arena uses ELO ratings from human preferences. More realistic than static benchmarks.

leading edge / advanced node,industry

Latest smallest process technology.

leading-edge node, business & strategy

Leading-edge nodes represent most advanced commercially available process technology.

leak rate, manufacturing operations

Leak rates quantify gas ingress into vacuum systems.

leakage current test,metrology

Measure unwanted current flow.

leakage,prevent,validate

Data leakage inflates metrics. Ensure test is truly held out.

leaky relu, neural architecture

Fixed small negative slope.

lean integration,reasoning

Use Lean proof assistant with LLMs.

lean manufacturing, production

Eliminate waste maximize value.

learnable physics, scientific ml

Learn physical laws from data.

learnable position embedding, transformer

Position embeddings as parameters.

learned layer selection, neural architecture

Train which layers to use per input.

learned noise schedule, generative models

Train noise schedule.

learned position embeddings, computer vision

Trainable position parameters.

learned routing, llm architecture

Learned routing trains networks to assign tokens to experts.

learned slam, robotics

Use learning for SLAM components.

learned sparse retrieval,rag

Neural models that output sparse representations.