Definition of interface (IF)

1. 1 : of an epitaxial wafer, the boundary between the substrate of an epitaxial layer as determined by a specific measurement method such as infrared reflectance or spreading resistance profiling. DISCUSSION-If determined by the infrared reflectance method, the position of the interface depends on the optical properties of the layer and the substrate. If determined by spreading resistance, the position of the interface is determined as follows:
   • For a boundary between two layers (or a layer and a substrate) of the same conductivity type, the interface is taken as the point at which the resistivity increases to twice the local minimum value it has in the region of lower resistivity.
   • For a boundary between two layers (or a layer and substrate) of opposite conductivity type, the interface is taken as the point at which the local maximum of resistivity occurs.
   [ASTM 1241] 2 : a shared boundary. Examples include a hardware component that links two devices or a portion of storage or registers accessed by two or more computer programs. [SEMATECH] Also see substrate and epitaxial layer. 4 v : to interact or communicate with another component or entity within a computer network. [SEMATECH]