Scoping Review of AI, Metrology, and ESG in the Semiconductor Sector: Implications for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)

Abstract

The semiconductor sector faces a dual transition: scaling manufacturing execution through Artificial Intelligence (AI) while satisfying stringent sustainability mandates, such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). This paper presents a scoping review of 1,465 documents indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, spanning AI-integrated metrology, supply chain ESG, and federated industrial data spaces. Network analysis reveals a highly fragmented "core-periphery" knowledge structure, emphasizing a critical structural hole between AI-driven process optimization and downstream sustainability governance. To close these gaps, this study proposes a 6-layer Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) architecture grounded in a System of Systems (SoS) paradigm. By establishing distinct "grid-to-core" and "standards-through-supply-chain" integration pathways, the proposed framework demonstrates how virtual metrology (VM), localized federated learning, and defensive RegTech mechanisms can build provenance-aware data fabrics. Ultimately, this architecture positions regulatory compliance as a driver for innovation, enabling secure, climate-neutral, and circular value chains in semiconductor manufacturing.