Spin Processor

Dainippon Screen

Kyoto, Japan

A small-footprint single-wafer spin processor developed for 0.13-µm etching can handle 8-in. wafers and eventually will be offered in a 300-mm version. The design of the MP-2000 processor's cup allows a high level of process flexibility. Complex sequences involving cleaning, etching with in situ cleaning, rinsing by various methods, and drying by means of advanced techniques can be carried out in a single process chamber. To maximize throughput, as many as four process chambers can be run in parallel with RCA clean, advanced DI water and ozone, diluted cleans, buffered and nonbuffered hydrogen fluoride, and backside and bevel/edge etching. The tool's cup and wafer-handling designs prevent cross-contamination during processing.

Vacuum Valves

MKS Instruments

Boulder, CO

V-100-series 4-in. vacuum valves are available in angle and in-line versions and in custom forms to suit specific needs. The bellows-sealed poppet valves have a body made of Type 304 stainless steel, ensuring a low leak rate. Their formed bellows resists particle damage. The valves can be operated manually, pneumatically, and electropneumatically. A limit-switch option and a choice of flanging, seals, and solenoid voltages support customization.

Die Carrier

Gel-Pak

Sunnyvale, CA

The Gel-Frame flexible wafer frame can store a large array of dies and is compatible with all assembly equipment. Made of a gel elastomer laminated to a membrane that is then attached to any standard dicing frame, the carrier is compatible with die-sorting and die-bonding equipment. The frame can be configured to release a die by means of standard pin ejection with reduced force or via the manufacturer's vacuum release technology. Devices can be binned by automatic die sorters and placed onto the frames by bin type. The Gel-Frame can be bar coded and used for shipping or long-term storage.

Wafer Loader

Olympus

Tokyo, Japan/Hamburg, Germany

A wafer transfer system designed to rapidly load wafers into inspection microscopes has been enhanced to provide 20% greater speed than before. The AL110's sensors continuously monitor the wafer-handling process. The transfer arm movement of its loader is gentle, allowing delicate thin wafers to be loaded safely. Noncontact centering and contact pads on the transfer arms minimize the likelihood that wafers will be contaminated by the equipment. The transfer arm does not cover the wafer backside, permitting 100% backside inspection. The loader handles both 6- and 8-in. wafers.

Gas System Controller

Air Liquide Electronics

Paris, France/Dallas, TX

A microprocessor-based controller for electronic specialty gas source systems and distribution manifolds provides automatic purging, alarm monitoring, remote system emergency shutdown, and pressure indication. The system's remote shutdown function responds to fires and gas leaks. Alarm inputs are configurable as warnings or as shutdowns. A four-line LCD display on the controller is the user interface. Color LEDs indicate the status of the gas panel as gas available, warning, or shutdown. The system functions like a PLC-based system but has a lower cost of ownership.

Thin-Film Analyzer

n&k Technology

Santa Clara, CA

The automated Analyzer 3000 thin-film characterization system for patterned wafers analyzes complex film structures without requiring that the thickness or optical constants of the amorphous or crystalline film be known beforehand. The analyzer simultaneously determines the thickness of multilayer film stacks, interface roughness, the energy band gap, the elemental composition of film compounds, microstructures, and resistivity. The high-throughput system measures the spectra of optical constants and reflectance between 190 and 1000 nm, with a high signal-to-noise ratio over the entire wavelength range. Films thinner than 30 Å and features as small as 10 µm can be accurately characterized.

Tube-Facing Tool

Swagelok

Solon, OH

A tool can cleanly and consistently square tube ends and fittings in preparation for orbital welding and for valve-and-fitting assemblies. The tube-facing device includes a patented chip shield that prevents metal chips generated by the procedure from curling back inside the tube. The tool accommodates tubes with diameters ranging from 1/16 to 2 in.

Post-CMP Cleaner

Steag Electronic Systems

Pliezhausen, Germany/Austin, TX

The DamasClean post-CMP cleaner can be used as either a stand-alone 200-mm wafer cleaning tool or an integrated CMP cluster module. The tool features multiple cleaning mechanisms, modular architecture, standard robotics, and flexible process flow. Wafers are processed in a horizontal orientation, which permits front- and backside treatment as well as fast wafer handling. The system can be configured for either one-cassette serial processing or two-cassette parallel processing; the parallel option allows two post-CMP cleaners to be integrated into one tool.

Digital MFC

Qualiflow

Montpellier, France

The AFC 90 MD digital mass-flow controller combines advanced µP control software and thin-film, zero-drift solid-state sensors. The fast response time of the zero-drift sensors permits relatively short cycles in single-wafer processing. The MFC features autodiagnostics, multiple gas calibration, and data collection and PC software. The precision controller produces no overshoot or oscillation.

Cleanroom Wipers

Berkshire/DuPont

Great Barrington, MA/Wilmington, DE

The DyNamix line of cleanroom wipers can be used for a range of contamination control applications. The first product offering from an alliance between Berkshire and DuPont, the wipers are packaged with a quarter-folding method, allowing multiple wiping surfaces so operators can access one wiper at a time. Demonstrating high levels of dynamic wiping efficiency and wet particle removal ability, the high-absorbency wipers leave surfaces dry and clean after use. Wipers in the line are made of polyester, lyocell (advanced rayon), and a polyester-lyocell blend.

Gas Purifiers

NuPure

Manotick, ON, Canada

Point-of-use equipment for the
ultrapurification of gases is available in an easy-to-mount cabinet. Saturn-
series gas purifiers are self-contained wall-mounting units with filters that remove particles down to 3.0 µm. The purifiers also feature electropneumatic inlet/outlet valves and electronics that perform autoalarm and shutdown functions. The purifiers can reduce impurities to sub-parts-per-billion levels in most corrosive and process gases, including nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, and hydrides.

300-mm Thermal Processor

JIP ELEC

Crolles, France

A rapid thermal processing system for 300-mm wafers, the JetStar offers minienvironment loading with cassette-to-cassette wafer handling and robotic handling in a stand-alone tool. Its reactor uses crossed-lamp technology to provide uniformity and temperature control. The tool is suited for rapid thermal annealing, rapid thermal oxidation, rapid thermal nitridation, and rapid thermal CVD applications. Also available is the JetClip RTP cluster module, which can provide epitaxial RTCVD layers for silicon- and SiGe-based processes.

Electrochemical Deposition System

Semitool

Kalispell, MT

The LT308 electrochemical deposition system performs advanced, high-volume electroplating for 300-mm wafers. The system enhances an earlier system, which offered a throughput of more than 70 wafers per hour, nonuniformity of less than 4% on 0.8-µm film, and void-free fill of features consistent with 0.13-µm and smaller technology. The tool has a footprint of 3.62 m².

KrF Excimer Laser

Cymer

San Diego, CA

The ES-6010 KrF excimer laser provides advanced optical performance for 130-nm lithography applications. Using a highly line-narrowed bandwidth of 0.5 pm at FWHM and 1.4 at 95% energy, the tool permits full imaging from steppers or scanners with lenses with >0.75 NA. Based on the company's ELS-6000 platform, the system offers high throughput; improved dose stability, CD control, and yield; fast data acquisition and charge time; and advanced thermal management and high-voltage power supply features.

Thin-Film Metrology Systems

Rudolph Technologies

Flanders, NJ

S200 metrology systems for diffusion and thin-film deposition are equipped with MatrixMetrology, which performs application-optimized measurement techniques. The tools offer ultra-small-spot ellipsometry and microspot visible reflectometry, and have integrated applications software customized for diffusion or thin-film deposition. MatrixMetrology lets users select only those metrologies needed to meet the requirements of a particular process. Both S200 tools feature robust Zheng pattern recognition, which performs well on low-contrast wafers and is immune to color and contrast variation.

CMP Polishing Pad

Cabot Microelectronics Materials Div.

Aurora, IL

The Epic-W1 chemical-mechanical planarization pad is made by a microscale urethane fabrication process that enhances the stability and planarity of CMP performance. The high-purity urethane is molded to form a single pad thickness without inconsistencies. The polishing pad is for use in tungsten-plug and damascene applications. Epic pads are optimized to work with the manufacturer's line of CMP slurries.

Fab Automation Package

SI Automation

Montpellier, France

A single-wire automation package can connect process tools and their peripherals to a fab's manufacturing execution system. The small-footprint hardware and embedded software of the SilverBox facilitate configuration and deployment within new or existing facility automation architecture. The nonintrusive, easy-to-install package offers advanced process and equipment control, and integrates sensors and equipment in an all-in-one multiconnection box with embedded automation interface software.

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