INDUSTRY NEWS

Expansions, Acquisitions & Alliances

SOI metrology targeted

KLA-Tencor and Soitec have joined forces to develop the first wafer-inspection system optimized for silicon-on-insulator (SOI) applications in the 90- and 65-nm nodes. The tool will be based on KLA-T's Surfscan SP1 platform, with the initial system shipping to Soitec's Bernin, France, site in early 2004. The inspection tool will also be compatible with other engineered substrates, such as strained SOI (sSOI) and silicon germanium on insulator (SGOI). Defect detection and other measurements of SOI wafers are often more difficult than for regular silicon substrates, the joint development partners say. SOI wafers are made of multiple film layers of different thicknesses, which creates interference effects that often cause standard inspection techniques to provide false and inconsistent defect readings. The current technologies also have insufficient overall sensitivity, a problem that becomes even more challenging as critical dimensions shrink.

Soitec has also started expanding its production capabilities in Bernin, adding epitaxial equipment to its pilot line and installing a full SGOI and sSOI manufacturing line. The company says its SGOI line should enter production by 4Q04 and eventually have an annual capacity of 60,000 wafer starts (200-mm- equivalent). Soitec also entered into an Asian joint venture with long-time partner Seika to serve Japanese, Korean, and Chinese customers with a full direct sales and support organization.

GEM3 plans chem plant

A joint venture of Honeywell's electronic business unit and Mitsubishi Chemical has started construction of a new semiconductor process chemical plant in Chandler, AZ. Known as GEM3, the alliance company's factory will provide customized ultra-high-purity etching and cleaning chemicals to the chipmaking community. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed by 2Q04, with qualified production samples available in the same quarter.

MII scores cash, distribution

Molecular Imprints (MII), a leading manufacturer of nanoimprint lithography equipment, has landed additional equity capital and distribution deals. Both Carl Zeiss SMT and Hakuto have invested in the company as part of MII's Series B $30 million funding round. Zeiss has also received exclusive rights to distribute the start-up's Imprio step-and-flash imprint litho tool in Europe, while Hakuto has garnered the same deal for the Japanese market. Touted as having applications in the semiconductor, MEMS, and biochip industries, MII's technology is a step-and-repeat, room-temperature, low-pressure nanoimprint process that has demonstrated sub-20-nm resolution. The Austin, TX–based company's strategic partners include Motorola, DARPA, Lam Research, and KLA-Tencor.

Actinix grabs NSF contract

The National Science Foundation has signed a contract with Actinix for the development of a new UV laser for photomask inspection and metrology applications for the 90-, 65-, and 45-nm technology nodes. The solid-state 193-nm light source is based on the Soquel, CA–based company's patented method of generating sub-200-nm light via a frequency-mixing technique. Expected to feature a stable output, high repetition rate, compact footprint, and low cost of ownership, the laser light source is seen as enabling certain International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors requirements for advanced mask metrology. The company says that the NSF contract should help accelerate development of its phase metrology platform, the PMT-193, which measures the phase shift of extremely small features on next-generation masks.

Tegal gets Simplus

Tegal has added another product line to its suite of process equipment through the acquisition of Simplus Systems, a small manufacturer of nanolayer deposition (NLD) and MOCVD tools. The Petaluma, CA–based company has bought all of Simplus's assets, assumed its liabilities, and brought key personnel onboard. The NLD cluster tool includes a high-throughput conformal deposition system, similar to atomic layer deposition, with barrier, copper seed, and high-k dielectric applications in the DRAM and logic arenas, according to Tegal. Simplus holds 16 patents, with 12 more in the pipeline in related technology and hardware areas. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

TWI upgrades lab

Thomas West (TWI) has invested $10 million to upgrade its internal laboratory capabilities and accelerate new materials improvements. The CMP consumables company has acquired new polishing tools and scanning electron microscopy, as well as hiring additional staff for its Sunnyvale, CA, lab. The investment supports TWI's advanced hard-pad development work for oxide, tungsten, tungsten silicide, and copper CMP applications.

Technovision cleaner chosen

International Sematech has installed Technovision's FOUP-cleaning system in the consortium's Austin, TX, facility. The TFC-802 tool will be run through a full battery of evaluation tests, including surface and liquid particle analyses and witness wafers, to improve its overall cleaning efficiency. The system features independent washing and drying chambers to optimize wafer-carrier cleaning, as well as a unique multiple nozzle design. It will be used in a Sematech project aimed at evaluating FOUP-cleaning processes and procedures.

Technovision's Ken Yoshioka told MICRO at Semicon Japan that the Sematech tool is the first TFC-802 placed by the company. He added that they expect to ship 5–10 additional systems over the next few years.