Product Technology News

Wafer-Transfer System

Asyst Technologies

Fremont, CA

The LPO-2200 wafer-handling system allows equipment manufacturers to integrate SMIF I/Os and Pods into their process systems while maintaining an ergonomically sound loading height. The system is designed for tools with a z-axis wafer handler and stationary wafer-cassette platform. Direct system integration enables the system to support a reduced 200-mm interface footprint. Rated at better than Class 1, the unit is compatible with the manufacturer's paperless Smart-Traveler lot-tracking system.

Mass Spectrometer

Varian Analytical Instruments

San Fernando, CA

The UltraMass 700 is an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer that delivers fully automated determinations of trace elements at the parts-per-trillion and parts-per-quadrillion levels. The unit's MacroTorr turbopump vacuum system reduces background levels to improve detection limits and achieves fast pumpdown to provide high productivity. Turner interlaced coils, coupled to a 40-MHz solid-state RF generator, eliminate secondary discharge and facilitate routine and automatic application of the cool-plasma technique. No supplemental graphite-furnace AA analysis is required. PC control of plasma flow, x-y-z torch positioning, ion-lens function, and RF power facilitates both setup and operation. The system can automatically switch between cool and normal plasma conditions without the need for mechanical torch shields. Windows-based software running on the 32-bit multitasking OS/2 Warp operating system facilitates operation and simplifies information management.

Scanning-Probe Microscope

Park Scientific Instruments

Sunnyvale, CA

The AutoProbe VP2 microscope offers high-temperature operation in both scanning-tunneling and atomic-force microscopy. The ultra-high-vacuum SPM is available in standard, extended y-translation, and high-temperature versions. The unit can produce AFM images up to 300°C and STM images up to 600°C and is capable of both direct and indirect heating to 1200°C for sample annealing. The open architecture of the microscope head permits sample transfer from several directions as well as in situ interchange of AFM and STM probes. Self-sensing AFM cantilevers eliminate the complicated alignment procedures required by laser-based detection systems. The microscope head is compatible with most UHV chambers and can be mounted on a standard 8-in. flange. The y-translation probe has a positioning range of 5 mm.

Pinch Valve

Fluoroware

Chaska, MN

Suitable for use in CMP slurry distribution, the Dymak pinch valve combines high chemical resistance and low particle generation. The all-PFA valve has a straight flow path that inhibits particle entrapment and minimizes turbulence, resulting in high flow capabilities. A replaceable one-piece pinch element eliminates the potential for leaks at the interface between the diaphragm and the valve body. Operating entirely without lubricants, the valve prevents contamination of fluid streams. The valve is available in a manual plastic version and a pneumatic version with stainless-steel springs isolated from the flow path. Interchangeable manual or pneumatic actuators offer simple in-line reconfiguration. Options include leak detectors, position indicators, and multiple end connections.

Water System Cleaner

Advatech

North Miami Beach, FL

Designed to improve flow rates, the Inductor prevents and removes all traces of calcium carbonate and other mineral scales from pipes and water systems without the need for toxic chemicals. The process removes negative surface charges that accumulate on the microsurfaces of suspended particles. The resulting change in the scale-formation process improves the efficiency of process operations and eliminates the undesirable effects of surface charges.

Production-Status Software

Promis Systems

Nashua, NH

Running in Windows NT, Encore! Performance software programs deliver critical production information to manufacturing managers from multiple data sources. The programs report real-time data in various graphical and highlighted formats, enabling managers to correct problems quickly and reduce downtime. The system's production and quality analyzers provide database computations and comparisons, enabling users to obtain information immediately to help improve productivity. The program permits flexible displays setup, on-line analytical processing, and communications with other software products or databases.

Gas Heater

Watlow Electric Manufacturing

St. Louis, MO

An in-line electric heater raises the temperature of air and nitrogen gas streams up to 760°C. The design features an internal star-wound coiled-cable heater with a small-diameter sheathed element that quickly responds to both heating and cooling commands. The sheathed heater can operate in ultraclean gas streams as well as in atmospheres containing contaminants and moisture. The corrosion-resistant heater can be ordered in electropolished stainless steel. Type J and K thermocouples are available to provide precise control and high-limit safety.

Ozone-Cleaning System

Osmonics

Minnetonka, MN

The OREC clean-in-place system uses ozone to sanitize pipes in a fraction of the time required by chemical agents. The standard system incorporates a corona-discharge ozone generator, a dissolved-ozone monitor under PLC control, a Venturi injector, and a booster pump mounted on a stainless-steel frame. The controller automatically keeps ozone circulating at proper levels throughout a piping and storage vessel.

Automated Cassette Cleaner

Advanced Engineering Products

Hayward, CA

The SC-9000 spray cleaner holds up to 10 complete sets of 8-in. wafer shippers or 30 8-in. WIP cassettes. The fully automated cleaner features a single-chamber, multiprocess design that ensures tight control over the cleaning environment. An arm fitted with 80-psig nozzles sweeps across parts during the wash and rinse cycles. Separate nozzles connected to hot gas complete the dry cycles. Additional features include surfactant storage and hot-water capabilities. Two slide-out baskets provide simple loading and unloading. The adjustable baskets hold any combination of parts, and the system's controller stores 16 customized cleaning recipes.

Filter Cleaner

Ross Cook

Los Angeles, CA

An alternative to conventional pulse-jet systems, an automatic self-cleaning separator uniformly cleans the filter elements of a central-vacuum system. A remote solid-state control panel monitors the operation. Each row of filters is cleaned sequentially with a burst of compressed air at a frequency and duration selected to suit changing operating conditions. The system ensures strong airflow by reducing operating pressure drop and lowering power requirements of the blower and exhaust.

Pressure Sensor

DJ Instruments

Billerica, MA

Suitable for use with chromatographs, the DLT flow-through pressure sensor has an 18-µl internal cavity made of CP2 titanium. Designed for panel mounting, the sensor's housing is ZA-8 metal. The unit can be specified in standard ranges up to 1000, 2500, 5000, and 10,000 psig. Connections are configured for high-pressure tubing with an OD of 1/16 in. Operating from an excitation of 10 to 24 V dc, the sensor generates an output of 1/2 to 5 1/2 V dc ±1% with combined linearity and hysteresis within 0.25% full scale.

Portable Gas Chromatograph

PE Photovac

Markham, Ontario, Canada

Weighing in at 15 lb, the battery-operated Voyager gas chromatograph analyzes all toxic VOCs during turnaround, tank preentry, emergency response, and routine personnel exposure. The chromatograph can be held in the hand, carried over the shoulder, or transported in a harness worn on the front of the body. The device is programmed to detect industry-specific toxic chemical vapors, and maintenance workers can check for chemical residue with the touch of a button. A built-in display shows compound names and gives concentration levels in parts per million or parts per billion. An on-board data logger automatically stores results. The instrument can operate in a quick-scan mode for screening total VOC content in ambient air or in a point-and-press mode for collecting data on preselected compounds.

Cassette Tester

Sun West Technology

Tempe, AZ

The Micro Devices CT-2001 tester analyzes wafer cassettes for twisting and bowing caused by wafer heat, cleaning, machine stress, and excessive chemical or thermal photoresist heat. The unit is compatible with most common cassette materials such as Teflon, PEEK, and polypropylene. Three sensors check for left or right twisting and H-bar deformations in concave and convex patterns. Tolerances can be adjusted to suit a machine's error tolerance. The system incorporates antibacklash springs to help eliminate errors in sensing a particular parameter. Seven LEDs in three colors indicate the status of the tester and the results for the cassette tested. Protected against ESD, the tester can be specified for 6- or 8-in. cassettes. The footprint is 11 × 12 in.

Automated Wet Station

SubMicron Systems

Allentown, PA

The GAMA-2 automated wet station processes lot sizes of 100 wafers while keeping system footprint and chemical costs to a minimum. By doubling wafer-transport lots, the system increases throughput proportionally. In postash resist strip processes, the unit raises throughput from approximately 200 to 400 wafers/hr. A chemical-free photoresist-strip process, known as DIO3, permits the processing of as many as 500 wafers/hr. The strip process employs a chemical blend of ozone and chilled DI water rather than sulfuric acid. This single-tank process reduces both equipment footprint and chemical costs. The technology can effectively eliminate hazardous chemicals from the semiconductor process while increasing throughput.

CVD Platform

Applied Materials

Santa Clara, CA

Designed for fabs that have limited manufacturing space, the D×Z Optima platform for high-volume IMD and passivation CVD has a small footprint that contributes to a low cost of ownership. The design is based on the same single-wafer multiple-chamber architecture used in the Precision 5000 platform. The system is designed for stand-alone blanket PECVD applications that don't require the higher vacuum capabilities of Applied's Centura platform. A magnetically coupled robot offers a throughput exceeding 80 wafers/hr. Top-mounted electronics, streamlined facilities handling, and a low frame height allow simple access for system maintenance. The chamber is available for deposition of various silane and TEOS-based dielectric CVD films.

PTFE Filter

Meissner Filtration Products

Camarillo, CA

Constructed from inert PTFE and PP components, the Ultradyne filter can be specified in filtration ratings of 0.02, 0.1, 0.2, 0.45, and 1 µm absolute for liquids and 0.003 µm for gases. The hydrophobic filter is compatible with a wide range of process acids, bases, solvents, and etchants. Small-flow elements are available for use with process gases. The filter is staged, assembled, tested, and packaged in an automated Class 1000 cleanroom. A proprietary thermal bonding technique involves no binders, adhesives, or other foreign substances, minimizing extractable content and maximizing effluent cleanliness. Units are integrity tested prior to release.

MR-Head Stepper

Canon USA

Santa Clara, CA

Designed for mass production of MR thin-film heads, the FPA-3000MR stepper features a numerical aperture of 0.24 and resolution of 0.8 µm over an exposure field of 45 × 55 mm. Reduction ratio is 2:1, reticle size is 6 sq in., and exposure wavelength is 365 nm. A high-speed air-bearing wafer stage maintains throughput rates up to 100 substrates/hr with a stepping accuracy of 50 nm or less. The wafer stage is maintenance free.

Pinch Valve

I&J Fisnar

Fair Lawn, NJ

The 710PT pinch valve provides tight control over microliter shots or continuous application of fluids of low or medium viscosity. The unit can be mounted to a production stand or attached to the supplier's dispensing robots or rotary dispensing systems. The dispenser's on/off metering control opens and closes the pinching mechanism on a molded PE tube assembly. Flow rates and shot sizes can be adjusted by varying the dispense-time interval. The valve uses disposable tubes and accommodates materials such as cyanoacrylates.

Pressure Switch

United Electric Controls

Watertown, MA

The Delta-Pro differential-pressure switch can be specified with a Teflon or brass port. An alternative to paddle-type flow switches, the unit features a specialized diaphragm-sensor design that achieves high sensitivity under various pressure conditions. The crush-seal design eliminates the need for O-rings and ensures long-term leaktight integrity. Teflon wetted components protect against corrosion and chemical attack. The switch comes in a package measuring 3 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 2 3/10 in. Repeatability is ±1% over adjustable ranges from 1 to 45 psid.

Stainless-Steel Tubing

Eagle Stainless Tube

Franklin, MA

Mill lengths and sizes of all 300-series stainless-steel and aluminum tubes and pipes are available from stock for quick delivery. Nickel/nickel–based alloy tubing and pipe also can be ordered from stock. The supplier can provide custom-cut metric and fractional sizes. Prototype and mill quantities can be supplied. All pipes and tubes meet ASTM, AMS, and MIL-T specifications.

Polypropylene Tubing

NewAge Industries

Willow Grove, PA

An alternative to PTFE tubes, Prolite polypropylene tubing resists chemicals and corrosion and exhibits low moisture absorption, high dielectric strength, and low surface friction. The reusable lightweight tubing has a lower temperature resistance than PTFE and is easier to weld or bond. Fourteen sizes ranging from 1/8 to 1 3/4 in. ID are available, along with compression, push-connect, and quick-disconnect fittings. Custom sizes, shapes, and colors can be ordered.

Photoresist Stripper

Legacy Systems

Fremont, CA

Unlike sulfuric acid mixture stripping, the Coldstrip process uses only oxygen and water to remove photoresist from substrates ranging in size from 100 to 900 mm. The system requires less cleanroom space than conventional wet-strip tools. Eliminating both rinse tanks and the possibility of sulfate defects, the chilled-ozone process is designed as an economical alternative to 45-L recirculated sulfuric acid systems. The system essentially comprises a tank filled with water, making it inherently safe. The key process parameters are water temperature, ozone dispersion, and ozone concentration.

Cleanroom Kneeling Pad

BioFit Engineered Seating

Waterville, OH

The KneelRest is equipped with a Class 100 filtration system, making it suitable for use in cleanrooms that conform to FS 209E. The polypropylene filter medium traps particles >=0.3 µm. The pad measures 20 in. long × 8 1/2 in. wide, and stands 2 1/2 in. high. A static-dissipative model is available.

Desolvating Nebulizer

Cetac Technologies

Omaha, NE

The MCN-6000 microconcentric desolvating nebulizer allows users to perform complete analyses on samples of less than 1 ml with the same sensitivity as conventional concentric nebulizers that require larger sample volumes. The inert construction permits HF analysis without the need to pretreat samples. An integrated ASX-100 autosampler provides an automated system that can be adapted to any ICP-MS or ICP-ES instrument. A heated Teflon spray chamber and membrane removes the solvent before introduction into the plasma. In addition to reducing oxide interferences in ICP-MS, the mechanism improves detection limits for iron, calcium, and potassium while maintaining performance for elements such as arsenic and selenium that are difficult to ionize.

Gas-System Fittings

Omnisafe

Campbell, CA

Fittings for hazardous and UHP gas systems do not transfer torque to connected components when tightened, thus eliminating particle generation from galled glands and gaskets. The fittings also prevent damage to the glands of gas-system components during final high-pressure testing, obviating the need for polishing after testing. Compatible with existing VCR-type units, the fittings can be installed using standard wrenches. Units can be perfectly aligned without rotational displacement of attached lines and components during installation. The design eliminates the incidence of cross-torque when one fitting comes loose as a result of tightening another. The design also prevents fluctuation of the calibration point on a pressure transducer during installation caused by stress deformation of sensing mechanisms.

Electronic Flowmeter

NT International

Minneapolis, MN

The Model 4400 electronic flowmeter measures both the flow and pressure of UHP chemicals and highly corrosive process materials. The unit measures the differential pressure across an orifice machined into a single Teflon body. Incorporating two nonmetallic pressure sensors, the device has no moving parts and no filled cavities that could leak into the process stream. The flowmeter comes in sizes of 3/8 to 1 in. with flared connections. Flow rates range from 1/2–2 1/2 L/min up to 8–40 L/min. Two standard outputs of 4–20 mA are provided, one for flow and one for pressure.

Surface Analysis System

AST Products

Billerica, MA

The VCA-4000 surface-analysis system provides surface characterization for FPD manufacturing. By measuring contact angles, the computerized device can help manufacturers determine the cleanliness of surfaces prior to processing, assess the coatings used in critical priming HMDS processes, and prepare surfaces for photoresist. The device can also be used as a QC tool at other processing stages. Computerized measurements eliminate the operator subjectivity associated with optical contact-angle systems, leading to better product yields by locating defects early in the process. The VCA-4000 handles panels measuring up to 365 × 470 mm and up to 1.10 mm thick. Data and images can be stored and printed for future reference and analysis.

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