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SGS picks Centura

SGS-Thomson will install an Ultima HDP-CVD Centura tool from Applied Materials in its Phoenix fab. The chipmaker will use the high-density plasma deposition system to manufacture advanced logic devices. Applied says the system can be used with a low-k and other materials in film applications such as fluorinated silicate glass, amorphous fluorinated carbon, and phosphosilicate glass. Meanwhile, Align-Rite has purchased several RT-8000-series tools from Applied to perform photomask defect inspection at the mask supplier's plant in Bridgend, Wales.

YieldUP signs OEM deal

Oliver Design, a manufacturer of wet benches for the disk drive manufacturing industry, has signed an OEM pact with YieldUP to integrate the supplier's substrate cleaning, rinsing, and drying system in its benches. Called the Omega4000DD, the motionless substrate drying system contains an electrostatically charged filter that cleans DI water at the point of use. The filter eliminates particles >=0.05 µm, according to YieldUP. The tool can be used for presputter processes, says the vendor, adding that the system avoids damage to disks that can be caused by the spin-rinse-dry techniques now in use.

Three firms buy depo tools

Commonwealth Scientific of Alexandria, VA, has received orders from three North American data storage companies for the vendor's Millenion 1200 MR/GMR deposition systems. The ion beam cluster tool deposits metals and dielectric materials using "coupled-processing" techniques, Commonwealth says. The technology monitors and controls multiple system functions in parallel to deposit critical layers in spin valves and GMR sense layer stacks. Additional deposition modules can be added to the platform, which contains RF-inductively coupled ion sources.

Film tools make Asian trip

ProMOS Technologies purchased a second set of Opti-Probe thin-film measurement systems from Therma-Wave for installation at its 8-in. fab in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The joint venture between Siemens and Mosel Vitelic is preparing the fab for conversion to 0.25-µm processes for manufacturing 64- and 256-Mb DRAMs, according to Therma-Wave. The Fremont, CA—based vendor also announced that Samsung has placed an order for several Opti-Probe systems. The South Korean semiconductor manufacturer will install the Opti-Probe 5240 and 3260 film measurement systems in its Kiheung fab.

GaSonics solidifies foundry ties

GaSonics International strengthened its position in the growing foundry market with the receipt of a major order from Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, the vendor says. CSM purchased GaSonics' PEP 3600 photoresist removal/isotropic etch chamber for installation at a joint venture between CSM and Lucent Technologies called Silicon Manufacturing Partners. GaSonics says it is the primary supplier of residue removal tools to two of the three leading foundries in the world.

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