September 7, 2006 – The Dow Chemical Co. has signed a licensing deal to transfer development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing for spin-on silicon containing its “Ensemble” dielectric coatings to Brewer Science, Rolla, MO. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The move is part of Dow’s efforts to focus on expanding its core business for dielectric materials for wafer-level chip-scale packaging, integrated passives, and SiLK dielectric materials, according to the company.

Dow began development of the Ensemble coatings several years ago, targeting multiple applications in semiconductor processing, including pre-metal dielectric, hardmask, and shallow trench isolation applications. Since 2004, the two companies have been working to develop and market coatings for lithographic applications, and claim “process of record” wins at a major Asian chipmaker for advanced photolithography applications, and an early POR for an immersion process at a major US manufacturer.

Dow and Brewer position the Ensemble line as applicable for a variety of areas, including: immersion lithography processes, double patterning, low-k dielectrics, shallow trench isolation, CMP, hardmask applications, and pre-metal dielectric processes. Combining the spin-on silicon with an antireflective coating results in reduced etch complexity compared with CVD films, easier resist re-work, better photoresist compatibility, and longer shelf life than other spin-on silicon-based coatings, according to Brewer.

Marvin Bourelle, global commercial manager of Dow’s advanced electronic materials business, stated that Brewer’s expertise and reach in antireflective coatings for semiconductor applications is a good fit with the Ensemble dielectric coatings. “Now that we have licensed this technology more broadly, we intend to develop it further to increase and broaden the total value it offers our industry,” added Andy Waite-Wright, executive director, marketing and sales for Brewer Science, in a statement.