ORBOTECH LTD. today announced that SPTS Technologies, an Orbotech company and a supplier of advanced wafer processing solutions for the global semiconductor and related industries, has supplied CEA-Leti, one of Europe’s largest micro- and nanotechnologies research institutes, with its vapor HF etch release systems for 300mm microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) on CMOS development. Installed in 2015 at CEA-Leti’s facility in Grenoble, France, the Monarch300 joins the 200 and 300mm etch, CVD and PVD systems previously supplied by SPTS and which are already operational in CEA-Leti’s MEMS and packaging lines.

“The co-integration of MEMS and CMOS has the potential to create a new family of sensors with improved performance,” said Kevin Crofton, President of SPTS and Corporate Vice President at Orbotech. “The Monarch 300 uses our patented Primaxx vapor HF etch technology and is capable of processing thirteen 300mm wafers simultaneously. NEMS and MEMS are at the core of CEA-Leti’s activities, and we are pleased to be able to supply this highly valued partner with additional capability to support its 300mm MEMS program.”

Marie-Noëlle Semeria, CEO of Leti and President of the Nanoelec RTI board, commented: “MEMS devices co-integrated with CMOS help Leti achieve a long-standing goal of enabling smaller and more powerful sensors and actuators, without exceeding power budgets.”

“After characterizing the performance of a number of competing vapor HF etch methodologies, we selected SPTS’ Primaxx reduced-pressure, dry technology because it extends our existing process capability significantly and offers enhanced compatibility with materials of interest. Leti intends to lead the way in developing MEMS devices on 300mm formats, and to achieve this we are partnering with industry leaders such as SPTS, who have the specialist process knowledge needed to transfer our 300mm MEMS developments to high-volume production,” added Fabrice Geiger, Head of the Silicon Technologies Division of CEA-Leti.

SPTS and CEA-Leti entered into a two-year agreement that will encompass full performance characterization and process optimization of both the 200mm and 300mm vapor HF process modules. This collaboration will further extend the long-standing relationship between these partners who already collaborate on the development and optimization of a range of etch and deposition processes for next-generation 3D high-aspect-ratio through-silicon-via (TSV) solutions.