Literature / Products Update

05/01/1997

VLSI names Top 10 equipment suppliers

San Jose research firm VLSI Research Inc. has ranked the Top 10 equipment suppliers for 1996 (see table on page S4). Most of last year`s growth in the equipment industry occurred during the first half of the year; some equipment companies began to see slowdowns in 2Q96 with much of the industry following suit beginning in 3Q96. Last year marked an abrupt end to a trend of increasing overall market share for the Top 10. Prior to 1995, there had been a consistent increase in this market share, but in 1996, the Top 10 made up 45.5% of the entire capital equipment market, close to 1995`s level. Collective growth of the Top 10 was close to that of the industry at 15.5% in 1996.

This year`s new entrant to the Top 10 is ASM Lithography. This company joined the ranks of the Top 10 by growing 37% over last year, which represents the highest rate of growth among all 10 companies. Dainippon Screen had the second largest increase in sales among the Top 10, with 32% growth over 1995.

1. Applied Materials. Applied Materials remains the number one supplier of capital equipment, a position that it has maintained since 1992. Last year, the company continued to dominate the industry with total sales of $4 billion - greater than the total wafer processing equipment market in 1988. Growth over 1995 was 17%, once again outpacing the industry. Applied continues to expand into new markets each year; last year marked the company`s first sales of its CMP equipment and its entry into the process diagnostic equipment market.

Looking toward new markets for growth, Applied late in the year acquired two process diagnostic equipment companies: Opal Inc. (a CD-SEM manufacturer) and Orbot Instruments (a wafer and reticle inspection system manufacturer). This opens up opportunity for Applied in the $2.4 billion process diagnostic equipment market.

2. Tokyo Electron Ltd. Last year marked Tokyo Electron`s fifth year in the number two position among the Top 10. The company had sales of $3.3 billion for 1996, a 14% increase over 1995. TEL this year surpassed the $3 billion mark, and its sales remain $1.2 billion above its nearest challenger for the number two spot.

In January, TEL broke ground on its first US manufacturing facility in Hillsboro, OR. The facility was completed in August and will manufacture automated vertical furnace systems. The company will employ about 100 people and will produce approximately 20 systems in its first year of operation. This US manufacturing capability is being started in order to ensure rapid response to the needs of TEL`s American customers. Steps like these have helped TEL receive positive feedback regarding satisfaction of its customers; in February, the company was awarded the AMD Wafer Fab Equipment World Class Supplier of 1995 award and also earned a position among both the 10 Best large suppliers of wafer processing equipment and test & material handling equipment in VLSI Research`s 1996 Customer Satisfaction Survey.

3. Nikon. Nikon, the world`s largest stepper manufacturer, maintained its number three position from 1995. Being the largest stepper producer since the early 1980s has kept it solidly among the Top 10 companies. Nikon`s semiconductor sales totaled $2.1 billion in 1996, which represents an increase of 13% over 1995. The company`s sales performance was bolstered by the success of its new offerings in exposure technology, including its twelve body systems for i-line and DUV.

The company`s strong position in the market has been aided by its dedication to customer satisfaction. Last year, this was demonstrated by Nikon`s establishment of a local subsidiary in Taiwan. The new entity will improve stepper service and maintenance to users in that area of the world. Nikon was once again among the 10 Best large suppliers of wafer process equipment according to VLSI`s survey.

4. Lam Research. Last year, Lam Research leapt up to position four among the Top 10 with total sales of more than $1.2 billion. This wafer process company experienced growth of 21% over 1995, 4% higher than any other company in the top five positions. Investment in the production of next-generation equipment has begun to pay off for Lam, as companies begin to gear up for the production of 0.35- and 0.25-micron devices.

Last year, Lam brought its new manufacturing facility in ChonAn, Korea, up to full operation. This facility manufactures Rainbow etch systems for the Korean market. In February, Lam and IPEC/Planar announced that they entered into a joint process technology development program to develop integrated etch/CVD/CMP process solutions. Its purpose is to offer reduced cost-of-ownership and minimal risk for customers who are migrating to deep-sub-micron chip production.

5. Canon. Canon is the fifth largest equipment supplier with total sales of just over $1.2 billion. This reflects growth over 1995 of 4.3%. Canon has been among the five largest semiconductor equipment suppliers every year since 1989. Sales from the company`s first production-worthy DUV system contributed greatly to Canon`s overall performance last year.

6. Advantest. Advantest retained its number six position last year in the Top 10 with sales of nearly $1.2 billion. The company`s growth from 1995 of 17% outpaced that of most test equipment manufacturers. Despite the sharp downturn in the memory device market, Advantest`s memory testers continue to do well due to their advanced grade; those chip testers that are investing in new equipment are focusing on testers that will hold up to next-generation devices.

7. Hitachi Ltd. Hitachi continued its Top 10 performance last year with sales of $867 million. Growth for Hitachi was 9.9% over 1995. Hitachi is another company seeking growth opportunities in the process diagnostic equipment industry. The company introduced a 300-mm wafer surface inspection system in the middle of 1996. It scans the wafer surface with laser light, using light scattering to detect the amount and distribution of dirt and other foreign substances. The company is also in the process of developing a new SEM for CD measuring.

8. Dainippon Screen. Dainippon Screen experienced high growth in 1996 when compared to other Top 10 manufacturers. The company achieved sales of $815 million, a 32% jump above 1995 sales. This jump in revenues is attributed to exceptionally strong sales of its wet processing equipment. In June 1996, Dainippon Screen announced plans to build a new plant in Hikone, Japan. This facility will manufacture equipment geared toward the production of 256-Mbit and 1-Gbit DRAM devices. In North America, the company renamed its US subsidiary based in Sunnyvale from Dainippon Screen America to DNS America.

9. ASM Lithography. ASM Lithography is the latest entrant to the Top 10. Sales jumped 37% to reach a level of $778 million in 1996. This was the highest growth of any Top 10 company. ASML continued to increase its support of overseas customers by establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary in Korea to increase on-site technical service capabilities. The company also plans to open a lithography training center at this site. In November, ASML opened a training center in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, to continue expanding the company`s total product support concept to Taiwanese customers.

10. Teradyne. 1996 showed increases in sales for Teradyne, the largest American ATE manufacturer. Yearly sales totaled $759 million, reflecting a 7.5% increase over last year`s sales. Sales were bolstered by new memory tester lines from the company`s December 1995 merger with Megatest. Teradyne experienced stronger than average sales of its memory testers largely due to the advanced grade of its testers - those companies that are investing in new test equipment want something that will hold up to next-generation devices.

Company news

Fusion Systems Corp., Rockville, MD, a supplier of front-end process equipment, has been named worldwide key supplier for photoresist strip, photostabilization, and related processes by Philips Semiconductors, a European supplier of IC and discrete semiconductors.

Amtech Systems Inc., Tempe, AZ, has received an order for $1.8 million of semiconductor production equipment from a European semiconductor manufacturer. The order was for a number of Tempress horizontal diffusion furnace systems, each to be supplied with four processing chambers, a gas delivery system, and a standard Tempress load-station.

Plasma-Therm Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, has sold and installed its Shuttlelock MEMS etcher at the Cornell Nanofabrication Facility. The systems will be used for micro-electro-mechanical systems device production. Plasma-Therm has also sold a Versalock mask etcher, used for dry etching of photomasks and reticles, to a large captive photomask manufacturing facility in the Northeast.

Aeronex Inc., San Diego, CA, will supply high purity gas chromatography applications to Supelco, a division of Sigma-Aldrich. Supelco produces gas and liquid chromatography columns and supplies. The GateKeeper purifier uses technology developed by BOC Gases to lower molecular impurities in inert gases, such as moisture, oxygen, CO2, CO, and H2 to the sub-ppb level.

Electroglas Inc., Santa Clara, CA, has received an order from Dominion Semiconductor to provide multiple Horizon 4000 Series probers for final and in-line testing in its wafer fabrication facility in Manassas, VA. The Horizon Series includes the flagship 4090 system, and will be used in the manufacture of 64-Mbit DRAMs.

SEMI/SEMATECH`s Sorenson joins Praxair. With hopes of anticipating the future needs of the chip-making industry, industrial gas supplier Praxair Inc., Danbury, CT, has hired Conrad Sorenson to direct its advanced semiconductor research program. The 40-year-old Sorenson, formerly of SEMI/SEMATECH in Austin, TX, has been officially dubbed Praxair`s liaison to semiconductor equipment and manufacturing companies. "It is our hope that I`ll be able to get Praxair and the equipment companies to work together to develop processes," Sorenson said.

In this newly-created position, he expects to be working on a myriad of issues related to the semiconductor industry, including the exploration of environmental issues, recycling capabilities, the use of cryogenic gases, and other alternative chemistries. As the industry works on resolving interconnect issues for deep sub-micron generations, Sorenson said he will also be exploring solutions to those "longer range needs." Sorenson will remain based in Austin, and report to Ted Trumpp, general manager of Praxair`s Electronic Gases, Services and Systems group.

Sorenson comes to Praxair as the former director of Contamination Free Manufacturing, Environment Safety and Health, and Facilities for SEMI/SEMATECH. He also spent time working as a program manager for surface conditioning products and advanced wafer inspection projects for Estek, a division of Kodak. Sorenson said the "vast network" of connections he has developed within the industry will be one of his greatest assets in the new position.

When interviewed, Sorenson noted he had been on the job only five days and had not yet outlined specific goals for the next year. In the coming weeks and months, however, he expects to focus on sorting out the semiconductor industry`s needs and learning more about resources within Praxair, which last year reported sales of $4.4 billion. "Just to understand all of the potential resources one can tap into will require all of my attention. There are things we can tap into that are mind-boggling," Sorenson said. "It`s going to be a lot of fun."

FAS Technologies, Dallas, TX, has delivered its FAS-COAT extrusion coating system to Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico. As a designated Technology Deployment Center and User Facility, the Manufacturing Technologies Center at Sandia encourages joint research and development activities with industry, universities, and other government entities. The FAS-COAT system reduces material waste by more than 90% compared with spin coating. FAS Technologies` computer controlled, large-area extrusion coating system will enhance Sandia`s role in developing and demonstrating advanced manufacturing techniques.

Working under a United States Display Consortium (USDC) contract, Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI, will spend about $1.75 million in the coming year to develop a durable, lightweight plastic substrate as a cost-effective alternative to glass substrates in advanced FPD applications. The USDC is funding $1.75 million of the total $3.5 million project. The plastic substrates could be used by manufacturers of some types of LCDs used in military, avionics, and consumer applications.

Tefen USA, Foster City, CA, has unveiled a new test wafer/dummy wafer control model software product. On average, some 20-30% of wafers in production lines are test wafers. The software tool can help manufacturers lower those percentages and show what the actual test wafer consumption should be, based on tool specifications and requirements. A Tefen spokesman said the software will be sold on a customer-by-customer basis, as part of a larger consulting service package.

SpeedFam Corp., Chandler, AZ, has received a multiple system order for its Auriga CMP system from Cirent Semiconductor, the joint venture of Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group and Cirrus Logic Inc. Cirent will use the Auriga for oxide and metal CMP development in its new 200-mm fab in Orlando, FL, which is undergoing a major expansion. The Auriga is a five-head, multiplaten CMP tool that has combined software and hardware enhancements to achieve higher throughput and results of up to 100 wafers/hr in continuous feed operation.

Buckbee-Mears St. Paul (BSMP), a division of BMC Industries Inc., Minneapolis, MN, is entering the etched lead frame business under a multimillion dollar capital investment plan. The company expects to begin volume etched lead frame production during the second half of this year. Using a continuous process etching line, BSMP began manufacturing etched lead frames last year. The company said this year`s capital investment will allow for a full entrance into the $750 million worldwide etched lead frame market.

Ashland Chemical Co., Dublin, OH, plans to construct a 115,000-ft2 facility to expand its Technical Center. The project, which will create about 100 new local jobs, is expected to cost about $22 million. The center currently employs over 200 scientists, engineers, technicians, and other support personnel. Research and commercial development of new products, processes, and technologies to support the needs of the operating divisions and their customers are carried out at the center. Last February, Ashland broke ground at its Dublin site on a $15 million addition to its south building; that project is expected to create 350 jobs.

Tosoh SMD Inc., Grove City, OH, has established an advanced product development team to examine next-generation thin-film processes and associated 300-mm wafer requirements. Sohail Qamar, product manager, and Steve Bardus, research and development manager, will lead the new team. Working with device producers, PVD systems manufacturers and technology consortiums, the team will look at ways to improve film performance in new materials and improve fabrication, processing, assembly, bonding, and delivery of targets for 300-mm wafers.

Olin Microelectronic Materials, Norwalk, CT, plans to build new photoresist facilities to support the rapid commercialization of i-line and deep UV photoresists. Olin plans to invest $20 million in the facilities as part of its semiconductor industry capital investment plan totaling about $100 million. The facilities will be located on 17 acres at the Quonset Point Industrial Park in North Kingstown, RI. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2Q98. The site will include an advanced products facility to house manufacturing and packaging operations for Olin`s advanced i-line and DUV resists. The facility will operate in a cleanroom environment to accommodate high-purity requirements for next generation photoresists.

Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL) has purchased a universal license for two cost-of-ownership products from Wright, Williams & Kelly, a Dublin, CA, cost-reduction modeling and simulation company. The license covers the Two Cool product for process step cost-of-ownership and the Pro Cool for process sequence cost of ownership. The universal license allows TEL to have an unrestricted number of users of both products, which are being delivered to the company and its subsidiary facilities worldwide.

Wafer mapping shareware. A shareware version of WAFERMAP 2.01 is now available for downloading from the Manuela Boin Scientific Software, Tomerdingen, Germany, homepage. WAFERMAP allows editing of data according to any user-defined site distribution and integrates visualization, presentation, and statistical analysis tools. The software has a list feature, including configurable one-dimensional, contour and three-dimensional plots, generation of circular patterns for any test diameter, import functions for data from metrology tools, and on-line help. Manuela Boin Scientific Software`s homepage address is http://home.tonline.de/home/manuela.boin.

The Product Development Laboratory of Fluoroware Inc., Chaska, MN, a material handling company, has received accreditation from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) in the field of mechanical testing. Fluoroware`s lab becomes the first lab to be accredited for mechanical testing of material handling components. The A2LA accreditation process evaluates a lab`s technical capabilities using the criteria of ISO/IEC Guide 25 and formally recognizes a lab`s ability to perform specific types of tests.

NEW PRODUCTS

Teflon wafer carriers

These wafer and substrate carriers feature one-piece construction and can be molded from various formulations of PTFE Teflon or PTFM, and machined with slots and sections to ?0.005 in. Free of microvoids and microporosity, carrier configurations can range from compact, low-mass styles that minimize wafer contact, to fully supported cassettes for 300-mm wafers. The carriers, capable of withstanding ultrasonic cleaning and prebake operations, are chemically inert and can operate from -450 to +500?F. These seamless carriers have no pins, screws, or dovetails that can loosen or trap contaminants; their inherently low coefficient of friction virtually eliminates particle shedding. Engineering Plastics Inc., Westboro, MA; ph 508/366-4425, fax 508/366-2575.

AMLCD simulation software

The latest version of Liquid, Version 1.3, is a physically based simulation program that predicts the characteristics of AMLCDs. An optical device editor allows the user to combine any number of optical elements (e.g., biaxial compensators, polarizers, masks, filters, liquid crystal elements) to define a pixel. A newly implemented transmission model, using the 4?4 matrix method, accounts for losses and interference due to internal reflexions, an indispensable feature for simulating liquid crystal cells in which the refractive index varies abruptly. Biaxial materials can also be specified, allowing simulation of advanced compensation films. New addressing and drive methods and a flicker simulation capability have been added to the circuit analysis module. These enhancements permit users to simulate low-power displays and evaluate flicker in a stationary image. Technology Modeling Associates, Sunnyvale, CA; ph 408/328-0930, fax 408/328-0940, URL http://www.tmai.com.

UV laser workstation

The Series IX-1000 workstation is a compact integrated UV microprocessing system with a built-in, high-power excimer laser. The system features coordinated opposing motion control, step and scan, dual-sided exposure, and high-resolution imaging and workpiece viewing, using the Chromacel line of advanced beam delivery equipment. Optional modules include beam attenuators, beam homogenizers, dielectric laser masks, super-high-accuracy motion control, and Windows touchscreen user interface. Up to two types of lasers (excimer, CO2, Q-switched, and pulsed YAG lasers) can be integrated into the workstation. Applications include marking, lithography, and high-speed via drilling (>400 vias/min). JPSA Inc., Hollis, NH; ph 603/595-7048, fax 603/598-3835.

Process-compatible temperature control

The TCU 40/80 is designed for the cooling of wafers during processes such as etch, providing continuous operation across wide temperature extremes (-40 to +80?C). Features include temperatures set at increments of 0.1?C, adjustable coolant flow of 1-6 gpm, fuzzy logic temperature control, remote temperature sensing capability, and a stainless steel pressurized coolant system. Alarms include 3-phase rotation and low-voltage indication, utilities water, circuit breakers, reservoir coolant level and temperature, coolant flow, compressor trip, and remote RTD. The pressure gauge is a 0-100 psig analog instrument, and a digital 0-99,999 hour meter calculates accurate reliability hours. Edwards High Vacuum International, Wilmington, MA; ph 508/658-5410, fax 508/658-7969, URL http://www.edwards.boc.com.

Wafer cleaning technology

Macro-Cluster Impact technology cleans wafer surfaces, using energetic cluster beams. This reduces the amount of water and hazardous chemicals consumed in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. Directed beams of charged clusters, consisting of environmentally safe solvents, efficiently remove particulate and organic film contaminants from silicon wafers and other material substrates. Charged clusters are generated in vacuum by electrohydrodynamic emission. Cluster velocities are supersonic, inducing shock waves in impacted material, to provide "soft" liftoff of contaminant species. Although individual clusters have impact energies >1 MeV, the total energy shared by the large number of cluster nucleons results in specific energies <1 eV/nucleon, thereby preventing sputtering damage or direct-etch of sensitive materials. Also, clusters have dimensions on the order of 0.01 to 0.1 ?m. Phrasor Scientific Inc., Duarte, CA; ph 818/357-3201.

ISO-MF butterfly valves

These ISO-MF quarter swing butterfly valves are well suited to the isolation of pumps, chambers, and roughing lines. They have a compact, straight-through design to maximize available pumping speed; they possess a quick quarter turn 90? actuation, from full open to the closed position, and have positive stops. Valve bodies are made from 304L stainless steel material, for corrosion resistance and a low outgassing rate. The valves are offered in three distinct actuating styles: manual, pneumatic, and motorized. Key High Vacuum Products Inc., Nesconset, NY; ph 516/360-3970, fax 516/360-3973.

Flat panel display inspection

Six new quality-related tests for the FIS flat panel display inspection system will reduce the production costs associated with defective panels. The six tests are pixel defect detection for SXGA and XGA resolution panels, flicker, image retention, gray scale gradient, display pattern position, and crosstalk. Based on N-Aliasing technology, which increases the sensitivity of the camera, the FIS system detects defects at the cell and module (final test) stages of production. With the improved sensitivity and defect characterization of the enhanced FIS system, manufacturers can use a single, lower-resolution CCD camera to inspect high-resolution panels, providing savings over higher-resolution cameras or multicamera approaches. Photon Dynamics, San Jose, CA; ph 408/226-9900, fax 408/226-9910, URL http://www.phtn.com/.

Research sputtering system

This tabletop turbo-pumped sputtering system makes possible simultaneous or sequential sputtering from three 2-in.-dia. planar magnetron sources with both RF/DC power for multilayer thin-film research. The system provides uniform, adherent thin films of nonconductive and conductive materials on sample sizes of diameters up to 8 in. The variable height biased substrate planet can be heated to 600?C. All functions are controlled from the PC keyboard, with complete digital and graphic displays. Recipe storage is included with total safety interlocked functions. Plasma Sciences Inc., Lorton, VA; ph 800/207-9776, fax 703/339-9860, e-mail [email protected].

Membrane filter cartridge

The VARACLEAN series of filter cartridges offers a combination of a highly asymmetric polysulfone membrane with all polysulfone cage, core, and endcaps, and ECTFE support material that has strong chemical compatibility with SC1, SC2, and HF cleaning solutions, even when used at temperatures up to 158?F (70?C). Benefits include very fast rinse-up with neglible extractables, and hydrophilic media that require no prewetting. The cartridges are available in single-layer membrane configurations and deliver absolute removal ratings of 0.05. 0.1, 0.2, 0.45, 0.65, 0.8, and 1.2 ?m. Lengths from 4-40 in., with several end configurations and elastomer O-ring options, are available to fit the requirements of most applications. Memtec Electronics, Timonium, MD; ph 800/345-8377 or 410/252-0800, fax 410/560-2857, URL http://www.memtec.com.

Wafer carriers

These large wafer carriers are available in several configurations for shipping and handling wafers and substrates. The removable trays use the Vacuum Release system, which prevents damage during transport or storage. The VR600 series is used to ship 10-12 100-mm germanium wafers, immobilized in a round container; the VR900 series can accommodate four wafers up to 300 mm dia., whole or diced, as thin as 2-3 mm. Options include containers with a high clearance cover and trays configured for automated vacuum wand pickup. The 796 Vacuum Release system handles up to six 150-mm wafers in a single carrier. GEL-PAK, Sunnyvale, CA; ph 408/733-1313, fax 408/730-1947.

Thin film analysis

The Precision 1000-B is a combined wavelength and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer for measuring the thickness and/or composition of thin films on wafers, magnetic media, and flat panel displays in a production environment. The fast and accurate method is noncontact and nondestructive. A typical single-point analysis takes from 30 seconds to several minutes, depending on the complexity of the film. Multilayer stacks can all be measured during the same analysis, and an automatic stage enables samples to be mapped for thickness and composition. A cassette-to-cassette version is available, as is a fully enclosed, automatic SMIF version with Class 1 interior atmosphere for SMIF fabs. AXIC Inc., Santa Clara, CA; ph 408/980-0240, fax 408/980-0524, e-mail [email protected], URL http://www.axic.com.

BGA inspection

PowerBGA is a vision inspection system, based on Image Analyst software, which offers very fast 2-D inspection of BGA devices. It can measure a wide variety of patterns with minimal user configuration. Users can easily customize field-of-view device layout parameters, BGA descriptors, and tolerances for proper monitoring. A settings dialogue box allows the user to configure global settings such as reporting, I/O, graphics, and hardware. Engineers can configure a variety of specific measurement tolerances for sphere placement accuracy and sphere quality. Also, PowerBGA implements Image Analyst`s robust calibration to assure accurate real-world measurements across the entire array. Acuity Imaging Inc., Nashua, NH; ph 603/577-5845, fax 603/598-4684.