LitShow

03/01/1997

Company News

Realtime Performance Inc. (RPI), Sunnyvale, CA, has developed the ControlPRO equipment control software that will be used in a next-generation cluster tool platform for 300-mm semiconductor manufacturing. The hardware for the system was developed by Toyoda Loom Works Ltd. and Kanematsu Semiconductor Corp. in Japan. The tool consists of a newly developed, high vacuum robot, and a transport module and cassette module. RPI`s embedded ControlPRO software controls and integrates these modules in the system.

Tencor Instruments, Mountain View, CA, will supply its SwiftAccess defect data management system to VLSI Technology Inc., San Antonio, TX. VLSI will use the 10-simultaneous user system to manufacture ASICs and will integrate the system with all of its existing inspection systems, as well as a scanning electron microscope and a laser confocal review station. The SwiftAccess system will also be integrated with a video archival retrieval system, allowing users to retrieve defect video images captured at a review station.

MVSystems Inc., Golden, CO, has received an order for a multichamber hot wire CVD system from the Institute of Energy Conversion, University of Delaware. The system will be used for developing amorphous silicon solar cells. Hot wire CVD has attracted attention in the last few years. It offers high deposition rates, the ability to produce polycrystalline films, and low hydrogen concentrations in amorphous silicon that could lead to stable amorphous silicon solar cells. MVS has sold four hot wire CVD systems.

ProMos Technologies Inc., Hsin Chu, Taiwan, has placed orders with PRI Automation Inc., Billerica, MA, and Defect and Yield Management Inc. (DYM), Bedford, MA. The multimillion dollar order from PRI was for a full-factory automation system to be installed at ProMos` new 200-mm wafer fab in Hsin Chu. PRI earlier installed $11 million worth of equipment at ProMos` 150-mm fab in Hsin Chu. ProMos ordered from DYM a NeuralNet engineering data analysis system (NEDA) for use in its 200-mm fab in Hsin Chu. The NEDA system will integrate data collection and analysis throughout the facility - process, in-line inspection, wafer electrical test, wafer sort, and final test. ProMos is a joint venture between Mosel Vitelic and Siemens Electronics of Germany.

Optical Specialties Inc., Fremont, CA, has received an order from Hyundai Semi-conductor America for five Metra overlay metrology systems to be used in Hyundai`s new 200-mm facility being constructed in Eugene, OR. The systems, which feature polished, stainless steel enclosures to reduce footprint and simplify automated guided vehicle access, will be delivered this month. The new order brings the total number of Metra systems purchased by Hyundai to nearly 30.

Credence Systems Corp., Fremont, CA, has received an order from Atmel Corp. for a new SC Micro test system. Atmel will use the system in its San Jose, CA, facility in testing and development of its high-performance microcontrollers. The systems are designed for high-volume, cost-sensitive manufacturing operations, and feature a multisite design that allows testing of up to 16 devices in parallel. The total test system and manipulator are provided in an extremely small footprint - approximately 30 feet.

MEGA Systems & Chemicals Inc., Chandler, AZ, has received an order for multiple units of chemical handling systems from Symbios Logic Inc. Two MEGAflow IIIC systems, as well as MEGAblend, MEGApure, and MEGAview supervisory systems, will be delivered to Symbios` Colorado Springs, CO, fab. The MEGAflow IIIC supplies slurry to polishers via a global distribution loop; MEGAblend is a bulk blend system that supplies post CMP clean chemicals to multiple use-points; MEGApure provides submicron particle filtration and dispense for particle removal; and MEGAview allows the user to control station operation, change blend ratios, and monitor system information.

Semiconductor Engineering Laboratories Ltd., Santa Clara, CA, has received an order for two MC100 micro cleaving systems from a New York company. The MC100 system provides cross-section and extreme precision with submicron accuracy, and uses cleaving characteristics inherent in single-crystal semiconductor substrates. The system provides reduction in diagnosis cycle and true cross-section with high throughput, all with a process cycle time of 15 minutes. The system will be installed in the company`s fabs in Fishkill, NY, and Manassas, VA.

Fusion Systems Corp., Rockville, MD, a supplier of front-end process equipment, has received a $3.6 million order from Anam Industrial Co. Ltd. for its Gemini plasma ashers. The Gemini systems are scheduled to be shipped to Anam`s new DRAM facility in South Korea in 1997.

BOC Gases, Murray Hill, NJ, a supplier of industrial gases and gas handling technology, has begun construction of a SPECTRA-N 3000 onsite nitrogen generator for MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., St. Peters, MO. MEMC is expanding its wafer manufacturing capacity. The generator will supply not only nitrogen, but bulk trichlorosilane and bulk hydrogen chloride. Construction is expected to be completed in early 1997. In addition, BOC will construct a $40 million air separation plant in Chester, WV, to expand its presence in the area. The plant, to begin operation in 1998, will provide an additional 1200 tons/day of oxygen and nitrogen and produce up to 500 tpd of additional liquid nitrogen, oxygen, and argon.

Actel Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, a supplier of antifuse-based field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), has signed a distribution agreement with I&C Microsystems Co. Ltd. for Korea. I&C will assume responsibility for all customers supported by Actel`s previous distributor ANAM S&T Co. Ltd., which has shifted away from FPGA. I&C will also provide sales and support for Actel`s products to new customers in Korea.

MOSAID Technologies Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, a memory chip design house and supplier of engineering memory test systems, has agreed to purchase a 10.7 acre property located in Kanata North Business Park to increase the company`s operating capacity. The relocation to Kanata will improve MOSAID`s access to services and amenities, and will allow the company to customize work space to optimize operations.

Tefen USA, Fort Lee, NJ, an engineering consulting firm for the semiconductor industry, has completed the layout design of a new 200-mm wafer fab for Cirent Semiconductor, Orlando, FL. The Tefen project involved an optimization of the macro and the micro layout design in all wafer fabrication and support areas, allowing for rapid ramping to meet production goals. Cirent is a manufacturing joint venture between Lucent Technologies` Microelectronics Group and Cirrus Logic, which recently completed construction of the new 200-mm fab at the Orlando facility.

TMT Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, has received a multimillion dollar order for 16 ASL-1000 testers from Philippine-based Best Electronics and Components Co. Inc. The systems, to be delivered in 1Q97, will be used to test various linear and mixed-signal devices. The ASL-1000 tests a wide range of devices, including op amps and comparators, DACs/ADCs, power supplies, converters, data transceivers, high-voltage drivers, and disk drive head servo amplifiers. Best Electronics utilizes production-oriented linear test platforms, high throughput test handlers, and the low-cost engineering, support, and labor resources in the Philippines.

National Semiconductor, Santa Clara, CA, has selected ChemWest Systems Inc., Wilsonville, OR, to provide wet process cleaning systems for its new fab in South Portland, ME. ChemWest manufactures process control systems specializing in wet process, parts cleaning, and chemical distribution for the semiconductor industry. ChemWest and National Semiconductor collaborated to design an efficient clean system to serve the needs of both companies.

Asymtek, a subsidiary of Nordson Corp., has signed an original equipment manufacturer agreement with Zevatech to provide fluid dispensing equipment for use in the direct chip attach market. Asymtek`s equipment will be included in Zevatech`s assembly lines for semiconductor packaging and for surface mount assembly involved with direct chip attach, including flip chip on board. Asymtek will supply dispensing equipment to Zevatech from its Millennium series, which features closed-loop process control for underfill and advanced IC encapsulation and the newly-released Century Series.

Electronic Visions Inc., Phoenix, AZ, a maker of microelectromechanical systems processing equipment, has installed an EV450 wafer/substrate bond alignment system at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology`s Microsystems Technology Laboratory. The EV450 is capable of aligning wafers up to 150 mm and substrates up to 4 ? 4-in. with thicknesses up to 3 mm. The EV450 can handle wafer-to-glass, silicon-to-silicon, and triple stack alignment.

PlasmaQuest Inc., Richardson, TX, has received an order from an East coast-based computer manufacturer for a PlasmaQuest Series III ECR reactor. The reactor will be used to etch Al2O3/TiC for magneto resistive heads in California, Europe, and Mexico. Standard features include Windows-based operating software, permanent magnet ECR plasma source, and a 20-in. stainless steel chamber with multipolar plasma confinement.

Promis Systems Corp., San Jose, CA, and TIBCO Software Inc. have entered a technology alliance to deliver a new generation of event-driven manufacturing execution systems. The New Promis Encore! software line will work with TIBCO`s Object Bus software to create a manufacturing execution system to provide a CORBA-compliant interface derived from SEMATECH`s CIM Application Framework Specification V1.3. Encore! is designed to help semiconductor and precision electronics manufacturers address both process and organization inefficiencies.

Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, CA, plans to discontinue the HP5890 series gas chromatograph. As of March 1, the HP5890 GC with electronic pressure control will no longer be available. Customers who own this unit will continue to receive support from HP or an authorized distributor. Hewlett-Packard saw a decline in customer interest for the HP5890 GC, which was introduced in 1983, and an increase in sales of the HP6890 GC, a redesigned instrument that uses integrated electronic pneumatic control.

Technology Modeling Associates (TMA), Sunnyvale, CA, and Samsung Electronics have collaborated on technology for the design of liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The technology will be incorporated in Liquid, TMA`s software tool for the design of LCDs, which simulates a complete LCD panel. The TMA/Samsung collaboration has resulted in the verification of accuracy of the liquid crystal and optical analysis models. Samsung licensed Liquid version 1.2 from TMA for use in designing next-generation LCDs.

NEW PRODUCTS

Silicon nitride deposition

The HT Silicon Nitride Centura is a single-wafer system for depositing high-temperature silicon nitride films in the pre-metal layers of semiconductor devices. It will make possible next-generation applications such as 64- and 256-Mbit DRAMs, flash memories, and dual-gate CMOS circuits by providing uniform, precisely controlled, thin nitride films at a low thermal budget. The 20?C/sec ramp-up and cool-down rate of the HT chamber gives high throughput. The system enhances DRAM cell capacitor reliability and reduces leakage by providing in-situ chamber cleaning and a hydrogen bake process for native oxide removal. The wafers being processed are never exposed to oxygen or moisture and are kept at a constant pressure. This makes possible a throughput of >40 wafers/hour in a two-chamber system. Within-wafer thickness uniformity on 200-mm wafers varies by <1%, 1s at a 50? thickness. Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, CA; ph 408/235-4479, fax 408/563-0699

Memory test system

The J996 memory tester, the first model of the new Marlin platform system, is a high-performance test system for engineering characterization and volume packaged-device test of RAMs operating up to 250 MHz, including standard DRAMs, synchronous DRAMs, and synchronous SRAMs. As many as 64 devices with 16 I/O pins each can be tested in parallel at package test; the system also provides high-throughput parallel testing for wider I/O devices. Footprint is 20% smaller than the previous-generation J994 system. The fully enclosed J996 does not interfere with the laminar flow in memory test facilities. Teradyne Inc., Agoura Hills, CA; ph 818/991-2900, fax 818/735-5623, [email protected].

E-beam wafer inspection system

The 2702 SEMSpec wafer inspection system is a fully automated scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-based instrument that provides the high level of defect detection sensitivity which will be required for inspection of wafers with 0.25- and 0.18-?m design rules. The imaging speed of the 2702 is 2-4? faster than its predecessor, the 2700, which is itself up to 1000? faster than manual inspection SEMs. Both systems use a high-speed digital image processing computer to analyze images and automatically locate defects as the wafer is being scanned by the electron beam. KLA Instruments Corp., San Jose, CA; ph 408/434-4200, URL http://www.kla.com.

Cleanroom-compatible FIB/SEM workstations

Two new DualBeam FIB/SEM workstations, the 820i and 825i, are cleanroom-compatible and provide in-line process monitoring and defect characterization with a short "time to answer." They interface directly with standard defect review tools. Being highly automated, the systems are easy to use and allow for direct access and more immediate results by eliminating the need to remove wafers from the cleanroom for analysis. Combining an FE SEM with a FIB system adds characterization capabilities in the Z direction, providing additional information to help identify both the source and the sequence of incorporation of a defect into a device. The 825i features cassette-to-cassette wafer loading, while the 820i utilizes manual wafer loading. The FIB sample stage is driven automatically to defects on inspection tool wafer maps through an integrated interface. Frequently performed procedures - such as defect cross-sectioning with multiple images, TEM sample preparation, and XY composition mapping - are automated. FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR; ph 503/640-7500, fax 503/640-7509.

FPD ion implanter

The ORion NV6072 flat panel ion implanter combines field-proven ion implantation technology with state-of-the-art ion source, panel cooling, and handling capabilities designed specifically for this application. A ribbon beam ion source and panel scanning system provide a wide dose range for the phosphorous, boron, and hydrogen from high-dose source and drain implants (1 ? 1015 to 3 ? 1016 ions/cm2) to the low-dose implants (5 ? 1011 to 1 ? 1014 ions/cm2) used for threshold voltage adjustment and lightly doped drain structures. In all cases, a dose uniformity of

Robotics software

Time Optimized Trajectory Software resides in the ESC-200 series controller and optimizes the motion of ATM, FPD, and VAC series robots. Time optimized trajectories work by teaching the robot to use the most efficient path from point A to point B, resulting in a smooth, effortless motion. Variances in pick and place stations and potential obstacles in between are all taken into account. Based on these calculations, the controller will command the wafer transfer to take the fastest path. When used with this company`s traditional sine curve motion control profiling, the software enables a standard ATM robot to transfer twenty-five 200-mm wafers between cassettes in <57 seconds. Equipe Technologies Inc., Sunnyvale, CA; ph 408/522-0350, fax 408/522-0358, e-mail [email protected].