Table of Contents
Solid State Technology
Year 1998
Issue 8
 | DEPARTMENTS
Editorial
Is a discontinuity ahead?
Is a discontinuity ahead?
Growth industries often get on a steady track, with only incremental improvements. There may be ups and downs linked to the economy, and some competitors may grab up market share while weaker ones fall by the wayside or move into narrower niche markets, but the basic products and manufacturing methods change only gradually as the industry expands.
Editorial
Comparing semiconductor industries in Taiwan and China
Both Taiwan and China began to develop semiconductor industries at about the same time. From today`s view, Taiwan has been far more successful and is still growing dramatically. Despite China`s slow start, particularly related to the Chinese government`s approach to industry development, the necessary changes seem to be happening. Indicators show the potential of the Chinese semiconductor market and the need for expanded wafer fabrication.
Editorial
More Asian participation needed to develop global SEMI standards
William A. Brown, W. Murray Bullis, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (Semi), Mountain View, California
Editorial
Silicon Island: A new landscape emerges
Taiwan is taking a very different path to a successful, fast-growing semiconductor industry than other Asian nations such as Japan, Korea, or potentially China. While officials and semiconductor executives in Taiwan are cautious about the near-term outlook for both the semiconductor and electronics markets, their strong resolve to move forward in spite of slowing markets is apparent. Semiconductor production value reached almost US$10 billion in 1997, up more than 20% over US$8.5 billion in 1996
People
People Update
Two top executives at KLA-Tencor, San Jose, CA, have swapped jobs. KLA founder Ken Levy, who has been chairman, will assume the CEO title, while CEO Jon Tompkins, who had been Tencor`s top manager, will be chairman. The move is said to reflect the way their responsibilities have evolved since last year`s merger of the two companies.
Literature
Literature
This brochure describes an Equipment Technology Group`s expertise in designing custom gas delivery systems. As the brochure demonstrates, the manufacturer develops the systems from concept to installation; working closely with the customer, the Group gains an understanding of the application and then designs a system to meet specific needs. High-quality components are combined with quality control and performance testing to preserve the purity and integrity of the gases and to ensure trouble-fre
Letters
Origin of
I enjoyed reading "High-throughput W/Ti barrier sequential deposition" (June, p. 127). It should be noted that the authors failed to cite the prior papers that discussed in depth the method they authored!
News
Shenzhen STS microelectronics
Shenzhen STS Microelectronics, Shenzhen, China, has inaugurated its state-of-the-art assembly and test plant and advanced full-custom design and development center. Situated at the Futian Free Trade Zone, the facility spreads over 37,100 m2 and is one of the largest joint venture semiconductor companies in China.
News
Toshiba Corp
Toshiba Corp. said it will help fund a new 64-Mbit DRAM assembly venture in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Construction of the new venture, Walton Advanced Electronics (WAE), has begun, and assembly work is scheduled to start in July 1999. WAE will have an initial paid-in capital of US$80 million, and will have four investors: Walsin Advanced Electronics and Winbond Electronics, with a 75% stake; Mitsui & Co., with a 5.1% stake; and Toshiba, with a 19.9% stake. Total investments are expected to reach 20 bil
News
Tokyo-based NKK
Tokyo-based NKK said its wafer processing facility in Ayase, Kanagawa Prefecture, will be closed by March 1999, and the firm will exit the memory business. The NKK line has a capacity of 6000 200-mm wafers/month, and produces mainly SRAMs with 0.5-?m design rules. The NKK chip business posted a FY97 loss of 14 billion yen, adding to steady losses accumulated since 1993 when the firm made inroads into the business. NKK hopes to sell the Ayase facility.
News
Applied Materials?
Applied Materials has donated a Precision 5000 CVD system to Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where students will study chipmaking technology. The system has a market value of $1.5 million. Separately, Applied has opened its Technical Training Center in Singapore. The new $15 million center, capable of training up to 350 engineers annually, is equipped with state-of-the-art etch, PVD, and CVD systems, and is designed to accept 300-mm wafer technology.
News
ESEC Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd.
ESEC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., the Singapore-based subsidiary of Swiss multi-national ESEC SA, has signed a US$30 million contract to supply wire and die bonders to PT Astra Microtronics Technology for its contract assembly facility in Batam, Indonesia. The agreement will cover deliveries of wire and die bonders through June 2000.
News
South Korea?
South Korean press reports suggest that Dongbu Group has pulled the plug on its plans to build a DRAM fab utilizing IBM-developed technology. The scheme had been in the works for over a year, but began to founder late in 1997 when Korean finances and the DRAM market both descended. Work had already begun on the Dongbu Electronics facility in North Chungchong province; the Korea Herald reports that an assembly plant or possible foundry are being considered for the site.
News
Spectra International
Spectra International, Morgan Hill, CA, a maker of in situ process sensors, optical spectrometers, and RGAs, has opened a new division, Spectra International Japan Co. Ltd., Akoh City, Hyogo, Japan. With an office in Japan, Spectra International says it has successfully established a direct presence in each of the major global markets. The Japanese division`s new manager, Setsuaki Yokota, formerly of VAT SKK, and his team were largely responsible for the existing success of Spectra RGAs in Japan
News
Selete?
The Japanese consortium Selete (Semiconductor Leading Edge Technologies Inc.) has purchased a serial process, high current ion implanter from Varian Associates Inc., Palo Alto, CA. Selete will use the implanter to evaluate the development of next-generation 300-mm semiconductor wafers. The implanter has been installed at Selete`s Kanagawa facility.
News
Marubeni Solutions Corp.
Marubeni Solutions Corp., Tokyo, Japan, will be the exclusive distributor in Japan of AVera, the CMP polishing tool of Aplex Inc., Sunnyvale, CA. Marubeni will offer its established support infrastructure in Japan and its long-standing expertise in sales and technical service for manufacturing and inspections systems to the industry. The agreement includes the installation of a demonstration system in newly refurbished cleanroom facilities at Marubeni. Marubeni represents Mattson, Watkins Johnso
Eurofocus
SGS-Thompson plans 300-mm R&D line
With about $1 billion in investments at hand, SGS-Thomson is planning to build a 300-mm pilot line beginning next year in Crolles, France, and a new nonvolatile memory pilot line in Italy that will see 0.13-?m process technologies in place by 2003. The chipmaker is planning to invest about $500 million in each project. The 300-mm R&D center, dubbed Crolles 2, will be built next to the existing Crolles 1 center, which has collaborated with publicly funded research groups such as LETI and GRESSI i
Eurofocus
ESEC ends the year with sales up
With its semiconductor placement (SCP) unit continuing to drive company growth, Cham, Switzerland-based final assembly equipment maker ESEC Group said it saw net sales climb to CHF 478.6 million ($341.9 million) for the 1997/98 business year ended February 28, up from revenues of CHF 344.7 million ($246.4 million) last year.
Product News
Automatic UV curing system
The UH201 automatic UV curing system provides a highly controlled environment to assure uniform UV exposure of wafers up to 200 mm. The UV adhesion process gives easier post-saw die removal than with conventional films, increased pick and place yield over higher adhesive films, and low stress removal of the film from ultrathin or fragile wafers. Features of the system include: cassette-to-cassette loading and unloading; N2 purge for complete adhesive curing; a serpentine-style, ozone-free grid l
Product News
KGD test/ handling
The MP650 combines automatic bare die handling with multiple levels of vision inspection and up to five test stations, for sequential, parallel, or combined testing. It accepts standard frame-mounted wafers or individual die in waffle pack trays with output to tape, waffle pack trays, bulk bins, or reconstructed wafer with 100% known good die (KGD). The die are selected automatically via vision (ink dot rejection) or by wafer mapping and then rotated into position and placed in a flipper nest. T
Product News
Failure analysis/quality control
Plasmalab?Etch - a fully integrated, software-controlled, dual-mode platform for use with full wafers (up to 200 mm) or packaged chips - allows the choice of etching in PE mode or in RIE mode. This makes possible very low-damage isotropic passivation etching followed by an anisotropic intermetal dielectric or interlayer dielectric etching, without the need to break vacuum or use two separate process chambers. Switching is carried out via software control and requires no physical changes to the p
Product News
End-of-line inspection
The LS-7700, designed for end-of-line mechanical inspection of semiconductors, features inspection versatility for all major part types, including CSPs; in-tray scanning; SmartScan sensor technology for high measurement accuracy and throughput; and an integrated, modular-design handler that allows for mark inspection, top and bottom package visual defect inspection, tray inversion, and output to either tray or tape. RVSI Electronics, Hauppauge, NY; ph 516/273-9700, fax 516/273-1167.
Product News
TEOS sensor
This TEOS sensor - for the Model 4500 SensorStik detector - is based on field-proven electrochemical sensor technology, providing rapid response and the ability to alarm at lower levels than pyrolizer/ionization-type detectors. No heated filaments or sample pumps are used or needed. EIT, Exton, PA; ph 610/363-5450, fax 610/363-0167.
Product News
High purity CO2 delivery
Precision Clean/Continupure is a high-purity bulk CO2 delivery system that has been developed for surface cleaning applications, and is delivered on a surface to be cleaned by such equipment as the ATS Eco-Snow delivery system. It provides CO2 from a bulk storage to the point of use, without compromising the purity of the gas. Scott Semiconductor Gases, Austin, TX; ph 512/444-1867, fax 512/444-2147, www.scottgas.com.
Product News
Teflon encapsulated fiber optics
These plastic and glass fiber optic assemblies are encapsulated in FEP Teflon to withstand harsh chemical environments such as the severe acid baths used in semiconductor applications. They also withstand high temperatures: for standard plastic models the operating range is ?30 to 85?C; for HT1 plastic models it is ?30 to 125?C. The assemblies are available for opposed (through beam) sensing using a separate emitter and receiver, with or without lenses, or for diffuse mode sensing using bifurcat
Product News
cleaning and drying system
This cleaning and drying system for 300-mm FOUPS, Capsil, and Crystalpak shipping containers uses DuPont`s Vertrel solvent azeotrope, a nonflammable, environmentally friendly solvent that meets or exceeds OSHA and EPA regulations. The system can be easily adapted for all molded, process, transport, and SMIF systems, regardless of product size -100-200-mm wafer cassettes, shippers, and SMIF pods, as well as disk media carriers and shippers. The system is bacteria-free, and there is no water cont
Product News
Multiuse heated stage
Model 855 is a standalone heated stage that is suitable for such applications as wire bonders and flip chip placement systems. It is a compact 4 ? 4 in. and has its own stand and power cord, as well as heat shields, a removable chuck, and a small power supply with temperature controller. Semiconductor Equipment Corp., Moorpark, CA; ph 805/529-2293, fax 805/529-2193, www.semicorp.com.
Product News
RF power delivery system
The Apex 13.56 MHz RF power delivery system provides power repeatability, high reliability, and low cost through the integration of the 13.56 MHz power amplifier, impedance match, and VI probe. The single-package design reduces the number of parts compared with existing systems and incorporates SwitchMatch, a selectable fixed impedance match using pin diodes. The Apex platform is available in power ranges of 1-10 kW and frequencies of 13.56 and 27.12 MHz. MTBF is 200,000 hrs. Advanced Energy Ind
Product News
Multizone temperature controller
The PPC-2000 is a multiloop PID controller with built-in programmable logic functions, for control of multiple processing zones from a single, compact unit. The modularized instrument allows multiple analog and digital I/Os, plus multiple control loops, to be centralized into a compact unit and programmed as an integrated system. It handles up to 48 control loops and 48 digital I/O points. Process data, alarms, and digital states can be shared among process and logic controls, further reducing
Product News
Large-area extrusion coating
The FAS-Coat moving head extrusion coating system, for PDP, HDI, and AMLCD applications, coats substrate sizes up to 1200 ? 1600 mm. Because the extrusion head moves over the substrate, rather than the substrate`s moving under the head, less cleanroom space is required. The system offers uniformity of better than ?2% for photoresists, polyimides, and color filters. For PDP manufacturers, uniformity of ?3% can be obtained with glass frit, commonly used for producing barrier ribs. FAS-Coat comes w
Product News
microfilter
Chemdyne 0.04-?m absolute-rated membrane filters - for filtration of photoresists, etchants, and solvents - offer very low extractables levels, especially for metal ions such as sodium, calcium, and trace metals. These all-polypropylene filters have finer absolute removal ratings than PTFE filters - 0.1, 0.2, and 0.04 ?m. Meissner Filtration Products Inc., Camarillo, CA; ph 805/388-9911, fax 805/388-5948.
Product News
Particle size analyzer
The Ultrasizer uses acoustic attenuation spectroscopy rather than an optically based system for particle size measurement; it is effective in monitoring particle distributions in CMP slurries. Sound waves interact with particles in a similar manner to light, but they can also travel through concentrated suspensions and emulsions. The Ultrasizer works across a broad concentration range of 10 nm to 1000 ?m, covering the entire particle size range found in both fresh and spent CMP slurries. Malvern
Product News
noncontact air-gap CV technology
The SSM 3000 Nano GAP CV system measures CV and Ct characteristics using a noncontact, nondestructive air-gap CV sensor. Capable of monitoring 200- and 300-mm wafers, it includes a measurement chamber designed to exclude light and maintain thermal equilibrium conditions, and it easily measures the surface of processed wafers immediately following oxidation, or bare wafers immediately following epitaxial silicon growth. The system includes software that provides mapping, control of measurement co
Product News
Portable emission microscope
The FA-1000 is a portable and modular emission microscope for failure analysis. It can be used in the lab or wheeled to the test floor and quickly interfaced with a wide range of testers. The optics and the camera can be placed directly on top of the tester, eliminating the need for a large box, a web of cables, and bulky hardware. The FA-1000 uses a proprietary CCD sensor to detect low-level photon emissions. With a spectral response of 400-1200 nm (attenuates at 1100 nm), the same detector can
Product News
High-vacuum pendelum valve
Series 65 pendulum valves have virtually particle-free operation for pressure control throttling and isolation in etch and CVD processes, and feature a stepper motor-driven gate that pivots in-line with the port and a locking ring that compresses to make the seal with a low vibration level during control operation. Eliminating bearings or cams under vacuum, the valves are constructed from Al, hardanodized Al, or Ni-plated Al, with elastomer seals to match the application. Sizes range from DN 63-
Product News
CMP system
The PM300 APOLLO CMP system, dedicated to 300-mm wafer processing, features automatic process control, automatic wafer rework, stress-minimized dry-in/dry-out wafer processing, spinless drying, and remote system control/maintenance. Peter Wolters CMP Systems, Rendsburg, Germany; ph 49/4331-458305, fax 49/4331-458253, e-mail [email protected], www.peter-wolters.com.
Product News
Bulk chemical delivery
These bulk chemical delivery systems are offered in two models: recirculating, multipass filtration, and single-pass filtration. Numerous use points can be supplied from either system, and both offer a safe method of distribution with minimal chemical handling. Amerimade, Pleasanton, CA; ph 925/846-7666, fax 925/846-3003, e-mail [email protected].
Product News
Wafer-handling prealigner
The Per4Mer 3000 prealigner provides accuracy in all wafer-handling applications and offers direct support for the Per4Mer series robots. It locates SEMI standard flat or notched wafers with an angular repatability of ?0.1? and a centering repeatability of ?0.001 in. The unit features a small footprint, a programmable digital vacuum sensor, a digital CCD-based micrometer, and an allowable in-coming offset of ?0.31 in. The 300 can accommodate wafers up to 300 mm and SEMI standard opaque square su
Product News
Lithography process station
The Millennium 2000 photolithography process station is a track system that is available in configurations for apply, bake or develop. It processes wafers from 2 to 8 in.; footprint is 19 ? 66 in. Designed as an automated tool, the 2000 uses a single controller for a single track and its GUI employs icons and a touchscreen for programming. Control system architecture is Y2K-compliant and furnishes a seamless interface to pumps, temperature control units, and communication links to a host compute
Product News
Defect modeling software
Electron Flight Simulator software, version 3.1, improves the accuracy and quality of defect analysis in the SEM and DRT. It shows how the electron beam interacts with defects in the SEM/DRT and helps predict the resulting x-ray signal, and shows the user how to run the SEM/DRT to get the most accurate chemical analysis of particles, thin films, and any type of defect. The software can model particles and defects of any chemistry, handle multilayer samples, and look at cross-sections. Small Wor
Services
Semiconductor seminar
A "Semiconductor Processing Overview Seminar" will be presented on Monday, September 14, 1998, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, at the Pacific Athletic Club in Redwood City, CA. Topics to be covered include industry background; support technologies -maskmaking, wafer manufacturing, and contamination control; IC fabrication technologies -layering, patterning, doping, and MOS transistor fabrication; and test and assembly. The nontechnical course, taught from a manufacturing viewpoint, is intended for persons n
Services
IC fab/lithography tutorial
"The F & F IC Fabrication & Lithography Tutorial" is a two-day, in-house training presentation designed to keep fab personnel, new engineers, and technical managers up-to-date by enhancing their understanding of the IC fabrication process. The program reviews the basics; interprets industry trends; describes IC fabrication; discusses the lithographic process, including typical materials, processes, and equipment used; and covers relevant, leading-edge imaging topics. Course content can be expand
Services
Laser-marking center
A new outsourcing service for the UV laser-marking of surface-mounted devices has been established for companies in the microelectronics industry. The center`s initial focus is on the marking of ceramic chip capacitors and resistors. In addition, based on customer needs, the Application Development Laboratory conducts feasibility and process development studies to evaluate the possibilities
Services
European Semiconductor Report
The European Semiconductor Report: 1995-2003 analyzes the economic environment in Europe, the semiconductor applications market, semiconductor production and capacity, market trends, and forecasts. Covering all European countries, it is arranged by product and application, and also contains profiles of European semiconductor companies and details of investments by region and product type. A monthly update that includes the latest information on developments in the European semiconductor industry
Services
Material safety data sheets retrieval
Material safety data sheets (MSDS) to promote safe handling of a line of gas products are available 24 hr/day, 7 days/week via Internet, e-mail, CD-ROM, or customer service representative. MSDS on the Internet are prepared to ANSI Z.400 specs in *.PDF format. Users can download Adobe Acrobat reader software free of charge on the web site by clicking on the icon and following instructions. To obtain a MSDS for a specific product through e-mail, list the G-Number product code as the subject of the
Asiafocus
Japan firm to slash investment
After posting a disappointing 12 months, the Top Ten Japanese chipmakers expect their semiconductor sales to rise about 4% in the current fiscal year, which began April 1, but intend to make a sharp 26% cut in capital spending in light of poor profitability and continuing overcapacity.
Market Watch
Mask technology challenges and 230-mm reticles
Semiconductor lithographers have for years been pressuring mask fabricators to provide larger, 230-mm (9 in.) reticles for the purpose of increasing productivity. However, when faced with the choices of higher reticle quality, tighter mask specifications, optical proximity correction (OPC), and phase shift masks (PSM), the desire for 230-mm reticles becomes a low priority, according to a recent survey.
Tech News
Spherical semiconductors may become reality
Ball Semiconductor Inc., Allen, TX, is on target to manufacture semiconductors on 1-mm spheres and commercially produce them by 2000, according to executives. The company claims this approach has the potential to reduce manufacturing costs and reduce production time compared to traditional chip manufacturing.
Tech News
Maskmakers and lithographers need to
Picking up a slogan dropped by sportswear manufacturer Nike, Kathy Cleveland of Lucent Technologies, says, "Our strategy has been to put together a `Just Do It` attitude. We have a mask utilization group that coordinates all mask purchases for all Lucent facilities, and also all of our foundries and partnerships."
Tech News
SID 98: New FPD technologies catching on
While active- and passive-matrix LCDs for notebook computers still represent the vast majority of current flat panel sales, new display technologies should soon begin to enable many new end-uses. From LCOS "wrist-top" microdisplays, to PALC displays for wall-mounted commercial and home use, a proliferation of display options could change the way we view information. Most of the process/manufacturing technology required for the new FPD designs is identical to that required for notebook LCDs, so e
Tech News
400-mm development on track
K. Takada, director of Japan`s Super Silicon Crystal Research Institute (SSi), said the first 400-mm CZ crystal growth furnace was installed last October and a second one will be in place in 1999 at SSi`s facility in Isobe, Gunma Prefecture, on the site of Shin Etsu Handotai`s Isobe Plant. Some 400-mm silicon crystals (mechanical samples) have already been shipped to the wafer shaping division of SSi.Takada spoke at the 8th International Symposium on Silicon Materials Science and Technology (par
Tech News
Effectiveness of water-based flourine scrubber proven
Recent development work has shown the viability of water scrubbing, with and without a non-caustic additive, for treating corrosive fluorine gas effluent and essentially eliminating the potential of producing lethal oxygen difluoride (OF2). The process has been developed and patented by ATMI-EcoSys, Danbury, CT.
Tech News
SLDRAM designing underway at MOSAID
International consortium SLDRAM Inc. has signed a contract with MOSAID Technologies to design the open standard that will establish the next generation of solutions for computer memory. MOSAID is an independent memory chip design house. The $3.9 million (Canadian) contract calls for MOSAID to create a reference design for a 400 Mbit/sec/pin 64-Mbit synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM) prototype.
Tech News
Study shows DeviceNet widely adopted
A recent user study by industry analyst Venture Development Corp. (VDC) reports extensive and expanding adoption of DeviceNet - the sensor actuator bus adopted by a large percent of semiconductor manufacturing equipment suppliers.
Tech News
Army grant for artificial eye
The University of Michigan College of Engineering has been awarded a $1.6 million US Army grant to design an artificial eye on a microchip - an optoelectronic device capable of sensing and processing light. Led by Professor Pallab Bhattacharya, director of the U-M Solid State Electronics Laboratory, researchers hope to combine lenses, tiny lasers, and tunable light detectors to build the chip.
World News
Worldwide highlights
Tool orders nearly flat. With order decline rates stabilizing, the semiconductor equipment market downturn may be close to hitting bottom, but signs of an industry recovery remain elusive. In its monthly report, SEMI said that three-month average tool orders at North American equipment firms were nearly flat in April at $1.07 billion, down 2.5% from March`s revised $1.10 billion, and 13% below year-ago levels (see table). The book-to-bill ratio fell to 0.79 in April, down from a revised 0.82 in
World News
USA
Intel Corp. has completed its $625 million buy of Digital Equipment Corp.`s semiconductor manufacturing operations. Intel will provide foundry manufacturing for multiple generations of Digital`s Alpha 64-bit microprocessor, with Digital retaining its Alpha-related technology and design teams. Intel has not yet decided what tooling or processes it will bring to the Hudson, MA, logic fab.
World News
Japan
NEC Corp. has given the official go-ahead on its next fab in the US, a 300-mm plant in Roseville, CA, where the company plans to invest $1.4 billion over the next four years. The fab will use a 0.15-?m process, and produce 256-Mbit and 1-Gbit DRAMs, along with system-on-a-chip devices. Plans call for operations to begin in 2002 producing 20,000 wafers/month, but that timeframe is dependent on market conditions and 300-mm tool availability, a spokesperson said. The fab will be built adjacent to t
World News
Europe
Chip Supply Inc., Orlando, FL, has acquired the die assessment business of Rood Technology UK Ltd. (RTUK). Chip Supply will take over the RTUK die sales
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