Table of Contents
Solid State Technology
Year 1999
Issue 3
 | FEATURES
Materials
In-line Cure of SOD low-k films
A controlled ambient hot-plate oven can optimally cure HSQ films in 1-3 min, replacing 30-60 min batch furnace cures. The move to an in-line cure allowed for greater control, reduced handling losses, and proved to be a more robust overall process. Oxygen in the nitrogen ambient must be <100 ppm to ensure optimal final film properties.
Vacuum Technology
Advances in oil-free vacuum pumps
Minimizing pump failures and contamination from pump exhausts is imperative to tool efficiency and environmental performance. For the last two decades, vacuum pump manufacturers have been working toward the goal of producing low-cost, oil-free, and maintenance-free mechanical pumps for roughing and backing in industrial applications. The importance of totally oil-free evacuation increases as manufacturers strive to produce better and more complicated products, usually at lower cost. Lower cost o
Vacuum Technology
Taming thick-film nitride
LPCVD nitride is an extremely challenging application for vacuum pumps due to the presence of solid particles and condensable vapors. Most pump failures occur because of either the sudden ingestion of solids or a steady accumulation of condensate in the pump mechanism, leading to frictional seizure. This is especially true when the thickness of the deposit (and hence the duration of the process run) increases by a factor of four, as was the case at IBM Essonnes.
Industry Insights
Technology networking will speed European research
Worldwide, long-term competitiveness and a leading position in microelectronics depend largely on advanced research activities for innovative material and device concepts. As equipment costs increase, however, providing researchers access to appropriate advanced and well-equipped facilities is becoming a challenge. Moreover, in attempting to follow Moore`s law by adhering to a two-year roadmap, there is less time for technology transfer between research laboratories and industry.
Feature Products
Macro-defect inspection
The 2401 automated inspection system is designed to detect yield-killing macro-defects (=50 ?m) that are generated in the lithography process. Replacing current manual after-develop inspection (ADI) methodologies, in which operators miss many photo-related defects, the 2401 provides reliable and repeatable detection of critical macro-defect types, reducing scrap and preventing yield loss further downstream in the manufacturing process. Also, as part of the Intelligent Line Monitor solution, the
Feature Products
Motion control in vacuum enviroments
Motion control solutions are available for vacuum environments ranging from 10-6 to 10-9 torr. These include individual motors; stages (complete with motors, slides, and position feedback); or integrated systems that can include laser interferometers, vibration isolation, a motion platform, controller electronics, and even the vacuum chamber. Vacuum-compatible platforms are driven by either ball screws and rotary motors or by direct drive linear motors, which offer higher speeds. Piezo ceramic l
Feature Products
Flip chip bonder
Model 860 Omni is designed for use in low-volume flip chip production run applications involving gold, solder, adhesive, or stud bumps. Its features include tabletop configuration to conserve floorspace; internal PC for control of bond load, temperature profiles, process times, and machine cycles in order to minimize operator involvement; mimimum and simpified screen display menus; and a strategically placed joystick. The 860 Omni aligns and attaches die sizes from 0.006 to 1 in.2 at a throughpu
Feature Products
R&D surface profilers
The DEKTAK 3 Series surface profilers are stylus-based metrology systems with expanded capabilities for measuring step heights, roughness, and planarity in a wide range of R&D applications. Step height repeatability of 10 ?, 1s, allows profiling of surface features for applications such as semiconductor wafers, MEMs, hybrid circuits, and SMDs. Model 3 accommodates samples up to 5-in. diameters and has a maximum scan length of 30 mm; Model 3ST accommodates samples up to 6-in. and permits scans as
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DEPARTMENTS
Editorial
Is a European revival coming
For many centuries, Europeans led the world in economic development and trade. In this century, the US became the world`s leader, most recently in the high-growth electronics-based industries that have become the engine of national economic expansion. In the rest of the world over the past couple of decades, Asian nations, led by Japan, had the fastest economic growth, and moved to world leadership in a number of segments of the electronics business. Europe became a follower - in semiconductor
Wafer Cleaning
Advanced wet and dry cleaning coming together for next generation
Wafer cleaning is the most frequently repeated step in IC manufacturing. Commonly used wet cleaning techniques will remain dominant because of their overall higher cleaning strength. Alternate processes that either reduce or replace chemical usage are being sought because of the current challenges of submicron particle removal, environmental impact from high consumption of water and chemicals, integration into cluster tools, as well as increasing costs. Dry cleaning processes will not replace we
Wafer Cleaning
Solvent-free plasma removal of etch polymers
Plasma energy, process chemistry, and wafer temperature are important factors in the removal of etch polymers in dry plasma strip systems. We have demonstrated complete removal of etch polymers using a unique, inductively coupled plasma strip system, which features switchable plasma energy modes and low-temperature process capability. Our results show that polymer removal without the use of wet chemicals or with greatly reduced chemical usage is possible in a production environment.
Letters
Orgin of
I must emphasize here that my letter in the August issue (Letters, p. 18) was in direct response to the paper on W/Ti ("High-throughput W/Ti barrier sequential deposition" June, p. 127). With regard to Bill Westwood`s letter in October on p. 18, I was clearly remiss in not citing the work of Holloway and Nelson, who were the first (to our best knowledge) to report the use of oxygen to improve the diffusion barrier properties of a refractory metal, chromium in this case.
Eurofocus
Marseilles-Provence: A center of microelectronics
Within the last 10 years, the Marseilles-Provence region in France has acquired an international reputation in certain high technology sectors. Microelectronics companies have clustered in the region. Among them are major international electronic components manufacturers, like the French-Italian giant STMicroelectronics (STM) and Atmel Corp. from California, as well as numerous small- and medium-sized companies (see table). Together, they account for over 25% of France`s semiconductor productio
Euro Products
Auto-aligning ellipsometer
ELLIPSON is a compact process ellipsometer (no moving parts) with sub-? resolution that has applications including ICs (wafers up to 300 mm), FPDs, photoresists, and MEMs. The polarization analysis is carried out by a new parallel working optoelectronic device: the Cone Polarimeter. This performs the same function as a rotating analyzer in a conventional polarimeter or ellipsometer, but 1000 times faster without compromising accuracy. A very high measurement speed of 300 ?s, combined with a data
Euro Products
300-mm wafer contamination monitor
The ATOMIKA TXRF 8300W is a wafer contamination monitor that measures metal contaminants on 300-mm wafer surfaces using total x-ray fluorescence technology. Contaminants can be measured on the surface and within the first few nanometers below. Applications include inspection of starting material, control and optimization of cleaning processes, and equipment setup and control. The tool works with a minienvironment (FOUP) and supports fab automation (GEM/SECS). It operates under ambient conditions
Euro Products
Mass flow meters
The L30 is the latest addition to the LIQUI-FLOW series of thermal mass flow meters/controllers. Its maximum measuring/control range is increased from 20-1000 grams/hr to 0.4-20 kg/hr, at pressures from vacuum up to 100 bar. The instrument is constructed around an easy-to-clean 316L stainless steel tube with a thin-film thermopile heater/sensor fixed on the outside of the tube. In the sensor, the liquid is heated only a few degrees above its incoming temperature, so the risk that the liquid will
Euro Products
Photomask metrology
The LWM 250 UV linewidth measurement system measures linewidths using ultraviolet light at 365 nm in transmitted light mode, or white light in either transmitted or reflected mode. The i-line measurement capability in transmitted light mode enhances resolution for features as small as 0.3 ?m. Measurement time in white light using the Autofocus System is <1 sec/feature. Windows-based software allows easy job setup and on-line or off-line programming for automatic measurements. The LWM 250 UV is e
Euro Products
Metrology data analysis software
WAFERMAP Version 1.1 software enables the user to import data files from metrology equipment such as ellipsometers and four-point probes, supplied by - among others - Rudolph, Thermawave, Sopra, Philips Analytical, Prometrix, and Nicolet. Data can be visualized as 1D, 2D (contour) and 3D plots, and histograms. Users can compare two wafer maps by applying different mathematical operations to them; a number of mathematical functions can be applied to single wafer maps. The integrated wafer data ed
Euro Products
Mask aligner for multichip modules
The MA 200CC is a fully automatic production mask aligner for the fabrication of MCM-D substrates. MCM-D modules are formed by the deposition of thin filmmetals and dielectrics, which may be polymers or inorganic dielectrics. The new aligner achieves very good printing results in photo-BCB, which is increasingly used as a dielctric material in MCMs. High-density MCMs can effectively package advanced ICs while maintaining the inherent size and speed advantages that are often lost when using indiv
Euro Products
Deep silicon etch process
The "Bosch Process" is now employed on this company`s ICP deep etching systems. The process will complement the existing library of processes for the A600 series. A cryogenic (low-temperature) deep silicon etch technology for MEMS fabrication was already available. The new process enhances the ability to produce vertical anisotropic deep plasma etching of silicon while the wafer temperature is controlled near the room temperature regime. Users can now use both kinds of processes on the same syst
Euro Products
Field emission SEM
The LEO 1560 field emission scanning electron microscope combines a large cylindrical chamber capable of handling wafers up to 200 mm with the ultrahigh-resolution GEMINI column, designed for high probe current and good beam stability over a wide operating voltage range. With its 8-in. air lock and high-precision, fully motorized 6-axis stage, the 1560 is well-suited to almost all semiconductor applications. Short transfer cycles guarantee a high specimen throughput. Simultaneous high-resolution
Euro Products
DUV microscope for defect inspection
The Axiotron UV is a DUV microscope that provides quality control and defect classification of =0.18-?m structures. It is ergonomic and fully automated for high-resolution imaging, using high transmission quartz-optics for illumination and imaging. "Dry" objectives for the two wavelengths - 365 nm (UV) and 248 nm (DUV) - allow fast and easy inspection in failure analysis, as well as in the production environment. Camera control, image acquisition, and navigation software provide ease of operatio
Euro Products
Chemical blending and delivery
The iBIS 7500 compact blend-delivery system meets the requirements of post-CMP cleaning, specifically copper processes and slurries containing alumina. It provides a constant pressure supply of dilute chemical through the distribution piping system without the use of a day tank. The "On-Demand" blend system supplies dilute chemical, as required, to make up for consumption by the process tools. Total output capacity is up to 19 liters/min, depending on the dilution ratio. Additional features incl
Euro Products
Residual gas analysis system
MASsoft SPC, a statistical process control RGA system, provides fully automated vacuum process monitoring with QA quality SPC chart outputs suited to the latest quality audit procedures, including ISO 9001. It requires zero RGA spectroscopy interpretation, with operator intervention limited to selection of a prescribed process run recipe. The system interfaces to the process tool, automatically acquiring data for each critical process step, and it includes the flexibility to accommodate delays a
Product News
UV exposures systems
Models UH102 (for 200-mm wafers) and UH102-12 (300-mm) reduce adhesion of UV-sensitive film, allowing easy removal of die after dicing, backgrinding, and other processes. Their highly controlled environment ensures uniform UV exposure of wafers or other substrates. The system features a compact, manually operated, tabletop configuration, and accepts any size wafer/saw frame or grip ring. A serpentine-style, ozone-free grid lamp gives even, consistent UV exposure, and N2 purge ensures efficient c
Product News
Flip chip bonder enhancement
A 4-kg bond load feature is now available as an option for the Model 850 flip chip bonder. The option extends the system`s bond load capability from its standard 400 gm, thus complementing the recent hot gas spot heater and heated stage options for greater system versatility. Semiconductor Equipment Corp., Moorpark, CA; ph 805/529-2293 ext 21, fax 805/529-2193, www.semicorp.com.
Product News
Tape-and-rell system
The NT-16 is a multiprocessing tape-and-reel system with a high-speed 16-position rotary vacuum turret and speeds up to 30,000 pph. (A synchronized 16-position rotary laser turntable is also standard.) The flexibility of rotary vacuum turrets allows users to combine several separate component manufacturing systems. Optional processes that can be incorporated on the NT-16 include: electrical test with up to four separate Kelvin test stations (clamping or nonclamping); electrical sorting in up to
Product News
AFM isolation system
The IS3K is an integrated acoustic/vibration isolation system for the Dimension 3100 atomic force microscope. Incorporating compact vibration isolation into the acoustic enclosure, IS3K has a fully integrated ergonomic design, including keyboard support and twin FPDs, with all electronics and computer hardware mounted below the microscope and the acoustic enclosure. Footprint is 30.5 x 42 in. Digital Instruments, Santa Barbara, CA; ph 805/967-1400 or 800/873-9750, fax 805/967-7717, e-mail info@d
Product News
Pulsed UV laser souce
PAL/PRO-UV is a solid-state pulsed UV laser source that operates at 193 and 248 nm. The diode laser injection seeder pulsed oscillator uses active cavity length matching technology to achieve SLM outputs with very good frequency stability and tuning precision. The ultranarrow linewidth single longitudinal mode laser source is well-suited to UV interferometry, high-resolution spectroscopy, metrology, or writing fiber gratings. UV linewidth is <20 femtometers and wavelength stability is <0.1 pm/?C
Product News
Electronic throttling valve
The Pwrflo throttling valve, for precision dispensing of CMP slurries, has 100 virgin PTFE construction of all wetted parts. A stepper motor is used to drive the one-piece diaphragm and poppet, allowing for fast operation and good flow resolution. Orifice size, process connections, and mounting can all be customized. The electronic controls are housed remote from the valve and designed on a single, compact circuit board. Electrical interface options include analog (mA or voltage) and serial (RS-
Product News
Digital mass flow controllers
The MultiFlo elastomer digital Model 8101 and DeviceNet digital Model 8105 mass flow controllers represent a new class of MFCs for applications requiring lower-cost elastomers. True setpoint accuracy is available at ?1% setpoint and ?3s limits in both MFCs, which have a projected Weibull characteristic life of >380,000 hrs MTBF. The controllers have storage capacity in memory for up to nine surrogate and 26 process gases. Their digital electronics provide for in situ re-ranging, diagnostics, and
Product News
CD-marked vacuum gauge
This new CE-marked version of the Digital Display MINI-CONVECTRON, an atmosphere-to-1 millitorr mtorr vacuum gauge with an easy-to-read 3-digit display, provides convenient and inexpensive pressure indication at the gauge connection point, as well as adjustable setpoints and signals for remote indication and process control. Quick response to pressure changes, and good accuracy and repeatability, provide very reliable pressure readings and increased productivity. Granville-Phillips Co., Boulder,
Product News
CVD system process monitoring
P-5K process management software, developed for Applied Materials` P5X family of CVD systems, monitors and records up to 50 deposition variables, such as lamp power, RF power, pressure, temperature, and gas flow, at two-second intervals. Data are automatically collected 24 hours/day, providing an accurate record of process parameters and events. With access to a complete data history, users can track and find problems more easily, or avert them entirely. The software can be used for process impr
Product News
ArF scanning stepper
The FPA-5000AS1 ArF excimer laser scanning stepper realizes 0.13-?m linewidths for =1-Gbit DRAMs and 1-GHz-class microprocessor development on either 200- or 300-mm wafer substrates. It has the same platform as the dual-era FPA-5000ES2 KrF scanning stepper, which was introduced recently for volume production. The platform allows easy field changeover from 200 to 300 mm with a simple conversion kit. For 193-nm wavelength exposures, the 5000-AS1 contains a new reduction projection lens and illumin
Product News
Pressure transducers for DI water
Models 2210 and 3210 flow-through pressure transducers are constructed from natural polypropylene or PVDF, respectively, and are available for standard metric and English pipe sizes. The flow-through design offers a minimal dead volume, reducing the possibility of process contamination. The transducers use nonmetallic sensors and thus contain no moving parts or fluid-filled cavities to contaminate the DI water system. Each transducer is factory-calibrated to provide an accurate and reliable meas
Product News
Raman spectroscopy imaging
The Raman Imaging microscope combines scanning spectroscopy and 2-D imaging in a single system. It scans to a spatial resolution of 1 ?m and a spectral resolutiondown to 0.2 cm?1, providing graphic output in the form of 2D Raman images and 2D and 3D spectral plots. The instrument is well-suited to inspection of semiconductors and study of polymer coatings, providing a built-in confocal feature for measurement of changes in coating depth to a resolution of 1.5-2 ?m. The microscope performs its
Product News
Mask alignment microscope
These three models of modular mask alignment microscopes differ by the objective separations offered: 24-110 mm, 5-30 mm, and 5-80 mm. They are offered in various modular configurations, such as vertical or transmitted light illuminations, coarse or coarse and fine focus controls, and a selection of binocular, trinocular, and video heads. Unitron Inc., Bohemia, NY; ph 516/589-6666, fax 516/589-6975, e-mail [email protected], www.unitronusa.com.
Product News
Detection of contaminants in DUV
IonPro-IMS is designed for the sub-ppb to ppm detection of airborne contaminants such as total amines, total acids, ammonia, and n-methyl pyrrolidone. For use in DUV lithography, IonPro-IMS improves resist uniformity, maximizes filter life, and reduces process downtime. It incorporates ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) technology with an internal four-channel multipoint sampling system for easy monitoring in and around a DUV track and stepper. Molecular Analytics, Sparks, MD; ph 800/635-4598 or 41
News
News & Updates
Applied Materials Inc. has opened its Equipment and Process Integration Center in Santa Clara, CA. The center houses equipment and processes needed for customers to develop and test a completely integrated multilevel metal copper interconnect process before installation in a fab.
People
People Updates
ENI, Rochester, NY, a division of Astec America Inc., has named Edward L. Maier president. He was executive VP. Maier succeeds John G. Stratakos, who will remain with the company as executive VP-international.
Tech News
Team provides OPC-defect printability test reticle
MicroUnity Systems Engineering, Photronics, Applied Materials, and Benchmark Technologies have developed a special reticle to test printability of different types of OPC mask defects (see figure). Their respective roles in the reticle`s developement are the following:
Tech News
100-nm contract holes with KrF lithography
Engineers at Mitsubishi Electric Corp.`s Advanced Technology R&D Center in Hyogo, Japan, have developed a practical process that yields 100-nm contact holes with KrF-based lithography. It`s dubbed RELACS for resolution enhancement lithography assisted by chemical shrink.
Tech News
Booming comm-IC markets increase GaAs use
Conservative estimates from Teal Group Corp., Fairfax, VA, show that 1017 or more new commercial communications satellites, valued at about $50 billion, will be launched by 2008 (see table). Combining military, civil, and commercial Earth imaging satellite launches, the ten-year tabulation approaches 1700 and $180 billion.
Tech News
Adapting aluminum-based technology from its CMOS fabs, engineers at Motorola are applying a proprietary new "hot-metal" process to RF MOS devices in production. It replaces conventional gold interconnects on RF devices and achieves 10 times better mean time between failure (MTBF) reliability. This process is the first time gold metallization has been replaced on RF devices in almost 30 years, and offers more possibilities for the future of advanced, high-performance RF circuits.
Tech News
Mototola lab in Beijing
Tapping into the "expertise and ability of software and engineering talent in China, Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector has opened the China Predictive Technology Laboratory. This R&D operation will use computer simulation to build models of physical processes used to manufacture ICs so engineers can predict the way a process will act in a fab. Research will also focus on materials and embedded system designs. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of silicon iterations needed during prod
Tech News
MEDEAs system-on-chip
Bull and STMicroelectronics are key players in a Microelectronics Developments for European Applications (MEDEA) project that has produced Jupiter 2-J25, dubbed "one of the world`s most complex system-on-a-chip ICs." The device integrates seven million logic transistors manufactured with 0.25-?m CMOS technology at STM`s plant in Crolles, France. It will be used in Bull`s DPS9000/700-2 systems, its advanced mainframe computers. Design rules were released to Bull designers at the end of 1997; firs
Tech News
Mitsubishi develops LSIs
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. plans to develop volume system LSIs in the second half of 2000 using a hybrid copper-aluminum interconnect structure and 0.18-?m design rules. Initial targets for the technology will be high-speed logic LSI solutions for server and network applications; the structure will later be used in Mitsubishi`s eRAM products. By combining copper and aluminum structures, Mitsubishi is able to achieve device speeds 15% faster than similar structures composed of only aluminum interc
World News
Worldwide highlights
Equipment orders up for December. Orders for semiconductor equipment at North American suppliers ticked up 12% month-to-month in December, to $871.6 million from November`s $780.9 million, according to preliminary figures from SEMI (see table). December shipments of $924.3 million produced a book-to-bill ratio of 0.94, the highest since January 1998. Despite SEMI `s downward revision of November orders from their preliminary $805 million level, order levels have now moved upward each month since
World News
USA
Applied Materials has completed its acquisition of manufacturing execution systems software supplier Consilium. Under the stock-for-stock merger, roughly valued at $82.4 million, Applied issued approximately 2 million shares of its common stock, after each share of Consilium stock was exchanged for 0.165 share of Applied`s stock. Consilium will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Applied.
World News
Asia/Pacific
Hyundai Electronic Industries is planning to acquire competitor LG Semicon, following another round of negotiations. A spokesman for subsidiary Hyundai Electronics America said a task force has been established to work out the details of the transaction, such as a purchase price for LG, and "what will stay and what will not. We`re not planning to make a major workforce consolidation at this point. We`re looking at integrating LG." The combined Hyundai-LG company will likely be ranked second to l
World News
Europe
Philips Analytical, Almelo, The Netherlands, has won an order from Semiconductor 300 for the PW 2830 wafer analyzer for in-line analysis of planarization layers on silicon. Semiconductor 300 will use the system for its new 300-mm line. In addition, Philips has installed its Impulse 300 noncontact metal film thickness, density, and uniformity instrument in SEMATECH`s copper development program.
World News
Japan
Fujitsu, Tokyo, is planning to roll back its DRAM production by more than 50% by 2001, and is exploring whether it should pull out of the standard DRAM business altogether. Fujitsu made the disclosure while refuting a report by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun daily economic journal, which said that Fujitsu planned to end production of standard DRAMs by the year`s end.
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