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Table of Contents Solid State Technology Year 1997 Issue 5	DEPARTMENTS Letters New Frontiers I enjoyed reading your editorial ("New frontiers: Beyond silicon CMOS," February, p. 14). I like your bold approach. You stated that you might look back 10 years from now and laugh at your naive mistakes. I think it is more likely that you`ll say that you didn`t go far enough. I`ve been around a while and I`m finding that that is the case. In 1965, my projections of "writing" electronically controlled microcircuits by ion implantation seemed far out, as did the suggestion of making micron-sized Letters Mor R&QA I am a reliability engineer and have been a reader of Solid State Technology since graduate school. I am continuously impressed with the depth of the articles and the breadth of issues covered, as well as the overall quality of the publication. As semiconductor technology progresses to 0.25-mm design rules and beyond, we are observing changes in the physics of device operation that may have profound impact on future device reliability and our ability to measure and quantify it. Letters Automation challenges I found the information in "Automation and control for 300-mm process tools," by Mitchell A. Drew, Michael G. Hanssmann, and Dan Camporese (January, p. 51) to be timely and informative. New markets, technology, and sources of brainpower across the globe are forcing businesses to fundamentally change in order to compete. Success in the business world will increasingly depend on the ability to gather, process, and communicate information quickly and effectively to anyone, anywhere. Letters Clarifications In the ISI/Lucent Technologies World News report (March, p. 22), the e-beam system is capable of printing features =0.1 microns. In "Four steps to a healthier vacuum system" (March, p. 63), the co-author`s name should have been spelled Lise C.H. Laurin. In "Optical lithography in the new millennium" (March, p. 75), Powell Consulting`s address should have read PO Box 4360, Foster City, CA 94404. In World News (April, p. 20), Topcon Technology Inc.`s web address should have read http://www.topcon. Letters More on scholarships Since your editorial in June ("Scholarships aren`t enough," p. 14) about the lack of interest in science displayed by middle and high school students, I have become more involved in and informed about the issues that you raised. An excellent discussion of this topic was presented in the October 1992 issue of Scientific American ("Teaching real science," pp. 99-#108), and is thoroughly discussed in the book In Search of Understanding: The Case for Constructivist Classrooms, by J.G. Brooks and M.G Letters No optical transistors The rate of change over my 40 years in the industry has been beyond imagination, but for one long disappointment: the insufficient duplication of the vacuum tube photomultiplier into a solid state optical amplifier. We failed to invent the totally optical transistor. Soon, thermal density will limit our silicon compaction. We need a breakthrough in N-doping manmade CVD diamond so that diamond transistors may operate at those higher temperatures while retaining cheap air-cooling solutions. Literature Literature / Products Update 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 Literature Literature update This 37-page, full-color catalog describes publications, training videos, and CD-ROMs on IC interconnection and packaging. The catalog includes sections on artwork and test boards; design publications; printed wiring board publications; manuals; training videos and CD-ROMs; proceedings; and environmental health and safety. A calendar of events and information on the Assembly Marketing Research Council are also included. The Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC), Eurofocus The next 40 years It`s always hazardous to predict the future. Who, 40 years ago in 1957, would have predicted that a quiet California valley, covered with orchards, would be the center of a technology revolution that has affected a sizable proportion of the world`s population? At that time, most electronics ran on vacuum tubes; television was black and white; transistors were small, multicolored cylinders that could be seen with the naked eye; and a single computer filled a room. Today, vacuum tubes are virtuall Eurofocus Work begins on Hyundai plan in Scotland Scotland`s Secretary of State Michael Forsyth and Korean Ambassador to the UK Dong Jin Choi officiated at the groundbreaking of the 150-acre compound for Hyundai Semiconductor Europe Ltd. (HSE)`s semiconductor facility in Halbeath, Dunfermline, Scotland. This first phase of construction follows the October announcement by HSE that it will build two state-of-the-art semiconductor facilities in Dunfermline, totaling more than $3.6 billion. Eurofocus AMD signs loan agreement for Dresden megafab Bank syndicate representatives and officials from AMD, a global IC supplier, recently signed a loan agreement that will finance Fab 30, a new semiconductor wafer fabrication factory and research center to be built by AMD in Dresden, Germany. The loan commitment totals DM1.65 billion (US$967 million). The syndicate, led by Dresdner Bank AG, consists of 17 German and foreign banks. Eurofocus Ashland Chemical, Motorola, forge agreement Ashland Chemical Co., Dublin, OH, has agreed to serve as total chemical manager for Motorola Inc.`s East Kilbride, Scotland, operations. Under the agreement, the first of its kind in the European semiconductor industry, Ashland Chemical`s Electronic Chemicals Division will provide complete on-site chemical management at Motorola`s two East Kilbride fabs, including ordering and storing of process chemicals, just-in-time delivery, and assistance with process control, cost management, and environme News Fluroware Inc Fluoroware Inc., Chaska, MN, a maker of material handling equipment, is suing its former long-time Japanese distributor, Dainichi Shoji K.K. for allegedly using Fluoroware trade information to manufacture wafer carriers. Dainichi denied the charges, calling them "malicious slander." About a year ago, Fluoroware notified Dainichi that it would discontinue their nearly 30-year-old distribution agreement as of January 31, 1997. A Fluoroware spokesperson said "imitation" Fluoroware wafer carriers ha News Fujitsu Fujitsu`s compound semiconductor manufacturing subsidiary, Fujitsu Quantum Device, Yamanashi, Japan, will be given all responsibility for the company`s compound semiconductor business, including manufacturing, development, and marketing, starting this October. The decision was made in order to speed up time to market in the field. Fujitsu plans to increase compound semiconductor sales to the 100 billion yen level by the year 2001. News New Taiwan Industrial park New Taiwan industrial park. The new Tainan Science-based Industrial Park facility, located in southwestern Taiwan, will likely be home to several major wafer fabs. The Taiwanese federal administration has already started construction of infrastructure in the new Tainan park; between 22 and 30 plants are expected to start business there in the spring of 1998, and several medium-sized firms are planning construction as early as the end of the year. Both Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and t News SELETE opens doors SELETE opens doors. Sources at the Japanese SELETE 300-mm equipment evaluation consortium say the group has finally decided to accept foreign companies as members. However, Texas Instruments, which had been considered a likely candidate after seeking entry, has not accepted. Also staying out for the time being are Samsung and other Korean firms. The reasoning is not clear; it may be that cooperation between SELETE and the International 300mm Initiative has advanced to a point where chipmakers do News Fab explosion in Japan Fab explosion in Japan. Sources in Japan say that a gas explosion recently occurred at a Yamaha wafer fab in Toyoka-mura, Shizuoka Prefecture. Reportedly, the incident, in which a cylinder cabinet exploded and was seriously damaged, took place one day after cylinders of silane (SiH4) were changed. The apparent cause was a leaky valve. A silane explosion also reportedly happened last year at another Japanese fab, during the cleaning of exhaust lines on plasma equipment. News Taiwan sees growth Taiwan sees growth. Taiwan hopes to achieve annual IC production growth of 14% from now through 2004, when chip revenues are forecast to exceed $15 billion. An Industrial Development Bureau official, quoted by the Taiwanese Central News Agency, said Taiwan fabs could account for 10% of the world`s output by 2004, compared to 2.3% last year. By 2004, Taiwan hopes to have 40,000 workers employed by 120 IC manufacturers, and the government plans to help the private sector develop its technology and News PlasmaQuest Inc. PlasmaQuest Inc., Richardson, TX, a developer of plasma-based etch and CVD tools, has received an equity investment from Japanese distributor Gunze Sangyo, and its US arm Gunze America. Japanese press reports pegged the investment at $1 million, representing a 14.8% share of the firm. PlasmaQuest president John Spencer indicated that the infusion of funds would be used for "corporate development, including R&D," as PlasmaQuest seeks to build its niche-oriented businesses. Annual revenues are cur News ProMOS Technologies Inc. ProMOS Technologies Inc., Taiwan, has placed a $105 million order with Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, CA, for semiconductor production equipment. The ProMOS purchase includes the Etch MxP+ Centura, DPS Centura, DxZ Centura, WxZ Centura, Endura HP PVD, Multiple RTP Centura, and Polycide Centura systems. Delivery to ProMOS` fab in Hsinchu, Taiwan, is scheduled for the first half of the year. ProMOS, a joint venture between Mosel-Vitelic Corp. and Siemens Semiconductor Group, will begin produ News ZMC Technologies Pte. Ltd. ZMC Technologies Pte. Ltd., Singapore, will be responsible for sales and service of the handler products of Micro Component Technology Inc. (MCT), St. Paul, MN, in conjunction with its MCT Asia office. ZMC will represent MCT products in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, and Hong Kong. MCT Asia will continue to manage and support the sales and service activities of its international sales representatives, such as ZMC, along with other sales representatives in the Philippines, Korea News Rippey Corp. Rippey Corp., El Dorado Hills, CA, has incorporated a new sales and distribution facility called Rippey Technology Private Ltd. located in the Pantech Industrial Park in southwest Singapore. The facility is a full service conversion, distribution, and warehouse facility for the company`s patented PVA and other consumable product lines servicing customers in Singapore and Malaysia. News Nanometrics Inc. The Japanese SELETE consortium has selected Nanometrics Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, to supply a NanoSpec 8300XSE thin-film metrology tool for 300-mm development work. The same tool has also been selected by the International 300-mm Initiative (I300I), Austin, TX. The NanoSpec 8300XSE has a wide range of capabilities for both 200- and 300-mm wafers; it offers precise film thickness measurement and optical property characterization of single and multiple transparent film stacks. News IBM Microelectronics IBM Microelectronics, Singapore, will set up a regional design center to provide turnkey services such as application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design, customer-specific application support and training. The center should become operational by the middle of the year. The division`s resources will be spread all over the region, with experts based in Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore. News Actel Corp Actel Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, has contributed chip-designing software and hardware to China`s Peking University to train Chinese engineering students to design electronic equipment of the future. Valued at $150,000, the gift consists of computer equipment and software that will allow the university to start an advanced logic design class that will train as many as 70 advanced level and graduate engineers. The first class will begin in September with Actel Asian personnel participating in a review News Fuji Corp Fuji Corp., Tokyo, and Cognex Corp., Natick, MA, have entered into an agreement under which Fuji will pay about $1 million to Cognex for early access to the company`s next-generation machine vision systems and for custom engineering services for integrating that technology into Fuji`s electronics manufacturing equipment. News Varlan Associates Inc. Varian Associates Inc., Palo Alto, CA, has formed Varian Japan K.K., a wholly owned subisidary headquartered in Tokyo, to support the growing customer base in the instrumentation, semiconductor equipment, and diagnostic imaging equipment industries. The subsidiary will replace Varian Japan Ltd., a US company with a branch office in Japan. Varian Japan K.K. will have staff about 130 people that will include nearly 50 temporary employees from Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL), who are being added under an News GaSonics International GaSonics International, San Jose, CA, has shipped a performance enhancement platform 3510C tool to its Japanese Technology Center in Tokyo, which is located at the facility of GaSonics` Japanese distributor, Seki Technotron. The system is configured with photoresist removal and post-etch clean modules, and has been production qualified for 0.25-}mum device manufacturing at 10 strategic semiconductor manufacturers, including two major customers in Japan. News Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing / Hewlett Packard Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing and Hewlett-Packard will team up to build a 30,000 wafer/month facility in Singapore. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) will provide financial investment and be a minority shareholder in the project, which is named Chartered Silicon Partners Pte. Ltd. Plans call for groundbreaking to take place in September at the Woodlands Industrial Park, adjacent to Chartered`s existing facilities. Opening is slated for mid-1999. Initial production will be at Editorial Forty years running and millennium bound Welcome to Solid State Technology`s 40th birthday issue. Solid State Technology began life with the January-February issue of 1958, under the title Semiconductor Products, with Sam Marshall as editor. It was an excellent first issue, with 72 pages. The cover showed a 4-layer diode superimposed over a model of the silicon crystal structure. People People update Asyst Technologies Inc., Fremont, CA, has appointed two executives to its board of directors. Ashok K. Sinha is president of Applied Materials` CVD product Ashok Sinha business group. Stanley J. Grubel is CEO at MiCRUS. Also, Ramesh Balakrishnan has been named VP of product development for Asyst`s software subsidiary, Asyst Software Inc. He was most recently application products director for Measurex Corp. Product News Dry Pump The UniDry pump, in conjunction with the TMH/U series turbomolecular drag pumps, provides hydrocarbon-free high vacuum with gas flows of up to 1500 l/s; and combined with the Roots pump, it can achieve pumping speeds up to 590 cfm. The UniDry is a three-stage, valveless dry pump that uses an innovative compressing principle for maximum uptime. The integral temperature-management system prevents damaging moisture condensation. Model DBP 050S has a volume flow rate of 35 cfm, with an ultimate vacu Product News Miniature inonization gauges These vacuum gauges feature on-board displays in a rugged, miniaturized, space-saving package. They provide pressure measurement from 5?10-8 to 5?10-2 torr, using triode or Bayard-Alpert design. The gauges are particularly suitable for applications in vacuum systems in which controller footprint and transducer size are critical. Granville-Phillips Co., Boulder, CO; ph 800/776-6543, fax 303/443-2546, URL http://www.granville.com. Product News Convection sensor The SensaVac Series 317 convection-enhanced Pirani gauge sensor is shielded against RF noise, allowing its use on CE marked systems. It has a measurement range of 10-3 to 1000 torr and is designed to meet UHV standards. The sensor includes a strong glass header, platinum filament, and removable plastic shell. The platinum filament eliminates any reading variance throughout the sensor`s higher measurement range. HPS/MKS Instruments, Boulder, CO; ph 800/345-1967, fax 303/442-6880, URL http://www.m Product News Mass flowmeter The STREAMLINE flowmeter`s inherently linear design provides repeatable and accurate measurement ( Product News Visual Inspection system Model 2130 is an ergonomically designed system for die inspection at wafer and film frame operations. It has tilting eyepieces, motorized height arm and wrist rests, left- or righthand controls, and a level viewing height. Defect inking and inking from maps are available. The system incorporates the Olympus MX50 microscope lens, motorized turret, and accessories. Laser auto focus, a second cassette, and machine vision for alignment are optional. Viking Semiconductor Equipment Inc., Fremont, CA; Product News Excimer laser systems for TFT annealing Developed specifically for TFT annealing, these excimer laser systems have up to 200 W of output power, 670 mJ pulse energy, 300 Hz repetition rate, and 300-mm line beam length on the substrate. The advantages of excimer-laser-generated polycrystalline-silicon TFTs are: high process quality and reproducibility; uniform high carrier mobility (>300 cm2/Vs); uniform grain size; localized driver transistors on the wafer; no expensive quartz substrates; increased throughput, due to elimination of tim Product News Spincoat unit Model 100FX spincoat unit features accuracy and repeatability that eliminate processing variability from photoresists, polyimides, and other processing chemicals. It is fully programmable for 300-mm substrate processing. Specifications are: spin range of 0-3000 rpm; acceleration of 1-2000 rpm/sec, depending on spin chuck configuration; 10 steps/program; repeatability of ?5 rpm; and resolution of 1 rpm. Options include auto dispense, backside rinse, and captive spin chuck. Brewer Science Inc./Cee Product News All-plastic pump The DP-20F nonmetallic pump is made entirely from plastic, eliminating the potential for metallic contamination in the event of a diaphragm leak or failure. The pump can handle liquid temperatures up to 176?F (80?C) and has a flow rate of up to 10 gal/min. Assembled in a Class 1000 cleanroom, the DP-20F has 0.75-in. intake and discharge valves, with a 0.25-in. air inlet. Yamada America Inc., Elgin, IL; ph 800/990-7867 or 847/697-1878, fax 847/697-2794. Product News Belted pumps Designed for critical process applications, the M4 and M8 series consists of 1.5 and 2-in., air-operated, double-diaphragm pumps that can deliver, respectively, up to 70 and 158 gpm and develop up to 125 psig head pressures. The absence of close-fitting parts allows solids to pass through the pump without harm. Abrasive and viscous product is also pumped easily without damaging fluid characteristics. Flow rates and pressures are variable by simply adjusting the air supply pressure/volume or disc Product News Centrifugal pump The KM-Series is a horizontal, magnetic drive centrifugal pump whose major wetted components consist of Teflon/PFA fluoroplastic for the casing and impeller, and silicon carbide for the shaft and bushing, to resist a wide range of the corrosive chemicals used in semiconductor manufacturing and etching processes. Mold-in-one technology provides a heavy-duty performance at temperatures as high as 250?F. The pump achieves 100 gpm max, 110 feet max with a 5-hp motor. Ansimag Inc., Elk Grove, IL; ph Product News PLD multitarget manipulators Designed for use in pulsed laser deposition systems, these multiple-target manipulators are valuable tools for depositing multiple-layer films. They can be configured for as many as six 1-in.-diameter targets or four 3-in. targets. A coaxial, magnetically coupled, rotary feedthrough avoids the failure problems associated with bellows seals in demanding environments. A water-cooled shield protects all targets from backscattered vapor. Computer automation is optional. PVD Products, Bedford, MA; ph Product News Dry wafer backside etching This dry etcher removes wafer backside layers without frontside protection. Radicals from a microwave source etch the backside, edges, and a small but sharply defined region on the wafer edge on the frontside. The frontside itself is protected by inert gas. Throughput for a poly-buffered LOCOS mask is >40 wafers/hour with two process chambers (four are possible). Etch rate is high for nitride and polysilicon. SECON, Vienna, Austria; ph 43/1767-56410, fax 43/1767-564112, e-mail 101727.2062@compus Product News In-line contamination control Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry provides quantitative elemental information about contaminants on semiconductor wafers, and the TREX 620 system uses this technique to monitor surface and near-surface metallic contamination. The system`s x-ray optics achieve detection limits in the low 109 atoms/cm2 range. Equipped with sealed x-ray tubes, the tool requires little maintenance; mean time between service is >5000 hours, and mean time between failures is >2000 hours. Footprint is 1. Product News Resist development analyzer The RDA Model-790 is an 18-channel photoresist development rate monitor that allows semiconductor and resist manufacturers to investigate efficiently the issues relating to their lithography processes. Users can characterize the resist process, investigate post-exposure bake and developer conditions, compare different resists, and determine accurate resist modeling parameters for use with PROLITH lithography simulation tools. Model-790 has 18 individual channels to measure multiple exposure fiel Product News Die loader/inverter The MRSI-906 high-speed die loader inverter is designed to remove bumped flip chips directly from diced wafers and present them (flipped) bumps-down to the MRSI-505 Ultra-Precision Assembly Work Cell. The system uses upward-looking optics to provide high-speed vision processing of bumps or features. The design of the 906 allows for parallel processing of flip chip die, to increase overall system throughput. Additional features include multiple-wafer capability. The system can pick from a variety Product News Solder-bumped wafer relow furnace The Falcon 8/C solder-bumped wafer reflow furnace is a bottom-up conduction and top-down convection system designed to handle 4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-in. wafers. It has automated on/off loaders for integration into fully automated production lines. Optional ADE automated wafer handlers are available (one for each end of the reflow machine) that accommodate 25-wafer-capacity Fluoroware cassettes. Special platen and sweeper bar designs help to cradle the wafer and protect the delicate bumps as the wafer Product News Epoxy die bonder System 110 epoxy die bonder uses a programmable XY stage for die placement. The built-in 10:1 XY-? manipulator allows die alignment to better than 10 ?m. Multiple die types can be programmed into multiple substrate arrays under computer control. With an optional paste dispenser, the bonding process can be completed in a single process step. Multilevel modules can be built up using the built-in programmable dispense height. Die can be picked from waffle packs or Gel-Paks in sizes ranging from 0.0 Product News Simulation software ProModel Optimization Suite 3.5 software allows users to improve throughput, and determine efficiency through sequencing. Applications include throughput prediction, control system analysis, traffic control adjustment, and fab sub-level layout. With its easy-to-learn GUI, the software permits rapid model development and modification. Proposed changes to systems are implemented and tested on PCs. Optimization capability, or SimRunner, is a feature that runs hundreds of simulation experiments, the Product News Motorized mapping stage With a travel range of 1 ? 3 in., the Advantage motorized mapping stage is well suited to spectral mapping and sequenced sampling via FT-IR microscopy. The stage is controlled via joystick, keypad, or software command. For microscopes that are coupled to FT-IR spectrometers operating with OMNIC 3.0 or higher software, the stage is available with OMNIC Atlus Microscope Software, which enhances ease of use through unattended sample analysis of line and area maps, as well as random points, and o Product News Closed loop controller With its state-of-the-art digital signal processing technology, the NPS3000 series of closed loop controllers combines piezo drive amplifiers, capacitance position sensing circuitry, and servo control capability. Built-in digital algorithms improve settle times and minimize the effects of mechanical resonances. Advanced control techniques allow 21-bit resolution (0.05 nm in 100 ?m). The virtual front panel facilitates user control of all operating parameters, including the PID servo loop setup. Asia Pacific Chinas major foundry: Project In a keynote address at the China Electronics Industry Forum `96, held in December, co-sponsored by Solid State Technology, Yu Zhitian, Councilor at the Ministry of Electronics Industry (MEI), discussed the growth of China`s electronics industry. According to analysis of current data, China`s electronics market volume for 1996 will be 320 billion RMB ($1 = 8.3 RMB at the current rate). He projected average annual growth of 20% through the year 2010, reaching 6 trillion RMB in that year. Asia Pacific A new way to make SOI wafers Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is generally regarded as a better substrate material than bulk silicon for deep submicron ULSI devices. Wider usage has been hampered by high production costs, however, and the expected introduction of 300-mm wafers will exacerbate the situation. Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) provides a viable alternative for the fabrication of SOI wafers as the processing time is very short and independent of wafer size. Two types of SOI materials, separation by plasma impl Asia Pacific Semiconductors and the Korea`s modern economic development is often called the "Miracle of the Han," referring to the river that flows through the capital of Seoul. Progress has indeed seemed miraculous, because rarely has a country so quickly recovered from the devastation of a war, and so rapidly developed into an economic power. The Korea of today is embracing radical market reforms and seeking to integrate its economy into the global marketplace. Asia Pacific Japans chipmakers still struggling with the difficulties of the 1990s Japan`s semiconductor industry has had a difficult time during the 1990s. The collapse of the bubble economy in the early part of the decade brought fab building and expansion to a virtual halt, giving competitors elsewhere in Asia an opportunity to attack in DRAM production. Chipmakers and their suppliers got back on their feet in 1994 and 1995, only to run headlong into the unexpectedly sharp declines in DRAM prices that arrived in 1996. Tech News The evolution of DRAM cell technology The high density and low cost of DRAMs have earned them a predominant role in computer main memories. During the past 35 years, the number of DRAM bits/chip has increased by a factor of four every three years and the cost/bit has declined by roughly the same factor. This paper describes technological breakthroughs that allowed the design and optimization of high-density and cost-efficient DRAM cells. Tech News Japanese manufacturers still working on CMP processes A new report on the use of chemical mechanical planarization found only four out of Japan`s top 10 semiconductor manufacturers using the high-profile process in their facilities. Of the six other firms surveyed, five are evaluating CMP in pilot phases or development lines; one company is still in the research stage. In the report, "Survey on CMP Utilization in Japanese Volume Production Lines and Their Future Plans," the majority of manufacturers said several issues related to CMP use still need Tech News CMP conference: Its not just for ILD anymore The second annual Chemical-Mechanical Polish for ULSI Multilevel Interconnection Conference (CMP-MIC), held in February in Santa Clara, CA, gave attendees an overview of current manufacturing challenges as well as future planarization requirements. Tech News IBM, Motorola, Japan firms agree on common mask for x-ray lithography In an effort to standardize x-ray mask technologies and streamline their development, IBM, Motorola, and four Japanese firms have agreed to use silicon carbide (SiC) and tantalum as mask membranes and absorber materials. Tech News SVG Litho, NASA enter optical collaboration With an eye toward improving manufacturing processes at its optical fabrication operation, SVG Lithography has entered into a collaborative effort with NASA`s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The program, which is expected to last 18-24 months, will receive some funding from SEMATECH, and also involve Tinsley Laboratories, a Richmond, CA, developer of optical metrology technology. Tech News Rapid thermal oxidation of sub-3-nm gate dielectrics Relative to conventional oxides, oxynitrides offer improved resistance to dopant diffusion, increased reliability, and enhanced hot carrier degradation resistance. Oxynitride growth processes are also self-limiting because Si-N bonds cause the lattice to collapse, and this closely packed network retards diffusion. These characteristics make oxynitrides especially attractive for thin gate dielectrics. According to the SIA National Technology Roadmap, 0.10-?m design rules will require gate dielect Tech News SPIE: Optical lithography pushes the limits More than 2000 engineers, scientists, and executives attended the 1997 SPIE Lithography Symposium, dramatically more than last year. When the semiconductor industry is making a technology transition, business looks bad, but the leading-edge technology meetings expand. That seems to be the case in 1997 as the transition to 250 nm with DUV lithography has accelerated. Gates on nominal 250-nm chips are being shrunk to 200 nm in search of greater speed, but that creates a challenge for process contr Tech News MCNC, Microcosm join on MEMS project A new microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design toolset is now available on an as-needed basis through a joint development initiative between the nonprofit Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC) and software developer Microcosm Technologies Inc. The toolset, based on Microcosm`s MEMCAD software package, offers a fully integrated suite of 3D design and modeling tools. Users can explore a range of thermo-electromechanical design spaces with MEMCAD`s advanced simulation and 3D visualiz Tech News Miniature hearing aid amplifier Many semiconductor applications benefit from reduced device size and high circuit density, but some absolutely require it. The figure shows a standard hearing aid amplifier IC, flip chip-mounted to a multilayer thick film substrate. An active filter is epoxied to the top side of the flip chip and connected by wire bonding to increase circuit density and thus reduce the size of the in-ear device. Tech News X-ray masks report progress at SPIE X-ray lithography (XRL) researchers are currently battling for the hearts and minds of lithographers developing =0.18-?m processes. Approximately 40 people attended an invitation-only seminar sponsored by Suss Advanced Lithography (SAL) on x-ray mask making during the 22nd annual SPIE International Symposium on Microlithography in Santa Clara, CA. Market Watch Ten trends shaping the next 10 years Solid State Technology has built a strong track record for being one of the most forward-looking publications in the world. Many of today`s key manufacturing technologies first appeared in this publication 10 or 20 years ago as ideas in their infancy. In preparation for their 40th anniversary, the editors of Solid State Technology have asked me look 10 years into the future, and write about the likely effect of ten now hotly debated trends, the more controversial issues, with views that would ma Lithography Issues in Advanced Lithography For many years, optical lithography has been the engine driving Moore`s Law. Each device generation has brought new fears that, this time, optical lithography will no longer suffice, and each generation has proved those fears unfounded. Mercury lamps have given way to excimer lasers, proximity masks have been replaced by 1?, then 4? and 5? projection reticles. Complex resist systems now rely on chemical amplification and antireflective coatings. This article looks at some of the forces driving t World News Rapid thermal oxidation of sub-3-nm gate dielectrics Relative to conventional oxides, oxynitrides offer improved resistance to dopant diffusion, increased reliability, and enhanced hot carrier degradation resistance. Oxynitride growth processes are also self-limiting because Si-N bonds cause the lattice to collapse, and this closely packed network retards diffusion. These characteristics make oxynitrides especially attractive for thin gate dielectrics. According to the SIA National Technology Roadmap, 0.10-?m design rules will require gate dielect

FEATURES Cmp Future trends in CMP CMP has just begun to gain worldwide acceptance as an enabling process in semiconductor fabrication. Even though companies such as Intel, IBM, Motorola, and Siemens have employed CMP for the past few years, the process is still generally perceived as more art than science. In addition, there may be more near-term hurdles to widespread implementation: it is considered a "dirty" process, and the cost of the process is believed to be high. Cmp The early days of CMP Numerous individuals participated in countless teams in the process-development efforts for CMP at IBM, other chipmakers, and SEMATECH. Many of these people still practice their CMP art at chipmakers and suppliers around the world; some have retired or moved on to a greater Fab; some of the original pioneers remain at IBM. This article recalls some of the events of the early years of CMP. Because of space limitations and for fear of omitting key contributors, the author does not purport to honor Cmp There and back again Clean manufacturing technology has gone full circle, starting out with localized clean zones, developing into immense, multilevel global clean environments, and returning once more to local clean zones with today`s minienvironments and SMIF technology. Feature Products CMP automation system Using a 6-axis, track-guided robot, CMP Autoload automates material transport, handling, and scheduling among polishing and cleaning equipment within a CMP or planarization work cell, eliminating the need for operators within the cell. Designed for Class 1 cleanroom environments, the system has performed at >99% uptime during in-fab operation. Tool downtime can be reduced and cell throughput increased because CMP Autoload ensures that material is continually rotated among polishers and cleaners. Feature Products Dielectric etch system The Dielectric Etch eMxP+ Centura is designed for high-volume, high-selectivity, damage-free production etching of 0.25-?m devices. The system provides a single-product solution to a range of 200-mm dielectric etch applications, including high-aspect-ratio contacts, self-aligned contacts, and via and spacer etch. For critical contact and via etching, the system`s high-selectivity chemistry and broad, damage-free operating window allow 5:1 aspect ratio structures. Throughput is typically >50 wafe Feature Products Ion Implanter for AMLCDs This SMIF enclosure creates a Class 1 minienvironment for the fully automated CV/IV system for high-volume front-end electrical testing of semiconductor wafers. It is designed for 200-mm wafers in bottom-opening SMIF pods. The fan filter unit at the top of the enclosure has a HEPA filter that provides a Class 1 minienvironment around the wafer and handling equipment when the testing system is operating in a Class 1000 environment. The SMIF enclosure, which requires a minimum amount of space and Feature Products SMIF enclosure for CV/IV system Specifications for this ion implanter, designed for AMLCDs, are throughput of >60 sheets/hour for doses to 2 ? 1015 ions/cm2; maximum plate size of 600 ? 720 mm; an RF excited ion source (no filament) producing ion species of P, B, and H over a range of 2-100 keV, with a maximum current density of 100 dopant ?A/cm2, adjustable H+ content, and a uniformity of Deposition The automated semiconductor fabricator The year is 2020. The place is Bethlehem, PA, where silicon fabrication has finally supplanted the steel industry. (Locally, semiconductor fabs are call "chip mills.") We are going to take a tour of two vastly different companies in the semiconductor industry. One company, Rabbit`s Foot Technology, specializes in the design and development of custom, complex circuit systems for embedded applications. The other company, Megavolume Computing, was formed by the merger of two former giants in the co Deposition Low-temperature polysilicon reshapes FPD production Julian G. Blake, Michael C. King, James D. Stevens III, Eaton Flat Panel Equipment, Beverly, Massachusetts Deposition The Precision 5000 story Recognized for its process technology and design, the Precision 5000 family of CVD and etch systems is one of the semiconductor equipment industry`s most successful products. Chipmakers worldwide have purchased these systems for etch and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) applications. Introduced in April 1987, the Precision 5000 has just passed its 10th anniversary of production. The following article is excerpted from previously unpublished transcripts of historical material dealing with the comp Deposition Light-emitting polymers: Increasing promise Light-emitting polymers (LEPs) are showing increased potential for display technologies as lifetime and manufacturing issues are addressed. Two small companies, several major electronics corporations, and academics around the world are developing the technology. The next few years will show whether LEPs can compete with more established technologies in applications ranging from backlighting products and simple dot-matrix displays to full-color flat panel displays. Implantation ION implantation, yesterday and today Ion implantation was among many processes identified and explored at the beginning of the semiconductor industry back in the1950s. Since then, ion implanters have developed to low- and medium-current implanters in the early 1970s and medium- and high-current machines at low energies in the 1980s. High-energy implanters are in growing demand now, and it is likely that the semiconductor industry will require a new class of high-performance, low-energy machines in the future. Links SEMI: The growth of a global association Like Solid State Technology, now celebrating an illustrious 40 years, the growth of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), a global industry association, is inextricably connected to microelectronics and the advancements of the Information Age. In the early days, much of the equipment used to produce integrated circuits was engineered and built by the same companies that manufactured semiconductor devices. A capital equipment infrastructure did not exist, and the few compani Industry Insights Solid State technologies and the Golden Age This year, Solid State Technology celebrates four decades of technology coverage of an amazing industry. We look back at its early years, not to lament the passing of bygone times often called "those good old days," but to commemorate the privilege of chronicling the birth and incredible technological advancement of an exciting new industry that has revolutionized our lives. Vacuum Technology Semiconductor manufacturing and vacuum technology: A memoir Of the earliest semiconductor manufacturing processes, only two required a vacuum. Today, a quarter of high-performance logic process steps are performed under a vacuum. Vacuum chambers have evolved from bell jars serviced by diffusion pumps to ultra-high vacuum chambers using turbomolecular pumps. As critical dimensions continue to decrease, cleaner, more efficient, and lowerpressure vacuum environments are becoming the norm.

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