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Product Briefing Outline: BlueShift Technologies has announced the release of ‘QuickLink', a novel, linkable and adaptable wafer handling system. The system architecture is targeted at small-lot manufacturing and is currently configured for wafers up to 300mm but is easily scalable to 450mm, BlueShift have stated. QuickLink is designed to provide improved vacuum-process isolation, reduced wafer-to-wafer cross-contamination, minimal risk of wafer thermal stressing, and excellent low-particulate performance, according to the company. 

Problem: Traditional fab systems cluster process modules in a radial geometry and process wafers in batch mode. The traditional radial geometry imposes a number of shortcomings: large footprints requiring oversized and non-standard metal stock, complex design and functionality, and limited vacuum-process isolation. The resulting equipment manufacturing environment for traditional radial systems shows low volume, high mix, slow completion times and high costs of customization.

Solution: BlueShift's new QuickLink wafer processing platform, in contrast, is claimed to offer an innovative linear geometry in an efficient hardware-software system that has substantial performance and cost advantages over the traditional radial design. QuickLink's linear geometry offers an alternative to batch processing by allowing wafers to pass along a line of process modules, entering at one end and exiting at the other. The linkable design permits processing modules to be added as needed in a compact configuration, resulting in footprint reductions up to 40% compared with radial footprints and allowing the fab to optimize tool throughput by eliminating bottleneck process chambers. The resulting manufacturing environment for QuickLink shows high volume, low mix, fast completion times and substantial cost savings, according to the company.

Applications: Capability to handle multiple processes simultaneously, such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD)- all on the same platform as etch, ashing ALD and RTP tools.

Platform: QuickBlue software adds several key innovations to the BlueShift offering. QuickBlue's fast graphics provide immediate visualization of the entire interior workings of the QuickLink hardware in real time, from any vantage point selected by the user. Positions of wafers and wafer-handling robot arms are tracked at 50 Hz sampling rates, allowing continuous monitoring of the condition of moving parts. This provides a "predictive maintenance" capability, so that maintenance can be optimally timed to replace parts when needed—not too early or too late. As the QuickLink system expands, QuickBlue software easily accommodates new units in plug-and-play fashion. QuickLink robots are designed for 20 million MCBF and have advanced features: automatic correction of wafer position and hard-wired interlocks to slot valves. With no motor windings, bearings or encoders in vacuum, the QuickLink robot minimizes vacuum surface area, resulting in very low out-gassing and reduced molecular organic contamination.


Availability: July 2006 onwards.