Online information source for semiconductor professionals

Product Briefing Outline: Tokyo Electron and Novellus Systems have co-developed an integrated copper interconnect solution for the 2Xnm generation and beyond. This integrated metallization scheme is the result of a joint program established between the two companies for the continuous advancement of copper interconnect technology. The co-developed process employs an ionized PVD TaN or Ti barrier capped with an ultra-thin CVD Ruthenium (Ru) liner. This barrier and Ru liner is then coupled with a proprietary copper wet seed process (eliminating the PVD Cu seed process) and a copper electrochemical deposition process, which yields fully-filled fine features at the 2Xnm node without the issues associated with PVD liners and seeds. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Applied Materials has launched the ‘Applied Aera2’ for critical dimension uniformity (CDU) lithography applications. Using the system’s ‘IntenCD’ technology in the fab, semiconductor manufacturers can improve CDU by more than 20%, increasing device yield and lowering the per-wafer cost of patterning, according to the company. The Aera2 can be used to extend photomask lifetime and bring productivity gains to the entire lithography cell. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: FSI International has launched the ‘ORION’ Single Wafer Cleaning System, which is differentiated by the use of a unique closed chamber design permits complete control and containment of the wafer environment, addressing several cleaning-related issues on the critical path for 32nm and 22nm technologies. These include the reduction of material loss during photoresist stripping after ultra shallow implants and the elimination of material loss and galvanic corrosion in high-k metal gates and copper interconnects with metal containing capping layers. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: FEI has launched the ‘Magellan’ series that is a new class of instruments called extreme high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (XHR SEMs). The Magellan XHR SEM allows scientists and engineers to quickly see things they could not see before, such as 3D surface images at many different angles and at resolutions below one nanometer (about the size of ten hydrogen atoms, side-by-side. The Magellan XHR SEM images samples at very low beam energies, avoiding distortions otherwise caused by the beam penetrating into the material below. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Novellus Systems has now made available an ashable hard mask (AHM) process configuration for its ‘VECTOR Extreme’ PECVD platform. The new VECTOR Extreme AHM system is targeted at memory megafabs. More than 30 VECTOR Extreme platform systems are to be installed worldwide by the end of 2008, the company said. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: SoftJin, a provider of Customized Automation software for Electronic Design and Manufacturing, has launched NxDAT, software for efficient Analysis of Defects identified by Mask Inspection Systems.  The software supports correlation of defect data with Layout/Mask data in GDSII, OASIS, OASIS.VSB and MEBES format. Other Mask data formats are intended to be supported shortly. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum has introduced TURBOVAC SL, a line of high-reliability mechanical turbomolecular vacuum pumps for semiconductor manufacturing, analytical instrumentation, R&D and other demanding applications. The pumps feature extreme durability, ease of use and several innovations that simplify and improve incorporation into customer equipment. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: CIMAC is now offering a new MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) migration packaged service solution for semiconductor fabs with obsolete server platforms. These server platforms run the manufacturing control software that coordinates the movement and processing of material through the fab. Hewlett-Packard (HP) has announced dates when support for their AlphaServer and HP PA-RISC 9000 Server platforms will no longer be available. This could effect up to 100 mostly 200mm fabs. Legacy MES software including WorkStream, PROMIS and FACTORYworks (Applied Materials) all have software versions that run on HP AlphaServers Open as well as HP 9000 Servers. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: SAFC Hitech has made significant progress in developing Germanium Antimony Telluride (GexSbyTez or GST) precursors for use in high volume manufacturing phase change memory (PCM) applications. Extensive development work has been conducted with both the precursors and with the use of conventional Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) techniques to deposit them, resulting in the successful deposition of device-quality GST. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Rudolph Technologies has launched new ‘E30’ and ‘B30’ modules for wafer edge and backside inspection. The third-generation E30 and B30 modules provide improved sensitivity while maintaining high throughput, making them suitable for production environments. The new tools are equipped with the performance enhancements needed for inspection and in-line monitoring of 32nm manufacturing processes from front end of line (FEOL) through final manufacturing. The first shipments are scheduled for 4Q08. Read more >>