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Product Briefing Outline: Entrepix' has launched its CMP ‘FastForward' foundry service that the company claims is the most extensive portfolio of CMP (chemical mechanical processing) processes, foundry services and equipment offerings to meet the semiconductor industry's rapidly growing interest in the Fab-Light manufacturing model.

Problem: Although CMP has been around since the early 1990s, the industry's use of CMP process steps continues to grow due to continuously advancing technologies and higher product volumes, both of which require an increasing number of polishes. The array of materials being used in semiconductor fabrication and the complexity of each material's CMP process make it an engineering intensive manufacturing technology requiring the development of multiple process recipes. At the same time, IDMs face pressure to bring product to market quickly or see rapidly diminishing returns for their investments.

Solution: CMP FastForward is designed to assist manufacturers at all levels of CMP experience and address both engineering and production requirements with flexible solutions. This ranges from highly customized development projects to the integration, qualification and ramp-up of an entirely new CMP line either by outsourcing to Entrepix' facility or by insourcing Entrepix services at the customer site. Companies just starting in CMP could reduce implementation time, capital investment and project risks. For companies already using CMP, Entrepix improves financial return and long term competitiveness through engineering work for both process enhancements and cost reductions, plus providing upside and expansion capacity for high volume manufacturing, according to the company. Entrepix' CMP FastForward services also supports a Fab-Light or IDM+ business model. It allows IDMs to outsource specific process steps and can significantly improve return on investment and accelerate time-to-revenue by reducing internal constraints with an optimal balance between internal and external resources.

Applications: CMP

Platform: The company provides production, integration and optimization services to IDMs, OEMs, MEMS, nanotechnology and CMP consumables suppliers from its ISO9001:2000 certified foundry in Tempe, AZ.

Availability: June 2006 onwards.

Fig. 1: CMP FastForward supports the CMP process at any point in the CMP Lifecycle.