Tegal Receives Orders For 900 Series Etchers From Leading Fabs In Japan

San Jose, CA - Tegal Corporation, a designer and manufacturer of plasma etch and deposition systems used in the production of integrated circuits and nanotechnology devices, recently announced that two leading Japanese companies had placed repeat orders for Tegal 900 series plasma etch systems. Tegal has shipped over 1500 systems of this type to global semiconductor fabs since its introduction.

Compound semiconductors, which incorporate materials such as Gallium Arsenide and Iridium Oxide, are widely used to make chips included in cell phones and other wireless devices. One of the largest application areas for MEMS devices is believed to be in the automotive sector, in which such devices are used for sensing motion, pressure and acceleration for traction control, suspension control, airbag safety and braking systems.

According to Tegal Corporation, the Tegal 900 series etch tool features an RF diode plasma source optimized for the etching of a wide variety of films, at the industry's lowest cost of ownership. The flexible, automated wafer handling system, a compact footprint and a broad portfolio of processes enable the 900 series etchers to be widely used in multiple sectors, including Silicon CMOS, Integrated Passives, MEMS devices and Thin-Film Head manufacturing. The 900 series has been continuously updated with the latest in automated control systems (ACS) and modern factory communication protocol for automated fabs. The platform incorporates a production-proven transport system that can accommodate 75–200 mm round, square or rectangular substrates.

The ACS upgrade is available exclusively from Tegal as a field or factory retrofit for the existing installed base of 900 and 980 series systems. It features a fully integrated graphical user interface, parametric data logging, full factory automation support, and throughput enhancements for the wafer-handling system. For information on the 900 series ACS upgrade package, please contact your local Tegal representative or email info@tegal.com.

SOURCE: Tegal Corporation