i3 Microsystems buys second ClassOne plating system
Defence industry contractor adds a second eight-chambered Solstice S8 system with CopperMax chamber for advanced copper plating
ClassOne Technology, a provider of advanced semiconductor plating tools, has announced the sale of a second Solstice S8 system to i3 Microsystems (i3M), a wholly-owned subsidiary of defence industry supplier i3 Electronics headquartered in Binghamton, NY.
The eight-chambered Solstice S8 configuration includes ClassOne’s proprietary CopperMax chamber for advanced copper plating. The announcement was made jointly by ClassOne CEO, Byron Exarcos, and i3 VP/general manager, Robert Nead.
"We brought in the first Solstice S8 to replace our wet benches and automate our plating processes,” said Nead. “And the tool’s high performance and flexibility have served us extremely well. With eight chambers, the Solstice is able to handle both plating and surface preparation processes. We’re now adding solvent strip and UBM etch capabilities to our first Solstice, and we are configuring our second Solstice to match. Bottom line, we've been very pleased with the Solstice and also with ClassOne's customer service, both of which are strongly supporting our ongoing growth.”
“A key feature of i3M’s Solstice S8 configuration is that it includes our proprietary CopperMax™ electroplating chamber,” said Exarcos. “This unique chamber is designed to deliver class-leading copper plating quality while at the same time reducing plating consumables costs. It gives users the ability to routinely achieve exceptional levels of copper plating feature quality and also cut copper chemistry additives costs by as much as 95%.
Solstice presently serves many of the world’s leading defence contractors and is emerging as the electroplating and wafer surface preparation system of choice for meeting the exacting requirements of the defense and aerospace industries.
The ClassOne Solstice S8 is an eight-chambered system for high-performance, fully-automated electroplating and surface preparation. The Solstice platform also includes the S4, which provides up to four processing chambers, and the LT, with up to three chambers. In addition to electroplating, the tool’s unique Plating-Plus™ capability also enables it to handle many surface preparation functions, including wafer cleaning, high-pressure metal lift-off, resist strip, UBM etch and more. This multi-processing flexibility serves to streamline process production and can reduce the number of different tools a user needs to purchase.
