Samco Unveils New Plasma Etching Cluster Tool
'Cluster H' tool provides full-scale production capabilities for compound semiconductor devices
Samco, a manufacturer of etching, deposition and surface treatment processing equipment, has introduced the new plasma etching cluster tool Cluster H.
“With our cutting-edge plasma etching technology, Cluster H provides full-scale production capabilities for compound semiconductor devices such as high-frequency filters, SiC/GaN power devices, GaAs VCSELs, micro-OLED/LED, CMOS image sensors, and advanced packaging,” explains Tsukasa Kawabe, president and COO of Samco.
“We created Cluster H to meet the strong demand from our valued customers for high throughput equipment. Cluster H with etching processes available only at Samco enables the combination of optimal materials and process technologies in advanced electronic device fabrication,” continues Tsukasa.
Cluster H is a cluster tool for etching and ashing that supports direct transfer of 6 inch and 8 inch diameter wafers. Centred on a hexagonal vacuum transfer platform, it is equipped with two vacuum cassette chambers and one vacuum aligner as part of the standard equipment configuration, and up to three process modules that can be attached.
The ICP etching process module uses the reaction chamber of the high-end ICP etching model RIE-800iP and is backed by our extensive process library and best-known methods. In addition, the frog-leg dual-blade robot enables high wafer throughput, compact transfer chamber, and system footprint.
In addition, the revamped software incorporates useful functions with improved reliability. The standard system is equipped with a user-friendly GUI and equipment management functions such as equipment performance tracking, wafer transfer history for each module and packages, and simulation functions for higher-level communication, and supports the manufacturing execution system (MES) used at customers’ factories.
