Sanders Exercises SAL XRS2000 NanoPulsar System Capability
South Burlington, VT - The SAL team has completed the installation of the XRS2000 NanoPulsar System at Sanders Microwave Electronics Center in Nashua, NH. The integrated Point Source X-ray Lithography system comprises SAL s XRS2000 stepper, Science Research Laboratory s (SRL) of Somerville, MA dense plasma focus x-ray point source, a beamline from The Center for Nano Technology (CNTech) at the University of Wisconsin, a fully automated material handling system with process modules and a Class 1 minienvironment. Sanders has begun characterization tests with GaAs wafers and X-ray masks with Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) gate patterns.
"The system performance to date is very encouraging since many pundits believed that Point Source X-ray Lithography could not be fully realized," said Dr. John Heaton, Program Manager for Sanders. "The system is meeting its resolution goals already, even this early in the program." Dr. Heaton will focus the team s efforts on demonstrating system reliability to support multiple manufacturing shifts.
Initial exposures have shown resolution to 125 nm. These exposures show similar results to process development work that Sanders carried out at CNTech on a SAL XRS200 stepper with a synchrotron source. Sanders intends to qualify a 150 nm process on the integrated point source system by midyear and begin volume production of GaAs MMICs on 150 mm wafers in 2001.
During the qualification phase, Sanders will support visits by SAL s customers to see the XRS2000 NanoPulsar System at the New Hampshire facility. Sanders is also working with SAL to support specific tests for customers. "The cooperation of the Sanders staff is key to our ability to demonstrate the performance of the XRS2000 in the manufacturing environment," said Ken Mason, VP Sales and Marketing at SAL. "This installation allows SAL to highlight the advantages of the XRS2000 and the maturity of the industry s XRL infrastructure including masks, materials, and process knowledge."
About SAL, Inc.: SAL, Inc. is a privately held, U.S. majority-owned company, formed in 1994 as a spin-off from Karl Suss. SAL is the undisputed leader in x-ray lithography stepper technology with a tradition of innovation, solid product support, and the greatest number of steppers manufactured. SAL has more experience in x-ray lithography than all other stepper manufacturers combined. SAL s efforts are complemented by the work of scientists and researchers at companies and universities throughout the United States and across the globe. SAL s website is http://www.XRayLitho.com.
Contact:
Jeff Hullstrung, Marketing Manager
SAL, Inc., 21 Gregory Drive, South Burlington, VT 05489 USA
(802) 652-0055 X 143
jhullstrung@xraylitho.com
Jeff Hullstrung, Marketing Manager
SAL, Inc., 21 Gregory Drive, South Burlington, VT 05489 USA
(802) 652-0055 X 143
jhullstrung@xraylitho.com
E-mail: jhullstrung@xraylitho.com
Web site: http://www.XRayLitho.com
