AMEC's Installed Base Reaches 400 Units
Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) has announced a major milestone: shipment of its 400th process unit (100-tool equivalent). The customer is a leading foundry in Taiwan.
The 400 AMEC process units include dielectric and TSV etch systems, as well as MOCVD tools used to manufacture LEDs and power devices. They're installed at 33 customer fab sites. Semiconductor customers include IDMs and foundries in mainland China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Singapore, and Taiwan.
The installed base milestone shows steady adoption of AMEC's etch and MOCVD technology, according to AMEC. Since 2009, the company has recorded an average compound annual growth rate of 66 percent. Installations have climbed by 40 percent each year for the last four years. Year-over-year growth for 2014-15 is expected to be around 35 percent. The regions with the greatest number of AMEC tools are Taiwan and mainland China, with activities accelerating in Korea.
Last year, AMEC tools accounted for more than 75 percent of semiconductor capital equipment exported from China (front end, and back-end packaging), and 95 percent of equipment for high-end critical applications.
A small but growing share of AMEC's installed base is comprised of the company's MOCVD tool, the Prismo D-Blue which debuted in 2013. First installations went to leading LED manufacturing customers in mainland China and Taiwan. The fully automated tools are being qualified for LED mass production, with more than 100 lots continuously processing and demonstrating stable yield, according to the company. The base is now expanding to include producers of power devices.
