The readers have spoken! You have chosen the 40 most popular products of 2000, selected from the Product Technology News sections of MICRO. This year's Top 40 All-Stars include semiconductor manufacturing components and tools such as mass-flow controllers, fab automation units, CMP systems, copper-related products, process control software, metrology equipment, and an array of sensors, valves, and probes. Congratulations to the winners!

Page Two of Product Allstars

300-mm Shipping Box

Entegris

Chaska, MN

A front-opening shipping box (FOSB) for 300-mm wafers meets strict environmental protection and contamination specifications. The 25-capacity, reduced-pitch box complies with I300I requirements, featuring a design that limits the amount of system material that comes in contact with each wafer. Wafer manufacturers can use the FOSB as many as four times before returning it to the company for recycling.

CMP System

SpeedFam-IPEC

Chandler, AZ

A chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) system combines rotational and orbital technologies, providing the stability of an advanced solid polishing platen with the flexibility of orbital system architecture. Designed for logic and ASIC applications, the Momentum dry-in/dry-out wafer processing system integrates four independent polishing platens, cleaning capability, advanced metrology, and automation. The single tool accommodates simultaneous process development and production operation and supports hot-lot processing. It is designed to ease the transition among oxide, tungsten, shallow-trench isolation, and copper applications. The system's front-referenced carrier technology features an edge-tuning design to ensure within-wafer uniformity. A multiprobe, broadband optical end point assures complete copper removal over 100% of the wafer surface.

Safety Valve

EM-Technik

Maxdorf, Germany

A lightweight, compact safety valve for semiconductor applications keeps aggressive media away from equipment parts that could be damaged. The Series-5 valve is made of polypropylene, PVDF, or PFA and is sealed over a conical nipple and Hastelloy spring. It provides automatic ventilation for compressed-air fittings, preventing contamination of the compressed-air cycle by unwanted media. Female threads in the standard size of G 1/4 in. (DIN ISO 228) accommodate many possible connections.

Polyimide Machining Stock

Albany International
High Performance Materials

Mansfield, MA

Pyropel HD high-purity thermoset polyimide machining stock can be used in the manufacture of parts subject to high temperatures or aggressive chemicals. The material offers resistance to temperatures as high as 550°F and meets the outgassing and ionic-purity standards applicable to semiconductor engineering materials. Pyropel HD is available from stock as 12 x 12-in. plates in thicknesses up to 1 in. Semiconductor processing applications include exhaust and clamp rings and wafer combs.

Lithography Platform

ASML

Veldhoven, The Netherlands

The Twinscan 300-mm lithography platform will support mass production on 300-mm substrates down to the 70-nm node. The scanner platform uses a balanced-mass high-speed stage to eliminate stage-induced system vibration and improve focus and image contrast. System features that minimize sensitivity to such environmental challenges as temperature variations make imaging of sub-100-nm design rules possible. Ultimate 300-mm-wafer throughput is expected to be well above 100 wafers per hour. The platform is designed to handle 200- or 300-mm wafers and support Carl Zeiss Starlith optics for 365-nm i-line, 248-nm deep-UV, and 193- and 157-nm wavelengths. The first available system in the Twinscan product family is the AT:700S scanner.

Mass-Flow Controller

EMCO

Longmont, CO

The Mach One mass-flow controller maintains reading accuracy of ±0.5% over a 100:1 turndown range, measuring flows as low as 0.4 std cm³/min and as high as 1000 std cm³/min. Accuracy can be expected to remain stable within 0.25% per year, minimizing downtime for recalibration and servicing. With a simple mechanical design and an operational basis in sonic flow technology, the controller permits flow capacity to be adjusted by increasing or decreasing supply pressure. The device requires no flow bypass and eliminates overshoot or undershoot of the set point. Its large nozzle area reduces the likelihood of clogging. Response time is typically 100 milliseconds. Supply pressure can be set to a subatmospheric level to reduce pressure drop and remove the possibility of external leakage.

ESD-Event Monitors

Credence Technologies

Soquel, CA

A series of in-process monitors detects and measures ESD events accurately in semiconductor, flat-panel, and disk-drive assembly environments. Providing real-time information that helps reduce ESD-related losses, the EM Aware monitors indicate when problems arise with such preventive instruments as ionizers, wrist straps, and grounders. The small, sensitive monitors work with either built-in or optional remote antennas for monitoring events inside semiconductor tools. They offer a wide adjustment range, local and remote threshold settings, audio and visual indication of ESD events, an event-hold indicator, and connections to most data acquisition and facility-monitoring systems.

Tube-Facing Tool

Swagelok

Solon, OH

A tool can cleanly and consistently square tube ends and fittings in preparation for orbital welding and for valve-and-fitting assemblies. The tube-facing device includes a patented chip shield that prevents metal chips generated by the procedure from curling back inside the tube. The tool accommodates tubes with diameters ranging from 1/16 to 2 in.

Door Seal Technology

Greene, Tweed

Kulpsville, PA

The BSV (bonded slit valve) door consists of a seal made of the proprietary perfluoroelastomer compound Chemraz bonded to an aluminum-and-stainless-steel door. The bonded design minimizes abrasion in the gland and thus decreases particulation. Installation is a matter of removing and replacing a few bolts. The company says the life of the bonded door seal in an HDP-CVD application has tested out to 5000 wafers, compared with 600­800 wafers for an O-ring seal.

Liquid-Level Sensors

Kinetics Chempure

Tempe, AZ

The TK series of photoelectric liquid-level sensors provide long-term determination of the presence or absence of liquid and of the presence of bubbles within translucent tubing made of such materials as PFA or FEP. They feature a luminous infrared diode as a light source, a photodiode as the sensing element, and leakproof electronics that are encapsulated and housed within a rugged polycarbonate package. The TK-010P is a 1 3/4 x 2 1/4-in., 24-V-dc solid-state sensor for use with tubing ranging in outer diameter from 1/4 to 3/4 in., and the TK-020C is a smaller counterpart for tubing with a 3­6-mm OD. A control unit contains the sensitivity setting and LED status indicator.

Fab Automation Package

SI Automation

Montpellier, France

A single-wire automation package can connect process tools and their peripherals to a fab's manufacturing execution system. The small-footprint hardware and embedded software of the SilverBox facilitate configuration and deployment within new or existing facility automation architecture. The nonintrusive, easy-to-install package offers advanced process and equipment control. It integrates sensors and equipment in an all-in-one multiconnection box with embedded automation interface software.

Digital MFC

Qualiflow

Montpellier, France

The AFC 90MD digital mass-flow controller combines advanced µP control software and thin-film, zero-drift solid-state sensors. The fast response time of the zero-drift sensors permits relatively short cycles in single-wafer processing. The MFC features autodiagnostics, multiple gas calibration, and data collection and PC software. The precision controller produces no overshoot or oscillation.

Temperature Probes

Mastco

North Brunswick, NJ

Probes with ultra-high-purity PTFE bodies are sufficiently durable for measuring the temperatures of corrosive and aggressive chemicals in numerous applications. Each probe body is isostatically molded to a PFA-covered cable. The probe and cable have the same chemical resistance at temperatures ranging from ­328° to 536°F. Platinum RTDs, thermistors, ICs, and thermocouples enable the probes' integration with a wide variety of monitoring equipment.

Copper-Stripping Process

Noel Technologies

Campbell, CA

A proprietary scrub process uses spin cleaning to remove copper-material residue from 6-, 8-, and 12-in. wafers one at a time. The cleaning scrub and special chemical rinse are designed to remove copper while maintaining substrate integrity and wafer thickness, thus enabling wafer recycling. The wet-bench first stage of the process is performed on a dedicated copper line to prevent cross-contamination. Stripping of individual wafers is then repeated with continuously supplied fresh chemicals and deionized water in a Class 10 area of the fab. This process enhances gate oxide integrity and minimizes metallic particle contamination. SIMS analysis is conducted to measure sodium, iron, and copper on the surface of stripped wafers.

Wafer Dryer

Interlab

Danbury, CT

The MDS-250S Cocoon dries semiconductor wafers with a stain-free nitrogen process. Because it has no moving parts in the drying zone, the high-purity recirculating dryer ensures that contaminant levels remain nearly undetectable. The dryer can handle wafers up to 200 mm in size without hardware modifications. Its compact dimensions make it suitable for use as a stand-alone wafer rinser/ dryer or for use at the final stage of any chemical process. A model designed for 300-mm wafers is also available, and the dryer can be incorporated into the manufacturer's semiconductor rinser/dryer system for critical cleaning applications.

Cylinder-Pressure Regulator

Sensiflo

Colton, CA

The SCYL-series single-stage pressure-reducing cylinder regulator is designed for use with liquids or gases. The regulator can handle inlet pressure up to 3600 psig and features control ranges of 0 to 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, or 750 psig. The supply pressure effect is 0.5 psig/100 psig, and the designed leakage rate for helium is <1 x 10^­9 std cm³/sec. Constructed of Type 316L stainless steel, chrome-plated brass, Monel, Hastelloy, or titanium as requested, the regulator has an operating temperature range of ­45° to 575°F. Applications besides cylinder regulation include component testing, slow gas-purge control, and tank pressurization.

Mass-Flow Controller

Millipore Microelectronics,
Gas Process Div.

Allen, TX

The IntelliFlow T thermal digital mass-flow controller for etching applications features fast, uniform setting times for all gases, reducing process sequence time. Its dual-range capability eliminates the need for multiple gas lines to accommodate high and low flows of the same gas. A digital signal processor facilitates the adjustment of thermal-sensor flow rate, valve drive control, and signal processing. Embedded diagnostics software allows the user to check functionality without removing the controller from the process tool. The controller is welded entirely from ultra-high-purity materials and features straight-through gas flow and a small internal volume to minimize particle entrapment, moisture retention, pressure drops, and dry downtime.

SEM Review System

KLA-Tencor

San Jose, CA

The eV300 automated scanning electron microscope review system performs in-line monitoring and engineering analysis applications for geometries 0.18 µm. The tool can rapidly capture and classify voltage contrast defects as well as defects beneath the size horizon of optical inspection systems. Designed for defect review and analysis in a high-volume wafer production environment, it can be configured to handle either 200- or 300-mm wafers. The system inputs defect files from integrated inspection and review tools; sorts or filters the data to speed review; and then automatically provides images, classification results, and elemental data related to the captured defects. It is capable of 19 keV, which optimizes the elemental analysis of copper-related defects and allows differentiation of the peak overlaps of tungsten silicide and titanium nitride layers.

Fluorine Monitor

PureAire Monitoring Systems

Rolling Meadows, IL

A monitoring system detects and measures fluorine gas near scrubbers, exhaust stacks, and process areas. The gas monitor measures concentrations down to 50 ppb and does not react to hydrogen or IPA and other alcohol-based cleaning solvents. Changes in ambient temperature or humidity do not affect the instrument's measurement accuracy. The system comes with measurement ranges of 0­1, 0­3, or 0­30 ppm and can be outfitted with or without local readout capability. It consists of a highly selective, renewable self-checking electrochemical sensor and a transmitter linked to an optional control panel. The signal from the transmitter can be routed directly to alarm, control, or facilitywide surveillance systems.

Pressure Sensors

Sentir Semiconductor

Santa Clara, CA

Piezoresistive MEMS silicon-based Sentium pressure sensors offer performance stability across a temperature range of ­40° to 150°C. The fully functional 3.5- or 5-k bridge sensors have a combined linearity and hysteresis deviation of <1% over the entire temperature range. Long-term stability at extreme temperatures is exemplified by a tested measurement deviation of <20 µV at 150°C over 120 days. The sensors are available in full-scale pressure ranges of 5­5000 psi. Sensor die can be mounted in surface-mount, stainless-steel, and modular assemblies and combined with ASIC configurations.