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Strasbaugh to use Asyst tool

Strasbaugh, a San Luis Obispo, CA­based manufacturer of CMP equipment, has bought several wafer-handling robots and linear wafer track systems from Asyst Technologies. The company will integrate the robots in its 200-mm Symphony system. The order includes Asyst's harsh-chemical and Class 1 atmospheric robots. Asyst says the tools are equipped to handle the corrosive chemicals and slurries used in CMP and wafer-grinding systems.

In related news, Asyst announced that TSMC purchased load-port transfer systems and SMIF minienvironments valued at $4 million. The equipment will be installed at TSMC's Fabs 3, 4, and 5 in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan.

Locus to clean Philips sites

Philips Semiconductors has hired Locus Technologies to provide groundwater remediation and related maintenance services at three fab sites in Silicon Valley. The Arques, Evelyn, and Kifer sites have received a California Water Quality Control Board cleanup and abatement order and a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems permit. Locus, which signed a one-year contract with Philips, began work in June. Locus will manage the project from its office in Mountain View, CA. The work includes operating and monitoring extraction systems, securing permits, and reporting to regulatory agencies.

New UMC opens its wallet

United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), recently established as a result of reorganization by its parent firm, has purchased several production systems for its Taiwan-based foundries. The chipmaker has placed tool orders with Mattson Technology and Applied Materials for strip systems and deposition tools, respectively. UMC bought Aspen strip systems worth approximately $4 million. The tools will be used to process logic ICs with 0.25-µm linewidths at its Fab 5 in Hsinchu. UMC also placed an order for Aspen LiteEtch systems for isotropic etch use.

UMC's UTEK division placed a repeat order for Applied's Producer CVD system. The tool, which can process up to six wafers simultaneously, is operating at a UTEK foundry in Hsinchu.

UTEK is one of UMC's four divisions. The only public unit in the reorganized company, it joined United Semiconductor, United Integrated Circuits, and United Silicon under the UMC umbrella. The reorganization is enabling parent company UMC Group to accelerate $1.3-billion expansion plans by 12 months, according to management. The expansion will enable UMC to process more than 2.4 million 8-in. wafers in 2000.

AMD taps Extraction Systems

AMD's Fab 25 in Austin, TX, has purchased several amine-control filter systems from Extraction Systems. The chipmaker will install the VaporSorb II filters on its deep-UV track equipment. The filters are designed to reduce the levels of airborne molecular contaminants to <100 ppt molecular base.

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