News

29 April 2009

 

EVG adds AmberWave Systems to customer portfolio

Wafer bonding and lithography equipment maker EV Group (EVG) of St. Florian, Austria has received an order from AmberWave Systems for its EVG520IS wafer bonding system and its EVG810LT low-temperature plasma activation system. AmberWave will use the systems to manufacture engineered substrate products, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB-LEDs), while reducing overall cost. 

EVG says that the order is significant as it brings AmberWave on board as a strategic new customer, and further solidifies EVG’s presence within the burgeoning LED market.  The systems were shipped and installed at AmberWave’s Salem, New Hampshire facility earlier this year.  

“AmberWave is a tremendous strategic win for us on multiple levels.  Not only are they on the cutting-edge of innovation, but AmberWave’s technology is focused on some key growth segments of the semiconductor industry.  Emerging markets such as GaN-based LEDs require new, unique solutions to bring down rising manufacturing costs. This is a great opportunity for EV Group to further expand our presence in the LED market and access new growth opportunities,” said Steven Dwyer, vice president and general manager, EV Group North America.

AmberWave replaced competitive tools with the new systems, adds EVG. This included a custom-designed solution comprising a custom-engineered bond head that provides high-temperature (650 degrees Celsius) and high-force (60 kN) bonding capabilities. Other decision criteria for this order included EVG’s willingness to explore novel tool configurations to meet the unique challenges associated with the target class of materials, says the firm.  Specifically, the EVG systems will be instrumental to AmberWave’s layer transfer of GaN materials into poly AIN.  This will allow AmberWave to manufacture more cost-effective LED-, blue laser- and GaN-based power amplifier products.

“The decision to purchase this bonding equipment was an easy one, as it became clear early on that EVG’s systems were the superior technology choice for this application.  In meeting both our current and future technology requirements, these systems will allow us to quickly ramp up our manufacturing capacity and make our products more cost-effective for our customers,” said AmberWave’s VP, Business Development, Wade Sheen.

See related items:

EVG launches new suite of aligners and measurement systems

AmberWave buys Aonex from Arrowhead

See: EV Group Company Profile

Search: EVG AmberWave GaN HB-LEDs Substrates

Visit: www.amberwave.com  

Visit: www.EVGroup.com