29 January 2016

Epiluvac and SAMCO collaborate to offer processing equipment for WBG materials in Nordic countries

Epiluvac AB of Lund, Sweden – which was founded in 2013 and produces silicon carbide (SiC) chemical vapour deposition (CVD) systems used in power device research – has entered into a collaboration to introduce semiconductor process equipment maker SAMCO Inc of Kyoto, Japan, to new clients in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

SAMCO offers systems and services based on three major technologies: (1) thin-film deposition with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) systems; (2) microfabrication with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching, reactive ion etching (RIE) and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) systems; and (3) surface treatment with plasma cleaning and ultraviolet (UV) ozone cleaning systems.

"With this collaboration, Epiluvac and SAMCO are both acting as a one-stop solution," says Epiluvac's managing director Bo Hammarlund. "We offer our expertise to help customers decide upon the best combinations in terms of processing equipment for WBG [wide-bandgap] materials, including both SiC and GaN materials."

Founded in 1979, in order to continue serving the needs of its customers in Europe, in 2014 SAMCO acquired Liechtenstein-based UCP to form Samco-UCP Ltd, which now offers services and support for the company's European customer base.

In addition to its main European office in Liechtenstein, SAMCO also operates from several locations in North America and across Asia. The firm works with research institutions and manufacturers around the world and offers customizable systems designed to meet the unique needs of its clients.

"Both companies, Epiluvac and SAMCO, have long-standing relations with major players in the quickly growing market for power electronics," says Hammarlund.  "Many of the processes have to be more efficient in terms of improved yield." He highlights the additional need to handle larger wafers during the coming years, pointing to the fact that 8-inch protoypes of SiC wafers are already on the market. "This rapid development results in a strong request for new, improved equipment and processes, which Epiluvac and SAMCO together can offer their customers," Hammarlund adds.

To meet customer demand, new equipment and processes made by Epiluvac and SAMCO include "not just standard solutions, but also custom-designed equipment," Hammarlund notes. 

See related items:

SAMCO to distribute Epiluvac's SiC CVD systems in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines

Sweden's Epiluvac launches as manufacturer of SiC CVD equipment

Tags: Samco CVD SiC

Visit: www.epiluvac.com

Visit: www.samcointl.com