Evatec’s next-generation CLUSTERLINE supporting SkyWater’s 3DSoC and carbon nanotube custom foundry programs

Evatec AG of Trübbach, Switzerland (which makes thin-film production equipment for advanced packaging, power device, MEMS, optoelectronics, wireless communication and photonics applications) has delivered the latest generation of its CLUSTERLINE thin-film deposition tool (including evaporation capability) to SkyWater of Bloomington, MN, USA – a US-owned DMEA-accredited technology foundry that manufactures integrated circuits for markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial, the Internet of Things (IoT) and medical.

The tool is said to bring new levels of thin-film performance, key to the production of carbon nanotubes and other emerging technologies. CLUSTERLINE is an industry-proven, high-volume single-wafer processing production solution enabling integration of PVD (physical vapor deposition), highly ionized PVD, soft etch and PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) process technologies, along with extensive pre- and post-treatment steps. The open system architecture allows easy tool configuration.

The latest tool from Evatec provides SkyWater new capabilities in processing of metals and dielectrics, and is important in its 3DSoC (system-on-chip) work, providing unconventional processing capabilities for a CMOS-based foundry. This new tooling supports SkyWater’s business model as a technology foundry by giving innovators additional processing options to establish manufacturable process flows for emerging technologies. This capability supports on-going process development at SkyWater not only for carbon nanotubes but also for photonics and MEMS device types as well as where conventional PVD processes do not provide flexibility or the precision that these applications require.

The latest generation of CLUSTERLINE extends the range of thin-film deposition technologies available on traditional cluster tools. In addition to techniques like sputter, PECVD or ALD (atomic layer deposition), it is now possible to integrate evaporation capability. Evatec says that its long know-how in building both cluster systems and box coaters for evaporation has addressed the challenge of integrating evaporation technology into a compact module suitable for up to 300mm cluster tools with long-life evaporation sources and simple access for maintenance.

“Evaporation continues to be the process of choice for many custom applications and offers the chance to process material compositions which wouldn’t be possible otherwise,” says Silvan Wuethrich, head of Evatec’s Semiconductor business unit. “We are very pleased to be working with SkyWater, which is focused on making possible the most advanced emerging technologies,” he adds.

“Evatec’s tooling allows customers to try new materials or processes quickly in a quality fab environment and opens up a whole new range of custom foundry possibilities for us,” comments Gregg Damminga, SkyWater’s VP of technology development. “We appreciate Evatec’s professional support and industry-proven expertise and look forward to the value they add to our development and manufacturing operations.”

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Tags: Evatec Electron Beam Evaporation Sputtering PECVD Etch Silicon photonics

Visit: www.skywatertechnology.com

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