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December 1995
2. SUMMARY OF PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
3. MAIN PROBLEMS AND NEEDS IDENTIFIED
Mr. C. Werkhoven ASM International n.v., Bilthoven Mr. T. Wilson ASM Lithography, Veldhoven Mr. L. Deutschmann AST Electronik GmbH, Kirchheim Mr. D. Butler Electrotech Ltd., Littleton-upon-Severn Mr. W. Fehse Fairchild Convac GmbH, Vaihingen/Enz Mr. B. Altekrueger Leybold AG, Hanau Mr. H. Binder Meissner&Wurst/Jenoptik, Stuttgart/Jena Mr. K. Lackenbucher SEZ GmbH, Villach Mr. R. Schild Steag Microtech GmbH, Donaueschingen Mr. W. Hesse P. Wolters GmbH, Rendsburg Mr. P. Hahn Wacker Siltronic GmbH, Burghausen Mr. G. Kelm EC,Chair and rapporteur Ms. M. Pinheiro EC Mr. D. Guedj EC Mr. H. Forster EC
Further to the participants of the workshop this report is made available on request to organisations which have a professional interest in the subject matter.
All globally acting IC and E&M manufacturers are in the preparation phase for conversion to 300mm Silicon wafer processing and at the same time to the 0.25µm technology level. As all previous conversions to larger wafer diameters also the one to 300mm is driven by productivity increase (about x2.5) and cost reduction per die (about 25 - 30%). The conversion process is currently driven by Motorola and Samsung who plan to have their first 300mm fab in place in 1998, others will most probably follow by the year 2000. Heavy investments are necessary by both IC manufacturers and equipment and materials (E&M) suppliers. While the investments on the side of the IC manufacturers are justified by the expected revenues, equipment and materials suppliers will be happy to just get a return of their investments by higher equipment prices. This in turn will increase manufacturing costs (overall increase by a factor of about 1.8).
Only the strongest and globally oriented competitors are likely to participate in the first wave of introduction. Smaller equipment companies will only be able to participate in this market sharing process when establishing appropriate horizontal and/or vertical alliances and cooperation.
It is clear from the above and from the known market share European E&M suppliers have that the conversion process to 300mm wafer equipment and materials for semiconductor manufacturing is the greatest challenge ever faced by them.
Different regional and global actions are planned or already under way (SEMI, SEMATECH International, Motorola and global wafer suppliers, 10 Japanese semiconductor manufacturers). In order to better understand the present situation and the plans of the European E&M suppliers for this conversion process, DG III/ F3 organised a workshop with the leading and globally oriented European equipment and materials (wafer) suppliers.
This report describes the main points made by the attendees and other contributors to the workshop and proposes supportive actions by ESPRIT and national programmes.
Main Points of the presentations in alphabetical order:
2.1 ASM International (Epitaxy reactors, furnaces, CVD)
Especially with their Epi-reactors for wafer and IC manufacture ASM-I plan to be in the first wave of suppliers of 300mmm equipment. 90% of the world-wide 200mm epitaxial wafer production is on ASM systems.
Standards
Activities in the most urgent areas, i.e. on wafers and on wafer/cassette handling, are under way via established channels (SEMI, Sematech). Support might be necessary for verification experiments.
Development work
No fundamental changes are expected in the process area, but automation will be different; new approaches to be expected (smaller lot sizes, cassette-less carriers) for more flexibility and less risk of misprocessing.
If the single wafer need appears (so far not attractive costwise) additional process controlling and monitoring techniques will be needed, especially for high temperature processing.
Assessment of reliability of automation and control systems and verification of upscaled (from 200 to 300mm) processes would need support then.
As a major part of the needed silicon will be epitaxial wafers 300mm Epi reactors will be needed in an early stage of the conversion process and would also need support for assessment at sites of global users. A prototype will be available in 3Q 1996.
2.2 ASM Lithography (optical steppers, steppers and scanners)
After Canon and Nikon (both Japan) ASML are the third supplier of optical steppers in the world, with aproximately 80 % of their products sold in the US and Asia.
ASML are starting work now towards 300mm. Volume demand is not expected before 1999 and they are prepared to follow the timing of their customers. ASML do not expect customers to introduce 300mm lithography equipment (steppers and/or scanners) and 0.25µm technology at the same time.
An advanced DUV (248 nm) stepper for 0.25 µm exposure of 200 mm wafers will be evaluated in ESPRIT SEA project EDUSA. IC companies from Europe, US, and South East Asia will be the assessors.
ASML consider close cooperation with end-users to be vital for them.
The challenges ASM is facing in the development of a 300mm product are:
- new frame (vibrations, other lenses)
- new stage (vibration, mass)
- wafer handling (mass)
- pre-alignment (optical?) / alignment
- interface to fab, to tracks
- throughput to be maintained (80 w/h)
The effort necessary to solve the technical problems listed sums up to several hundred man years. A detailed plan for the 300mm part of their business will be made in 1Q 1996.
2.3 AST Electronik GmbH (supplier of rapid thermal processing ( RTP), equipment)
AST are a globally acting medium sized company, selling their products in Europe, US and Asia (including Japan). They became known for their stand alone RTP tools, later on for their cluster tool modules.
Together with ASM-I they are supplier of a complete RTP 200 mm single wafer cluster tool for assessment in ESPRIT SEA project "CICDIP".
The following topics are of interest to AST in the development process of 300mm wafer manufacturing equipment:
- Flexible handling software,
- Equipment simulation tools to describe physical phenomena linked to the conversion to a larger wafer diameter,
- Cooperation with IC manufacturers to use their process simulation tools to minimise cost of equipment/process verification tests,
- Cost effective temperature measurement methods,
- High power consumption, effective cooling, EMC issues,
- Assessment of RTP equipment at IC manufacturers in and outside Europe.
2.4 Electrotech Ltd. ( specialised in cluster tool applications: PVD, CVD, Etch)
The leading European based supplier of cluster tools is selling worldwide. Electrotech apply a so called key account strategy, i.e. for capacity reasons they aim at selected leading IC manufacturers.
A new 200 mm wafer PVD cluster tool of Electrotech is being assessed at a leading IC manufacturer's site in ESPRIT SEA project "Al Force Fill".
The following key issues they identified in the 300mm area:
- With the 300mm conversion process they will stop the approach of vertical integration, i.e. relations to OEMs will have to be developed; with all reliance and other problems linked to structural changes.
- The level of integration (number of ports) required is to be determined, which in turn has an impact on foot print and costs.
- The question of horizontal or vertical wafer processing has to be answered, i.e. the solution for minimum wafer stress and slippage has to be found. Again foot print and hence costs are affected.
- An early partnership with a leading IC manufacturer as -site will have to be established. Only this way production worthiness of the tool could be proven.
2.5 Fairchild Convac GmbH
Fairchild are ready to invest in Europe and have recently started their 300mm programme which is currently in a definition and planning phase.
They will focus now on the development of photolithographic cluster tools for wafer coating and developing, including measurement and process control systems. The main problems identified so far are:
- Establish a close partnership to one or more IC manufacturers for as a source of process know-how and an opportunity for equipment evaluation under production conditions,
- Own R&D work on fast robotic movement of wafers at extremely low contamination levels,
- Develop relations to OEMs in the area of measurement and sensoric tools.
2.6 Leybold (They market various types of vacuum equipment and are world market leaders (about 40%) in crystal pullers. Together with Balzers they are now belonging to the Oerlikon Group)
Apart from the issues of a tight time window and of huge investments necessary, Leybold see the necessity of the following new technical solutions to be found which are not just a linear upscale of equipment components.
Three times increase of the Si-charge (from about 110 kg for 200mm to about 300kg for 300mm wafers) causes a number of problems to be taken into account:
- Increase of melt convection.
- Increase of time constants for process control (several hours).
- Increase of total process time (several days).
- Decrease of life time of quartz crucibles.
- For thermal reasons decrease of crystal growing speed (<=0.5mm/min, overall length of crystal: 0.5m).
- Increase of puller dimensions, complexity and costs.
- Much bigger mass makes new handling technique for Si-charge, crucible, and crystal necessary.
- 300mm growing process requires more complex puller hardware and more sophisticated process control soft- and hardware.
Leybold is already intensively working on the development (concept and design) of a 300mm Si crystal puller. Close cooperation has been established with Wacker, as a global player in the area of Si wafer manufacture. This cooperation is planned to be extended to another important European supplier of Si wafers (obviously MEMC).
2.7 Meissner&Wurst/Jenoptik
(M&W: Globally acting supplier of clean-rooms or, together with Jenoptik, turn-key solutions. Jenoptik: Internationally known supplier of SMIF and clean-room automation components)
The main challenges and tasks M&W/Jenoptik see are:
- Readiness and ability to act globally, as there is no chance to survive on the small European market (certainly with the conversion to 300mm).
- Size and financial stability are basic requirements to be able to participate in the race.
- Concurrent engineering of product, process, equipment, and fab design is mandatory.
- Standardisation (especially of hard and software interfaces).
- Horizontal and vertical alliances (to share risks and costs).
2.8 SEZ (Semiconductor Equipment Zubehoer),
SEZ is a globally acting Austrian manufacturer of wet etching equipment. Their markets are in Europe, US and Asia (mostly Japan). They are selling one third in each region and have an installed base of 130 systems. Among their costumers are seven out of the top ten IC manufacturers.
SEZ sells or will sell etchers for
- Backside film removal,
- Backside Si etching,
- Front side film etching,
- Wafer cleaning for wafer and IC manufacture.
At present SEZ is working on a 200mm tool. A 300mm prototype will be ready by the end of 1996.
Problems SEZ is facing or expecting:
- Tight timing,
- Return on investment is critical,
- Shortage of 300mm wafers needed for the tool development,
- Uncertainty about the time there will be a volume market for 300mm tools,
- Standardisation issues,
- Cooperation with leading edge users, among them European, as e.g. Wacker,
- Optimal (i.e. fast, flexible and cost effective) joint R&D.
2.9 Steag MicroTech (manufacturing wet processing equipment for crystals, wafers, and FPDs )
Steag is successfully supplying automated wet cleaning equipment to the European and US market, now starting to enter the Asian (incl. Japan) market. Their annual sales have well passed the 100M$ limit.
An upgraded automated wetbench of Steag for 200 mm wafers is being assessed in ESPRIT SEA project "AUTOWET".
The New Products division of Steag MicroTech has established a detailed 300mm project timeline, starting in 2Q'95 and leading to production tools in the end of 1997. First production prototypes are scheduled for 4Q'96.
The main issues identified for the 300mm business are:
- The interfacing to the wafer fab, e.g., to the wafer transport and buffering system of the given IC manufacturer,
- Standardisation efforts.
- 2.10 Wacker Siltronic GmbH (global supplier of silicon wafers)
Wacker is globally one of the forerunners of the 300mm conversion process, as they are a leading supplier of silicon wafers and as wafers are needed in a very early stage of the upcoming conversion process.
In the Master Milestone Plan for their 300mm project first mechanical silicon samples were scheduled for early 1995, while first prime silicon is expected in 4Q'97.
Wacker see the advantages of the introduction of 300mm wafers rather on the side of their costumers than on their own and other suppliers' side. Capital, staff and poly-silicon deficits are important obstacles in the conversion process. It has to be taken into account that 150mm Si wafers only now reach their maximum production figures (started about 12 years ago), while 200mm wafers are just about to ramp up (started about 8 years ago). Optimistic forecasts expect the maximum of 200mm wafer production in about 10 years from now.
Tremendous efforts are necessary to satisfy the demand of 4" to 8" wafers. At the same time first 300mm wafers are needed for technology development and wafer optimisation at the wafer suppliers' sites. Huge amounts are needed for verification experiments at the equipment suppliers'.
Besides of the difficulties described above the following challenges are identified by Wacker:
In the technology area
- 0.25µm design rule requirements on 2.25 times the area,
- Crystal growing of large volume melts,
- paradigm shift in specification methodology,
- Low thermal budget processes,
In the equipment area
- A whole set of new equipment is necessary (e.g. crystal pullers, sawing, grinding, lapping, polishing, etching, cleaning tools, epitaxial reactors).
- new designs for mini-environments, carriers.
Wacker are deeply involved in the wafer standardisation process pushed by Motorola and organised by SEMI.
They have built up and are looking for further horizontal and vertical partnerships. At least five of the participants and contributors to this workshop are or are going to be partners of Wacker in their 300mm project. Being in the position of an important supplier to the IC manufacturers, Wacker is at the same time a main user of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Their coordinating role in the above mentioned project therefore requires a significant amount of administrative work which adds to the shortage of manpower encountered by many partners involved in the 300mm conversion process.
2.11 P. Wolters GmbH (supplier of lapping and polishing equipment, now developing a tool for Chemical Mechanical Polishing, i.e. CMP)
P.Wolters are a globally acting supplier of double side lapping and polishing equipment. They sell in Europe, US and Asia (except of Japan). Their newly developed CMP cluster tool will soon undergo assessment by several industrial users in ESPRIT SEA project "APPLE". This equipment is upgradable to 300mm wafer use.
A 300mm tool for lapping and polishing will be available in autumn 1996 and will be assessed by Wacker.
The main challenge P. Wolters are facing is the need to have single and double side lapping, polishing and CMP available at the same time. This requires high investments to be made by this company which currently employs 200 people.
- Shortage of man power as the conversion takes place in parallel to ongoing
business, especially to ramp-up and yield improvement for 200mm manufacturing,
- Shortage of capital for reasons as above,
- Shortage of 300mm wafers for 300mm equipment development,
- Need of intensive vertical cooperation, i.e. with users for
equipment evaluation under manufacturing conditions,
process know-how transfer,
- Reduction of vertical integration and hence need of more horizontal cooperation, i.e. selection of OEMs,
- Cooperative E&M projects supported by the EC are welcome, but should require less administration efforts and be more flexible than former JESSI projects, which were funded by different national ministries.
- Assessment projects for 300mm prototype equipment are particularly needed for
overall equipment assessment, or more specifically for
assessment of reliability of automation (including wafer/cassette handling) and control systems,
- Standardisation efforts necessary to reduce costs, e. g. work on standardised interfaces to the wafer fab.
Many technical problems have to be solved, which in most of the cases need not just a linear upscale of semiconductor equipment components of the 200mm generation. This is exactly why the 300mm conversion process has to start now and will not be postponed because of the critical situation in which wafer suppliers find themselves worldwide.
While the development process has to start now, the ramp up to high volume 300mm wafer and IC production will most probably shift in time to first allow full economization of the many 200mm wafer lines which have been built only recently or are going to be built over the next five to ten years. Taking also into account extension of wafer life cycles ramp up of production of ICs based on 300mm wafers may therefore not happen before 2005. Optimistic forecasts see the peak of 300mm wafer production happen at about 2020.
The shortage of capital and manpower as well as the tight time frame for the development phase lead to a broad and unprecedented in intensity move to more horizontal and vertical cooperation, i.e.
to less vertical integration and more use of cooperation with OEMs and
to much closer user-supplier relations than ever before.
The latter will be to the benefit of both users and suppliers and enable exchange of process know-how, possibly even of shift of process know-how generation from users to big globally acting equipment suppliers, and early equipment assessment under production conditions. The result should be less risk and less costs on both sides.
Public programmes could be effective means to support the efforts of the European E&M companies to be successful in the 300mm conversion process if
industry is willing to take the initiative and all identified risks and
adequate levels of funding are provided by both national programmes and ESPRIT
Complementary to funding programmes to be launched by interested national authorities on the subject matter (either individually or jointly) at European level the following tasks would be envisaged:
Task 2.8 of the ESPRIT workprogramme should be open for the most challenging R&D projects in the 300mm area and should also allow for work to push standardisation in areas where a critical mass of global users and globally acting European suppliers has been formed to go through the SEMI balloting procedure.
Task 2.9 of the workprogramme seems to be ideal for 300mm prototype assessment and optimisation at users' sites, including non-European users. Standard verification experiments carried out on 300mm prototype equipment may also be suitable for task 2.9.
Overall it can be concluded that in selected areas the Europe semiconductor equipment industry should be able to participate successfully in the global conversion process to 300mm wafer processing. The TCS part of the ESPRIT programme, i.e. tasks 2.8 and 2.9, will be open for cooperative 300mm projects in the semiconductor equipment and materials area.
The success of the European level efforts will very much depend on the level of activity in national programmes. The latter require close coordination with each other and with ESPRIT.
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It was last updated on 25 October 1996, and is maintained by John Magan - john.magan@dg3.cec.be