ACM Research Highlights Availability of Portfolio of Wafer-Level Packaging Processing Equipment for OSAT Customers
October 15 2020 - 4:15PM
ACM Research, Inc. (ACM) (NASDAQ: ACMR), a leading supplier of
wafer processing solutions for semiconductor and advanced
wafer-level packaging (WLP) applications, today highlighted the
availability of its extended portfolio of wet wafer processing
tools designed to meet the advanced technology requirements of
outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) providers. ACM’s
suite of customized, high-end wet wafer processing systems supports
advanced WLP processes such as copper (Cu) pillar and gold (Au)
bumping, as well as through silicon via (TSV), fan-out and chiplet
processes. Tool capabilities span the entire process flow and
include cleaning, coating, developing, plating, planarizing,
photoresist (PR) stripping and etching.
“Today’s wafer-level packages are more complex than those of
previous generations and require wet-processing tools with
innovative technologies to meet or exceed customers’ criteria,”
said David Wang, ACM’s Chief Executive Officer and President.
“Since 2012 we have worked in collaboration with our OSAT customers
to customize our advanced systems to their specific requirements.
They have deployed ACM’s wet wafer solutions for both standard and
high-density fan-out processes in high volumes, and have reported
favorable results including high yields and increased
throughput.”
According to Yole Dévelopment, a market research and technology
analysis firm:
- the market size of the global advanced packaging industry was
$29 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% to reach $42 billion in 2025; and
- advanced packaging as a percentage of the total semiconductor
packaging market is expected to increase from 42.6% in 2019 to
49.4% in 2025 due to strong momentum in advanced packaging
capabilities resulting from the slowing of Moore’s Law,
heterogeneous integration, and continued demand for innovation from
new applications such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), high
performance computing (HPC) and the Internet of things
(IoTs).1
ACM Research’s wet wafer processing systems for WLP are
compatible with both 200mm and 300mm wafers, and can be implemented
for the following applications:
- Electrochemical plating (ECP): ACM’s ECP ap
system with self-developed second anode technology achieves within
less than 5% wafer uniformity, less than 3% wafer-to-wafer
uniformity, less than 2% repeatability and less than 2.0µm within
die coplanarity. The system can be configured with up to three load
ports, up to four vacuum pre-wet chambers, up to 20 plating
chambers and up to four post-clean chambers. ACM’s ECP tool is
easily customized to suit customer requirements for critical WLP
plating steps, including Cu, nickel (Ni), Sn/Sn-Ag pillar, solder
bump, Au bump and Cu redistribution layer applications.
Additionally, due to ACM’s proprietary diffusion plate and patented
rubber seal, the tools are well suited for fan-out, TSV and
through-mold via processing.
- Stress-free polishing (SFP): ACM’s SFP system
is based on an electrochemical reaction mechanism. It is ideal for
removing excess copper and the top barrier layer without inducing
mechanical stress. Chemical mechanical polishing, wet-etch and
dry-etch processes can be integrated into ACM’s SFP system.
Electrolyte and wet-etchant chemistries are recycled and reused in
real time, reducing the amount of slurry usage by more than 80% in
CMP process.
- Coater: ACM’s coating system performs crucial
steps for WLP lithography processes, such as photoresist and
polyimide coating, soft bake, and application of
hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) for vapor deposition. The system can
achieve precise edge barrier removal using innovative methods and
precise coating controls. Configurations are highly customizable,
with options including: up to four coating chambers with ACM’s
unique auto-clean function; one or two of a wide variety of
different photoresist nozzles; eight to 14 hot plates; two to four
cold plates; and one or two HMDS auto-clean chambers. The ACM
proprietary in situ auto-clean technology in the coating chamber
can reduce tool preventive maintenance times, especially in the
coating process for photo resist with high thickness, even above
100µm.
- Developer: ACM’s developer system is designed
for post-exposure bake, developing and hard-baking capabilities.
Its flexibility allows for the use of three PR development methods,
as well as double-sided processes. The system can be configured
with up to four sets of developing chambers, each containing one to
five liquid nozzle sets. Customers can also choose from two to 14
hot plates and from two to four cold plates.
- Wet etcher: ACM’s wet etching system uses
various chemicals to remove excess under-bump metallization from
wafers. Its smart-sequence recipe function makes it possible to
combine metal etch processes, such as Cu and titanium (Ti) etch.
These can be performed in one system as a scheduled sequence.
Systems can be customized with four or eight single-wafer etch
chambers, can handle the delivery of up to five chemistries, and
can effect double-sided processing and reclamation of two
chemistries.
- Photoresist strip: Designed for
high-efficiency PR stripping, ACM’s wet stripping system combines
bench-soaking and single-spin PR remove processes in one tool,
which features an integrated tank and four single-wafer chambers.
First, wafers are soaked in the solvent tank, which holds multiple
wafers at one time for increased throughput. Next, the wafers are
transferred to the single-wafer module, where resist chemistry is
sprayed on the wafer as it spins, for greater wafer control.
Single-strip chambers perform double-sided processes and are
designed to reclaim two chemistries. SAPS Megasonic assisted
residual removal in single-strip chamber is available for critical
stripping process in order to enhance the product yields.
- Scrubber: ACM’s scrubber system was designed
to achieve high particle-removal efficiency for both integrated
chip manufacturing and WLP using multiple clean methods.
High-pressure deionized water is mixed with carbon dioxide (CO2) to
create dual-fluid spray cleaning that combines both liquid and gas
phase chemistries. Additionally, soft brushes allow for the removal
of different-sized particles. The system can also be configured
with ACM’s proprietary Space Alternated Phase Shift (SAPS)
megasonic cleaning technology and a wafer-flipping function that
allows for double-sided cleaning. The scrubber system is compatible
with silicon and glass substrate materials, as well as bonded
wafers. A four-chamber scrubber system can achieve high throughputs
of 100 wafers per hour.
ACM has demonstrated success with volume shipments to leading
OSAT customers for each of its wet wafer process tools for WLP
applications. For more information, please call the ACM regional
company contact listed below.
About ACM Research, Inc.ACM develops,
manufactures and sells semiconductor process equipment for
single-wafer or batch wet cleaning, electroplating, stress-free
polishing and thermal processes that are critical to advanced
semiconductor device manufacturing as well as wafer-level
packaging. The company is committed to delivering customized,
high-performance, cost-effective process solutions that
semiconductor manufacturers can use in numerous manufacturing steps
to improve productivity and product yield.
The ACM Research logo and SAPS are trademarks of ACM Research,
Inc. For convenience, these trademarks appear in this press release
without a ™ symbol, but that practice does not mean that ACM will
not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights
to the trademarks.
References
- Advanced packaging: Yole announces
strong momentum driven by the giants, TSMC, Intel and Samsung,
http://www.yole.fr/AdvancedPackaging_Industry_MarketFigures_SYNAPS.aspx.
Media Contact: |
Company Contact: |
Eric Lawson |
USA & Europe |
Kiterocket |
Sallyann Henry |
+1 480.276.9572 |
ACM Research, Inc. |
elawson@kiterocket.com |
+1 510.445.3700 |
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China |
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Xi Wang |
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ACM Research (Shanghai),
Inc. |
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+86 21 50808868 |
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Korea |
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YY Kim |
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ACM Research (Korea),
Inc. |
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+821041415171 |
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Singapore |
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Adrian Ong |
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+65 8813-1107 |
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Taiwan |
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David Chang |
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+65 8813-1107 |
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