A strip system removes photoresist
and residues from a wafer following each step of film deposition
or diffusion processing in preparation for the next processing
step. Methods for stripping photoresist include wet chemistries
and dry or plasma technologies. Wet chemical stripping removes
photoresist by immersing the wafer into acid or solvent baths.
Dry stripping systems, such as our Aspen Strip, create gaseous
atomic oxygen to which the wafer is exposed to remove the
unwanted residues.
The demand for photoresist strip equipment has grown as
the complexity and number of strip steps required for each
wafer has increased. Complex integrated circuits require
multiple photoresist stripping steps, which increase cost
and cycle time, create environmental concerns, increase cleanroom
space requirements and reduce yield. The increase in strip
steps in the IC manufacturing process has led to a need for
semiconductor manufacturers to increase their photoresist
strip capacity and to place greater emphasis on low-damage
results and residue-free photoresist stripping. The added
complexity of the strip process has also contributed to higher
average selling prices of the equipment.
Fabrication of integrated circuits with feature sizes under
0.13 micron requires advanced dry strip technologies such
as our Aspen Strip. In addition, faster IC devices require
new interconnect materials, such as low capacitance, or low-k
dielectric films and copper for conducting materials. The
use of these new materials creates new challenges for photoresist
stripping equipment. The resist or residues must be removed
from these materials without degrading the low-k materials
and without oxidizing any exposed copper.
Our strip systems achieve first-rate process results on
a wide range of dry strip applications, including:
High Dose Implant Strip (HDIS)
Strip and Residue Removal
Strip Resist over Ultra-Low-K (ULK) Films
Resist Recess Process
Resist Strip on Copper
Resist “De-scum
Bulk Resist Strip
Our dry strip products encompass both 200 and 300 mm products
on our high productivity Aspen platform, using our patented,
inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technology. We have a large
installed base of dry strip systems, including 300 mm ICP
systems, currently installed in production facilities around
the world, and we continue to be an industry leader in dry
strip technology and hold the number one in strip market
share position in the foundry market. Our established ICP
technology recently achieved acceptance at three major foundries
in China.
Our Aspen III Highlands system gained momentum in low-k
resist strip applications through its ability to preserve
low-k material integrity and simplify integration schemes
by reducing operational steps. The Highlands system proved
its process and production capability at our customer sites,
where we continue to receive repeat orders. We are also
extending our joint development programs with these strategic
customers to expand the Highlands' existing processing
capabilities.
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