Posted on 27th Jun 2011 @ 3:30 PM

By Frost & Sullivan

Introduction

Semiconductor manufacturing equipments are as complicated as the processes involved in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. These equipments are involved right from the stage, silica is grown into silicon ingots, from which wafers are prepared and fabricated into integrated circuits, and shipped to customers. They are broadly classified on similar lines as the semiconductor manufacturing process i.e., wafers manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication equipments, and assembly and test equipments.

Chart 1.1 illustrates the steps involved in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

Wafer Manufacturing Equipments

Wafer manufacturing equipments are used prior to semiconductor fabrication. These equipments are used to produce processed silicon wafers from pure silicon ingots. The silicon ingots are grown, shaped, sliced, and polished into thin silicon wafers. For example, dicing saws are used to slice silicon ingots into thin wafers using abrasive liquid slurry. The wafer manufacturing equipment segment has a more or less well-established product line.The major features expected from these equipments are better yield and reduced cycle time and wafer contamination.

Semiconductor Fabrication Equipments

A considerable size of the equipments market is occupied by the front end and wet processing equipments which perform the most essential steps of device fabrication. For example, semiconductor fabrication equipments include the oxidation systems, ion implantation equipments, epitaxial systems,lithography equipments, diffusion sytems etc. Semiconductor wet processing equipments are used for etching, photoresist coating, washing, chemical mechanical planarization or polishing (CMP). They are also used to form silicon ingots. When compared to other fabrication equipments CMP equipments have undergone significant changes in its importance in the manufacturing industry in the recent times.

Chemical Mechanical Planarization or Polishing (CMP)

As a critical process technology step in the semiconductor fabrication process, CMP started gaining worldwide acceptance in the last decade. As the name suggests, it is the process were the top surface of the wafer is polished or planarized to create a flawless flat surface that is essential to make faster and more powerful semiconductor devices with the aid of moving pads containing chemical abrasive slurry. It helps to improve the optical properties of the surface and is also used in shallow trench isolation. For CMP to be effective, the equipment used should regulate the motion and pressure of the pad and the chemical composition of the slurry so that nanometer level of material removal on the wafer surface is possible. The planarization process is both mechanical and chemical. The mechanical movements of the pads apply downward pressure on the wafers while the chemical reaction takes place, thereby increasing the removal of residual materials. Some of the advantages of CMP include reducing process steps, especially lithography, acting as an alternative to defect prone processes such as etch back, and providing alternative architectures such as dual damascene.

Technology Challenges for CMP Equipments

• The emergence of new technologies such as copper interconnects and low dielectric constant (low-k) interlayer dielectric (ILD) materials in dual damascene structures to reduce resistance capacitance (RC) time constant delay and power dissipations has increased the demand for the development of creative CMP techniques.
• Most of the low-k materials used are porus and mechanically fragile, posing a significant challenge to the development of CMP equipments. To avoid damages, the planarization should be performed with a low applied down pressure.
• The two main classification of low-k materials are chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and inorganic or organic spin on dielectric (SOD) films. Some of the low-k ILD materials are in the R&D stages at present Hence, separate CMP processes as well as equipments are needed based on the type of material used. Each of the low-k materials used has its own challenges. Electrochemical mechanical planarization (ECMP), has been developed using ultra low force to produce smooth wafer surfaces without damaging the dielectric films.

Industry Challenges for CMP Equipments

• The increasing cost of CMP consumables such as cost of slurry, pads is a huge challenge for this industry. The higher than tolerated costs of CMP equipments should reap benefits for the manufacturers. Development costs of equipments have also increased substantially to keep pace with advancements in technology
• The industry also faces trade offs between the development time of the equipments and the release to foundries.
• 300 mm wafers also present a unique challenge because of their high manufacturing costs.

The market for CMP equipments and its consumables has been growing substantially over the last five years. APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., has a huge share of the CMP equipments market.

Assembly and Test Equipments

Assembly equipments are used to make the finished product of integrated circuits for the consumers. For example, polish grinders, die attach machines, wire bonders, hermetic sealing equipments are used. The assembled chips are finally tested using electrical testers, UV erase equipment, and so on.

Competitive Scenario

APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., is the leader in the overall semiconductor equipments market. The other top tier companies are Tokyo Electron Limited, (ASML), KLA-Tencor Corporation, Lam Research Corporation, Nikon Corporation, Novellus Systems, Inc., and so on. Most of these companies are present in the semiconductor fabrication equipments segment. TOKYO SEMITSU CO., LTD. and ACCRETECH USA are some of participants in the wafer manufacturing equipments segment.. ADVANTEST, ICOS Vision Systems NV, DISCO CORPORATION, Kulicke & Soffa Ind. Inc., ASM International, TOKYO SEMITSU CO., LTD, and Towa Electric Co., Ltd are some companies in the assembly and testing segment.

Conclusion

The semiconductor equipments market has been a highly volatile one. After a sharp decline in growth over the last decade the market has been witnessing healthy progress. All the segments in the market are witnessing positive growth, especially the semiconductor fabrication equipments segment. Demands for improved device performance and greater reliability and yield are driving these segments. Moroever, they are highly technology-driven segments.Rapid changes in process technology, demand changes in manufacturing equipment as well at the same pace. Therefore, the development of cost-effective processes as well as equipment is a challenge faced the semiconductor industry.

Learn more about semiconductor manufacturing equipments market and publications that provide informed perspective and relevant analysis of emergent technologies.