January 2005: Successful Introduction of AMS 100 “I-Speeder
The New Cost Effective Adixen DRIE ICP System for Development of MEMS
The new Adixen ICP Deep Reactive Ion Etching tool AMS 100 “I-Speeder?is the direct result of 25 years of Plasma Processing Technology within Alcatel Vacuum Technology. Its design makes it the ideal solution for MEMS Development, Prototyping and Small Production Manufacturing. Its process performances are entirely compatible with AMS 200 “I-Speeder?Volume Production tool.
The AMS 100 “I-Speeder?is designed to achieve the typical etch performances required by MEMS customers during the development stage of complex MEMS devices. High flexibility is needed to process different kinds of wafer with a large range of materials, patterns and designs with superior etch performances.
With its very high aspect ratio trench etch and profile control capabilities, the Adixen AMS 100 SE ”I-Speeder?offers the key technology to meet the specific deep silicon plasma etching requirements of MEMS designers and manufacturers.
The new AMS 100 “I-Speeder?equipment consists of a single wafer vacuum load lock connected to a process chamber fitted with an Alcatel patented high-density, low-pressure ICP source and a temperature-controlled substrate holder. The ICP reactor offers the possibility of using 3 different etching regimes without hardware configuration change: the “Bosch?process, the Cryogenic process and the conventional Continuous process. High performance Adixen vacuum pumps are connected to the load lock and to the process module for evacuation of reactive gases and by-products.
The AMS 100 SE “I-Speeder?offers advanced performances in deep etching of silicon, while the AMS 100 DE “I-Speeder?is the dedicated tool for etching dielectric layers, like SiO2 and glass-like materials.
With its wafer size capability ranging from 100 mm to 200 mm, the proposed wafer holding method can be mechanical or electrostatic clamping. The wafer transfer from load lock to process chamber can be manual or automatic. In every case, the maintenance access has always been facilitated despite a high degree of integration and an extremely reduced footprint in a ballroom or through the wall configuration. The system can adapt up to 14 process gas lines and the PC/PLC control system is user-friendly Windows 2000 TM operator interface.
Since its successful sales introduction mid of 2004, the AMS 100 “I-Speeder?is enjoying multiple installations at major research centres like for example: Tohoku University in Japan, Technical University
of Delft in The Netherlands, LETI in France, PennState University USA, IMEC in Belgium, Lehigh University USA, University of Twente MESA + in The Netherlands, Queen’s University in Belfast Ireland, Iwate Institute in Japan, Voralberg University in Austria, Renssealaer Politechnic Institute USA, Tokyo University in Japan, etc.
Contact:
Alcatel Micro Machining Systems
J.M Gruffat, Director of Sales and Marketing
Tel: +33 (0)4 50 65 78 44
Email: jean-marc.gruffat@adixen.fr
www.adixen.com
