Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: Major Austrian Semiconductor Manufacturer Broadens MEMS and Display Device Packaging Capacity with Installation of Fourth IQ Aligner from EV Group

Home > Press > Major Austrian Semiconductor Manufacturer Broadens MEMS and Display Device Packaging Capacity with Installation of Fourth IQ Aligner from EV Group

Abstract:
EV Group (EVG), a leading supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS,
nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, today announced the successful installation of its fourth IQ Aligner System for packaging applications at a major semiconductor manufacturing facility in Austria. This purchase further strengthens the customer's capacity for wafer-level packaging of MEMS and display devices, while underscoring the enabling, cost-effective nature of the IQ Aligner's core technology.

Major Austrian Semiconductor Manufacturer Broadens MEMS and Display Device Packaging Capacity with Installation of Fourth IQ Aligner from EV Group

ST. FLORIAN, Austria | Posted on October 9th, 2007

According to the chipmaker's facility production manager, "Increased
throughput and reduced cost of ownership (CoO) for products formerly
processed on the company's steppers made the IQ Aligner the best choice for
a reliable and precise production tool." Allowing for maximum tool
flexibility, the customer's IQ Aligners are continuously updated with new
process capabilities. The first IQ Aligner originally started with standard
wafer handling and was upgraded in the field to thin-wafer handling
capabilities (wafer thickness down to 70 microns on 150-mm substrates),
which was already included in the order for the following systems. The
latest upgrade included special infrared (IR) capabilities for fully
automated alignment of inner substrate-alignment keys on temporary bonded
silicon wafer pairs.

The electronics-device manufacturing industry is increasingly grasping
the potential for minimizing production costs by transitioning the
processing of devices from steppers to proximity mask aligners. When
evaluated head-to-head against competitive mask-alignment systems, the IQ
Aligner has benefited from some key advantages, most notably its exclusive,
contactless substrate wedge compensation technology, which eliminates all
physical contact between wafer and mask for proximity exposure modes, and
its new NanoAlign(R) capability for improved automatic alignment accuracy
and reliability.

"Receiving the fourth repeat order for our IQ Aligner from this leading
semiconductor manufacturer directly reflects the high-volume capabilities
of the system," said Alois Malzer, product manager for mask aligners at
EVG. "In addition, EVG achieved installation of the fourth system in the
southern part of Austria within seven working days-from initial hook up to
production release, illustrating the strength of EVG's support team to
fully satisfy or exceed customer expectations."

Further information regarding EVG's IQ Aligner, as well as its full
portfolio of leading-edge wafer-bonding and lithography equipment, will be
available during SEMICON Europa, Oct. 9-11, 2007 at the Stuttgart Trade
Fair Centre in Stuttgart, Germany. Editors and analysts interested in
learning more about the company and its products are invited to visit EVG's
booth #912 (Hall 1).

####

About EV Group (EVG)
Founded in 1980, EV Group is a global supplier of wafer bonders,
aligners, photoresist coaters, cleaners and inspection systems for
semiconductor, MEMS and emerging nanotechnology markets. EVG holds the
dominant share of the market for wafer bonding equipment and is a leader in
lithography for advanced packaging, MEMS and nanoimprint lithography (NIL).
The company's unique Triple "i" approach (INVENT -- INNOVATE --
IMPLEMENT) is supported by a vertical infrastructure, allowing EV Group to
respond quickly to new technology developments, apply the technology to
manufacturing challenges and expedite device manufacturing in high volume.
Headquartered in St. Florian, Austria, EV Group operates via a global
customer support network, with subsidiaries in Tempe, Arizona; Albany, New
York; Yokohama and Fukuoka, Japan; and Chung-Li, Taiwan. For more
information, visit http://www.EVGroup.com and our EVG-TShop "Click, Stop --
the new way to shop," http://www.EVGTShop.com

NanoAlign(R) is a registered trademark of EV Group.