Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: Morgan Advanced Materials Joins SEMATECH to Develop New Process Solutions to Advance Semiconductor Manufacturing

Home > Press > Morgan Advanced Materials Joins SEMATECH to Develop New Process Solutions to Advance Semiconductor Manufacturing

Abstract:
Morgan Advanced Materials has joined SEMATECH's International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI), a program designed to improve semiconductor equipment manufacturing productivity, yield, and cost. Morgan Advanced Materials will help develop process variation solutions to improve availability and process control across 200 mm and 300 mm semiconductor manufacturing facilities, while allowing for forward-compatibility with 450 mm.

Morgan Advanced Materials Joins SEMATECH to Develop New Process Solutions to Advance Semiconductor Manufacturing

Albany, NY | Posted on April 29th, 2013

As a member of SEMATECH's Manufacturing Technology Program, Morgan will collaborate with ISMI engineers to develop and introduce new material solutions that will help to significantly extend the life of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads, CMP conditioners, as well as electrostatic chucks. The partnership will further the development of processing solutions for effective CMP processing, including pad conditioning, to eliminate legacy high-volume manufacturing issues, shorten pad break-in time, and extend pad life of soft-pad textures.

"We are excited to collaborate with ISMI on innovative technology development to help address current and future technology challenges for both CMP and electrostatic chuck design," said Daniel Manoukian, general manager of Morgan's Allentown, PA site. "These projects will enable high-volume manufacturing of 10 nm devices and improve manufacturing for current technologies. As the complexity of the technology increases, innovations in pad conditioner materials to control pad textures are essential for successful manufacturing."

Morgan Advanced Materials' Phoenix™ edge CMP conditioner uses a unique design consisting of an engineered substrate with CVD diamond coating, which produces a uniform fine-textured pad surface that is essential for advance nodes. This unique conditioner design increases pad life by five times compared to standard gritted conditioners. Morgan expects the partnership with ISMI will help solve critical technology challenges, ultimately resulting in manufacturing advancements for the semiconductor industry.

"Electrostatic chucks are a major cost-of-ownership issue for vacuum tools and Morgan has introduced advancements in both new surface ceramics and bonding techniques, along with an entirely new style of pad conditioner," said Bill Ross, ISMI project manager. "We look forward to working closely with Morgan in a collaborative effort to find methods to develop a quicker pad break-in and increased texture control that will improve manufacturing efficiencies and cost-of-ownership."

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About SEMATECH
For over 25 years, SEMATECH®, the international consortium of leading semiconductor device, equipment, and materials manufacturers, has set global direction, enabled flexible collaboration, and bridged strategic R&D to manufacturing. Through our unwavering commitment to foster collaboration across the nanoelectronics industry, we help our members and partners address critical industry transitions, drive technical consensus, pull research into the industry mainstream, improve manufacturing productivity, and reduce risk and time to market.

About Morgan Advanced Materials

Morgan Advanced Materials is a global materials engineering company that offers a wide range of high specification engineered products with extraordinary properties.

From an extensive range of advanced materials we engineer components, assemblies and systems that deliver significantly enhanced performance for our customers’ products or processes. Most are produced to very high tolerances and many are designed for use in extreme environments.

The Company thrives on innovation. Our materials scientists and applications engineers work in close collaboration with customers to create outstanding, differentiated products that perform more efficiently, more reliably and for longer.

Morgan Advanced Materials has a global presence with over 10,000 employees across 50 countries serving specialist markets in the energy, transport, healthcare, electronics, petrochemical and industrial sectors. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange in the engineering sector.

For more information on Morgan Advanced Materials visit www.morganadvancedmaterials.com

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Contacts:
Kristin Nugent
617-367-0100 x148

Scott Bentley
+44 (0)1299 827000

Erica McGill
518-649-1041

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sematech