Axus Technology Receives Orders for Innovative Capstone® CMP System from World’s Top SiC Device Makers
08 Julio 2024 - 7:55AM
Axus Technology, a leading global provider of chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP) equipment, critical for semiconductor and
compound semiconductor fabrication, today announced strong sales
momentum for its innovative Capstone® CS200 Series – the industry’s
latest CMP processing tool. In recent months, the company has
received orders from silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor makers
based in Europe, Asia and North America.
Underscoring the platform’s flexibility and breadth of
capabilities, the Capstone orders include R&D/engineering and
production-ready tools, with the latter configured for volume
production of both 150mm and 200mm wafers. Built using
state-of-the-art, flexible technology, Capstone is the first new
150/200mm CMP platform brought to market in more than three decades
and the first that can process two different wafer sizes
simultaneously, enabling the tool to deliver industry-high
throughput and yields.
Ongoing innovation drives advancements
Since introducing the Capstone platform in 2020, Axus Technology
has continuously built on its offerings, introducing new,
SiC-optimized wafer carriers and achieving notable processing
milestones along the way. The Capstone CS200-ia, the latest
configuration of the Capstone family, integrates the company’s
Aquarius™ wafer cleaning system to enable advanced CMP and post-CMP
cleaning in a single system.
“Many of our customers represent the top tier of SiC device
and/or wafer manufacturers worldwide,” explained Catherine Bullock,
Axus Technology’s director of process technology. “These customers
have conducted extensive process and equipment testing to
thoroughly characterize and compare various solutions for advanced
SiC CMP. I’m proud to say that all of them selected Capstone as
their preferred platform. This is particularly relevant given the
significant challenges and differentiation associated with CMP for
SiC as compared to more mature CMP applications.”
Capstone delivers unique differentiators
Capstone® offers several novel and differentiating competitive
advantages that are driving its growth in SiC CMP, including:
- Flexible architecture that can process up to four wafers
simultaneously and provides both the highest throughput and the
smallest footprint, minimizing overall cost of ownership
(CoO);
- Fully integrated, advanced post-CMP cleaning, which enables
single-pass processing for both polish and clean, eliminating the
need for additional post-process wafer handling, downstream process
steps, and fab equipment;
- Inventive process temperature control technology that enables
higher pressure/velocity process conditions – delivering higher
removal rates, higher throughput, and lower cost of consumables to
substantially improve overall CoO; and
- Considerable reduction in energy and resource consumption,
lowering operating and facilities costs while improving
environmental sustainability.
“This is an exciting time in our industry,” said Axus Technology
CEO Dan Trojan. “Silicon carbide is growing at a rapid pace – much
faster than CMOS – fueled by demand for power electronics
applications such as AI data centers, renewable energy and EVs.
With our SiC engineering brain trust, proven product portfolio in
CMP and related technologies, and growing base of leading suppliers
and SiC customers – evidenced by this recent order influx – Axus
Technology is well positioned to become the industry leader in CMP
for compound semiconductors.”
Axus is consulting with developers of SiC and other compound
semiconductor devices to help them determine their optimal path for
scaling from 150mm to 200mm production. With its recent infusion of
capital funding, the company is stepping up its focus on scaling to
HVM, enabling the company and its customers to collaborate on
go-forward strategies.
About Axus TechnologyLed by its
state-of-the-art Capstone® CMP and Aquarius™ wafer-cleaning
platforms, Axus Technology is a recognized industry leader in
designing and building modern, flexible next-generation equipment
and providing custom process-development services. Axus enables
companies of all sizes, from startups to high-volume manufacturers,
to test, develop, and implement leading-edge solutions—particularly
for novel and emerging materials—process integration schemes,
products and applications. Axus’s equipment solutions range from
low cost-of-ownership entry-level tools to state-of-the-art
high-volume manufacturing systems. Process testing, development,
optimization, and scaling are supported by our process applications
lab and foundry, which includes a full array of process equipment
and supporting metrology, and is staffed by the industry’s most
experienced CMP team. For more information, please visit
www.axustech.com
Media
Contacts: |
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Axus Technology |
Kiterocket |
Emilie Marenec |
Lisa Gillette-Martin |
T: 480-331-4981 |
T: 408-205-4732 |
E: emarenec@axustech.com |
E: lgmartin@kiterocket.com |
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4df53a23-247e-4e64-86fa-30aa783df5b4