Crossing Automation, which designs and produces fab and tool automation products, has launched the Spartan 450, a 450 mm volume sorter for manufacturing 450 mm wafers.
Crossing Automation has also proclaimed that a major semiconductor manufacturer has placed an order for the Spartan 450. The system is slated for shipment in the first quarter of 2012. The volume sorter has all the important aspects needed to interact with the manufacturing execution system, allowing comprehensive wafer management.
The Spartan 450 was originally designed for the 22 nm technology node but is now extended to the 7 nm technology node. The 300 mm Spartan platform of Crossing Automation is the basis of the Spartan 450’s design. Like the 300 mm Spartan platform, the Spartan 450 is engineered as a single, integrated system to allow quicker tool hookup and deployment. Its user-friendly tool moves for enhanced flexibility and eventually results in high volume production.
According to Gartner’s Research Director, Tuan Wang, semiconductor manufacturers are interested in 450 mm wafers due to its total silicon surface area and the count of high-quality dies are much higher than that of wafers with smaller diameters. Shifting from the currently popular 300 mm wafers to 450 mm wafers will increase the productivity of chips to two folds and maintain the semiconductor industry growth, Wang added.
Crossing Automation’s Vice President of Marketing, May Su stated that the company’s selection is based on its expertise in offering automation solutions for mass production.
Source: http://www.crossinginc.com