EV Group (EVG), a leading
supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology
and semiconductor markets, today announced that world-renowned research institute,
Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID, has placed an order for two EVG temporary bonding and
debonding (TB/DB) systems for thin-wafer handling and processing for 3D ICs.
ASSID (All Silicon System Integration Dresden), a new project group of Fraunhofer
IZM, will use EVG's systems for advanced 3D wafer-level process integration
flow development for Fraunhofer's industrial partners. Both EVG systems will
be installed later this year at ASSID's state-of-the-art facility in Dresden-the
first Fraunhofer Center with a 300-mm line dedicated to developing processes
for high-volume manufacturing of 3D ICs.
This latest order from Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID bolsters EVG's market-leading installed
base of temporary bonding and debonding systems-currently totaling more than
60 system installations worldwide.
3D IC technology is gaining momentum as the technology of choice in addressing
consumer demand for smaller, lower-power electronic devices with greater functionality.
However, unlike manufacturing conventional ICs, which are built on silicon wafers
approximately 750-microns thick, 3D ICs require the use of much thinner wafers
of about 100 microns or less. Given the inherent fragility of these ultra-thin
wafers, thin-wafer processing requires TB/DB technology to ensure the structural
integrity of the wafer-particularly when it undergoes high-temperature, high-stress
processes such as etching and metallization. By temporarily bonding the ultra-thin
wafer to a carrier substrate and then leveraging a stress-free debonding approach
after back side processing, TB/DB technology offers integrity-assured processing,
which results in higher yield. EVG's industry-proven TB/DB technology is designed
to support a wide variety of processes-including those already established and
in industrial use today, as well as those outlined in roadmap requirements for
future 3D device generations.
"At Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID, we develop highly tailored processes for leading
semiconductor manufacturers with very different requirements, and we need flexible
and scalable process solutions to meet a wide variety of needs," said Jürgen
Wolf, manager and coordinator of ASSID. "EV Group's temporary bonding and
debonding platforms enable seamless development and evolution of the 3D integration
processes and technologies for our customers. The success we have had with previous
EV Group systems, combined with superior demo results and EVG's overall process
expertise in 3D packaging, were all key factors in our selection criteria for
this order."
"This is a very important win for EV Group, as Fraunhofer is one of the
premiere research facilities in Europe dedicated to 3D IC technology advancement,"
noted EV Group executive technology director, Paul Lindner. "This marks
another step forward in establishing EV Group's technology solutions as the
industry standard for wafer-level packaging applications, particularly 3D ICs.
We look forward to a mutually beneficial cooperation with Fraunhofer IZM and
its ASSID project, and taking our industry-leading technology and process expertise
in 3D packaging to a new level."
The wafer bonding and thin-wafer handling equipment market represents another
high-growth segment in which EVG has successfully established its technology
process and expertise. Its dominant position in this market contributed to EVG's
financial success in 2009, when the company continued to see an increase in
both order intake and revenue despite the global economic recession.
EVG and Fraunhofer-IZM are both members of the EMC-3D Consortium, where they
have collaborated closely, along with other consortium members, on lowering
3D IC manufacturing costs to incite greater technology adoption.