As we near SEMICON China (March 21-23), it is worthwhile to review the Asia IC industry development and outlook, and how FSI is positioned to support this significant region.

In 2004, the Chinese IC industry grew 55% year-over-year, with revenue of $6.8 billion, which consists of 33.2% from IC manufacturing, 14.9% from IC design and 51.9% from packaging and test.[1] In 2006, the Chinese IC industry will continue to mature, in particular for IC manufacturing as China shifts more attention to advanced technologies to win higher ASPs. With 90nm processing already a reality in China, predictions are for 65nm to come on strong in 2006.

Also, let's not forget about Taiwan and Korea's IC manufacturing powerhouses. In 2006, Samsung alone is forecasted to have almost $6 billion dollars in capital spending, with TSMC's capital spending estimates at $2.6 billion, followed by Hynix at $2 billion.[2] By 2009, the Asia IC market is forecasted to be over $150 billion, representing more than 54% of the total market.[3]

Such unprecedented growth and adoption of advanced technologies creates a problem: no time for extensive employee training and R&D. Consequently, IC manufacturers need to partner with companies that not only supply equipment, but also have proven technology and the resources to rapidly qualify processes and tools for manufacturing. (See the article on FSI's Class 1 laboratory found in this issue of On the Surface.)

Knowing the customer needs of the Asia Pacific Region would continue to grow and require rapid response, FSI moved from a distribution model in March 2003 to a direct support channel. Asia-based people and programs moved into place to increase responsiveness to our customer requests. We are now well positioned, supported by our aligned technology roadmaps and product offerings. FSI's business in Asia continues to grow as IC makers respond positively to our differentiated cleaning technologies.

Our flagship products – ANTARES^® CyroKinetic Cleaning System, ZETA^® Spray Cleaning System and MAGELLAN^® Immersion Cleaning System -- are in use by several industry- leading Asian customers, with 90nm and below creating numerous insertion points. As a result of several Asia-based JDP initiatives, a number of processes have been developed and optimized, for example:

• Metal stripping process for 65nm salicide formation. Contact your local sales representative for more information on this process. FSI Worldwide locations. (http://www.fsi-intl.com/company/world.php)
• EcoBlend™ processes, a new family of dilute acid cleans for cost-effective and environmentally friendly removal of post-ash residues, are used for aluminum and tungsten interconnect cleaning applications. This family of chemical processes gives IC manufacturers alternatives to high-cost specialty chemicals. To learn more on this topic, click here to request a copy of "Using Cost-Effective Dilute-Acid Chemicals to Perform Post-Etch Interconnect Clean"
• Low-particle and watermark free HF-last cleaning, uniform thin-oxide etching, and uniform polysilicon etching, and a new process for producing a very thin and uniform oxide layer for high-k dielectric precleaning were developed using the MAGELLAN^® Immersion Cleaning System. To learn more on this topic, click here to request a copy of "Single-Tank Processing Demonstrates Immersion Batch Cleaning for 65nm IC's. Advanced Immersion Batch Cleaning Processes Using Advanced and Flexible Configurations".
• Excellent yield improvements using FSI's CryoKinetic particle removal technology in production. To learn more on this topic, click here to request a copy of "Improved Yields for the Nano-Technology Era Using Cryogenic Aerosols."

Over 25 years ago, FSI realized the importance of advanced applications development and established one of the industry's first equipment supplier-based laboratories. Today FSI International operates a state-of-the-art process lab in a Class 1 clean room at its Chaska, Minnesota, USA headquarters. Customers often comment that its leading-edge capabilities are a testimony to FSI's technology leadership and customer partnering philosophy. This proven facility can offer IC makers distinct advantages:

• Reduced development time
• Improved production readiness by pre-qualifying processes
• Facilitate optimizing in-field implementation

“Ultimately, our lab enables us to deliver what's important to our customers – development and verification of technology-enabling and cost-efficient processes that are production-ready to meet leading-edge device demands,” said Tom Wagener, FSI Applications Engineering Director. “FSI tools and supporting analytical equipment enable rapid process development in our lab.”

To support this leading-edge process development, the FSI lab features its flagship 300mm surface conditioning products: MAGELLAN^® Immersion Cleaning System, ANTARES^® CryoKinetic Cleaning System and ZETA^® Spray Cleaning System. To ensure state-of-the-art process results, these process tools are facilitized with high purity gas and chemical delivery systems. In addition, these tools are supported by advanced 300mm analytical tools, including a Surfscan SP1/TBI, a soon-to-arrive Surfscan SP2 capable of 37nm particle detection, a thin-film ellipsometer, a XRF spectrometer, an FT-IR spectrometer, an automated 4-point conductivity probe, a full-wafer SEMVision SEM tool (200mm), and other miscellaneous support equipment such as microscopes.

“Using the resources of the FSI lab, we partner with customers throughout the world to develop new processes to solve their problems and advance to the next technology nodes – often implemented on their existing equipment. A good example of this type of joint development work is our PlatNiStrip™ process,” stated Wagener.

The FSI process application team worked with key customers to develop a solution for salicide formation at 65nm on the ZETA^® Spray Cleaning System. This nickel-platinum process was then transferred to the customers' fab and implemented into manufacturing. The process was initially demonstrated on 65nm pilot lines, resulting in a shorter cycle time between development and implementation. (Click here to view the recent PlatNiStrip™ press release)

Customers have also used the FSI process lab to pre-qualify recipes, reducing the time spent in their own fabs making a process production-ready. (Click here for the Micro article that describes a “virtual fab” process development that occurred a few years ago with a key customer.) Tests show that device wafers can be handled in our Class 1 clean room without affecting baseline results, making it an excellent “virtual lab.” Customers sent actual wafers from their production floors to FSI Chaska for split-lot processing and the returned wafers showed yield-improving results without handling degradation.

“Shorter implementation time means the customer's investment produces revenue sooner,” Wagener added. “The FSI process lab operates in the same manner as leading advanced IC manufacturing fabs. Our protocol and procedures reflect the industry's best-known methods.” The FSI advanced process lab also supports the network of global in-field application engineers to facilitate faster return on IC maker tool investments.

“We release recipes for specific customer manufacturing processes,” explained Wagener. “The FSI global applications group then optimizes these processes in the field, working best-known methods into the process flow at the customer's fab. Our customers can ramp new processes quickly, which reduces time from receipt of tool to acceptance.”

To learn more about how the FSI Advanced Process Lab can benefit your fab, please contact your local account manager or click here to complete the request form.

IC makers from around the world told us they want value-added information that can be directly applied to their manufacturing and R&D challenges, and that's what the FSI Knowledge Services™ Seminar Series delivers. These free seminars will also afford you time and opportunity for networking and discussion on current trends and implementation of surface preparation technology.

We know you'll want to attend! Over the last two years, FSI hosted this series with great success -- in Asia over 400 customers attended and in Europe over 200 customers attended.

Our USA seminar series consists of a morning session and an afternoon session, each with different topics and learning opportunities. As a participant, you can attend both sessions, or, if you prefer, you can attend just one as they have independent content and focus.

Morning Session I: A short course on the fundamentals of particle adhesion and removal, taught by a well known academic of materials science and engineering. This session will interest anyone directly or indirectly involved in wafer cleaning or defect removal processes.

Afternoon Session II: This part of the seminar will kick-off with a keynote address from an end-user futurist on what's driving the IC industry, followed by presentations on industry trends and surface preparation challenges, such as nickel/platinum stripping; ash-free wet stripping of implant PR; damage-free megasonics; and particle removal for Cu/Low-K integration -- to name a few. This session will interest anyone directly or indirectly involved in managing or finding solutions for cleaning and defect removal challenges.

This not-to-be-missed USA Tour of FSI's Knowledge Services™ Seminar Series kicks off in the spring of 2006 at these unique venues:

May 23, 2006 – For the Austin Area
Austin, Texas, at the Barton Creek Art Center, Home of the One World Theatre

May 25, 2006 – For the Dallas Area
Dallas, Texas, at Southfork Ranch

June 1, 2006 – For the Northeast US Region
Lake Paltz, New York, at Mohonk Mountain House

June 6, 2006 – For the San Jose Area
San Jose, California, at the San Jose Museum of Art

June 8, 2006 – For the Northwest US Region
Forest Grove (Portland), Oregon, at McMenamins Grand Lodge

To view more information on the FSI Knowledge Services™ Seminar Series, click here