Carl Zeiss makes headway in China
SMIC, one of the largest foundries in mainland China, has placed an order with Carl Zeiss for a tool bundle for qualification, repair and metrology of photomasks
The Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), headquartered in Shanghai,has purchased multiple systems for photomask verification, repair and metrology systems.
The company has bought the tools from Carl Zeiss Semiconductor Metrology Systems (SMS) Division, a supplier of photomask metrology and manufacturing equipment. SMIC will apply the tools as economic solutions for their mask services.
"This step is strategically very important for Carl Zeiss SMS as the semiconductor market in China is still on an emerging path.," says Oliver Kienzle, CEO of Carl Zeiss SMS GmbH.
SMIC purchased an AIMS system for qualifying photomasks for the advanced node and beyond. To repair the detected defects SMIC will use the ZEISS MeRiT MG system, which allows high end mask repair based on an advanced e-beam mask repair platform.
New to the SMIC production line will be the metrology tool PROVE, which will be applied for high performance image placement measurements.
SMIC provides integrated circuit (IC) foundry and technology services at 0.35µm to 40nm.
