Chinese supplier shifts to 300mm with SPTS' etch tool
The move to 300mm strengthens the major customer's position in the rapidly growing CMOS image sensor market
SPTS Technologies has announced that a leading Chinese wafer level packaging (WLP) supplier to the electronics industry has selected the Omega fxP Etch System.
The system will be used for cost-effective through silicon via (TSV) processing of 300mm wafers for CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) applications.
"The global CMOS image sensor market continues to experience solid growth, driven by consumer demand for products such as mobile devices and autos," says Dave Thomas, etch marketing director at SPTS.
"However, for customers to gain market leadership and remain competitive in a cost-sensitive industry, they must embrace new technologies, processes and wafer formats. Having achieved excellent throughput and high quality yields with our 200mm silicon etch tools, the customer chose our Omega fxP as their etch platform of choice in their move to 300mm," Thomas adds.
The Omega fxP 300mm etch system has the flexibility to address multiple processes for advanced packaging applications including tapered via/ trench etching as well as blanket etching for stress relief post grinding and etch overhang control. The system also incorporates in-situ endpoint for controlling wafer-to-wafer variability and improving yields.
Thomas concludes, "Our customers are taking a leading role in the migration to 300mm WLP, and we are very pleased to be supporting one of the first CIS suppliers in China to move to the larger wafer format."
SPTS will be speaking about its range of etch, deposition and thermal processing solutions for advanced packaging applications at the upcoming 12th Annual Conference on China Semiconductor Packaging, Testing & Marketing. The event is taking place from 4th to 6th June, 2014 at Chongqing International Exhibition Centre, Chongqing, China.
