CASE STUDIES: Semiconductor
1. Wafer Film Frame Handling for Laser Dicing System
The dramatic growth of the HBLED market created an opportunity for laser companies to meet the need for increasing wafer dicing throughput, reducing costs, and displacing the competitor’s mechanical dicing technology. However, capitalizing on the opportunity required them to hit the market window with a fully automated solution including wafer film frame handling on an extremely expedited schedule.
2. Bonded Wafer and Metrology Defect Review System
Olympus-ITA had developed a revolutionary confocal IR laser scanning microscopy technology for measuring bonded wafer parameters of 3D stacked ICs. To capitalize on their innovative technology, Olympus-ITA needed to rapidly integrate their technology in a 300mm fully automated platform.
3. Wafer Vacuum Metrology Platform (Modular)
New metrology technology needed to be implemented in a cost effective, modular architecture that met the highest standards for semiconductor factory automation.
4. Micro4PP Metrology Automation Platform
Capres A/S had developed a revolutionary microscopic Four-Point Probe but needed to provide a 300mm fab ready system. This is a complex undertaking that would have diverted critical resources. Capres A/S chose Owens Design as their development and manufacturing partner to provide a complete solution to their customers.
5. MEMS Dual Sided Metrology
A critical requirement in the field of MEMS is patterning both sides of a semiconductor wafer. Owens Design developed a metrology system to measure front-to-back registration to sub-micron accuracy.
6. Wafer Macro Defect Inspection Module
One of the largest manufacturers of factory automation systems needed to respond quickly to a sales opportunity. Owens Design delivered the first unit within 12 weeks to our OEM customer.
7. Etch Process Module Cost Reduction
The tool platform had been in high volume production for a number of years and expanded with various options to remain competitive. These changes added to the overall platform cost and component count. Areas of particular interest for the cost reduction redesign included frame construction, electrical and control packaging, wire harnessing, pneumatics and cooling and heating systems.
8. Wafer Defect Review Module
Owens Design created the system architecture for the Macro Defect Inspection Module including the optical, software, and wafer staging requirements necessary to meet system performance measures. The optical system was refined through a set of image acquisition experiments to finalize selection of camera, objectives, and illumination.
9. Wafer Vacuum Metrology Platform (Cluster)
Our client needed a reliable, cost effective, high vacuum wafer automation platform designed to integrate with their measurement module. Owens Design developed the system architecture to maximize wafer throughput and determined the vacuum robot supplier, the vacuum component suppliers, and EFEM supplier.
10. Semiconductor Cleaning Automation
A leading semiconductor OEM needed to rapidly introduce their highly advanced cleaning/drying technology into the marketplace.
11. Wafer CO2 Cleaning Automation
Our Client's dry cleaning technology utilizes CO2 for removing particulate and organic contamination. Owens Design developed a multi-axis stage mechanism, CO2 controls, and nozzle control. The cleaning chamber was designed in close collaboration with Our Client's computational fluids modeling engineers.
12. Wafer Probe Automation Platform
A leading OEM of nanotechnology instrumentation needed to automate a critical step in the sample preparation process. The technology required ultra-precise wafer positioning, tight positional stability, and handling of micron sized samples on a 300mm SEMI compliant platform.
13. 300mm Semiconductor Load Port
One of the top 3 automation providers to the semiconductor industry required a 300 mm load port to remain competitive in the fab automation marketplace.
14. Semiconductor Vacuum Wafer Transfer Robot
One of the top 3 automation providers to the semiconductor industry required cost reduction of their vacuum transfer robot to remain competitive in the fab automation marketplace.
15. Semiconductor Process Tool - Gas Waste Abatement System
A leading manufacturer of semiconductor process (PVD/CVD) gas waste abatement systems was faced with upgrading one of their existing mature systems.
16. Cleanroom Operator Interface
Client’s first effort at outsourcing operator interface failed jeopardizing product launch. Owens redesigned unit to meet customer’s marketing requirementsand delivered prototype units in 10 weeks.
17. CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) Tool
In the center of a CMP tool is a set of upper and lower head load modules. These mechanisms are used to load and unload wafers on to the polishing gimbal head.
18. Wafer Bonding System
A leading OEM of wafer bonding equipment needed to rapidly implement their next generation bonding process technology into a 300 mm wafer platform.
