EMC-3D Consortium Created for the Development of Cost-Effective 3D Thru-Silicon-Via Interconnect


SALZBURG, Austria, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EMC-3D is a new consortium created to address the technical and cost issues of creating 3D interconnects using TSV technology for chip stacking and MEMS/sensors packaging. Several major equipment manufactures have joined with material companies to work with key research groups to address the issues of cost-effective manufacturing and integration. Equipment companies initiating the consortium are Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA), EV Group, Semitool (NASDAQ:SMTL) and XSiL.

Associate research members include Fraunhofer IZM, SAIT (Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology), KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) and TAMU (Texas A&M University). Material members include Rohm and Haas, Honeywell, Enthone, and AZ with wafer service support from Isonics (NASDAQ:ISON).

The consortium will develop processes for creating micro vias between 5 and 30um on thinned 50um 300mm wafers using both via-first and via-last techniques. Major processes being integrated into the EMC-3D program are via etch and laser drill, insulator/barrier/seed deposition, micro via patterning with RDL capabilities, high aspect ratio Cu plating, carrier bonding, sequential wafer thinning, backside insulator/barrier/seed deposition, backside lithography, backside contact metal plating, chip-to-wafer placement and attach, and dicing. In addition, wafer-to-wafer attach, dicing and de-bonding will also be demonstrated. Cost of ownership goal for the integrated 3D process is $200usd per wafer.

About EMC-3D (or EMC3D)

EMC3D (Semiconductor 3D Equipment and Materials Consortium) was created in September 2006 to develop a new 3D market and technology by demonstrating a cost-effective, manufacturable, stackable TSV interconnection process. TSV processes will be developed for chip integration and MEMS/sensor packaging that are based on plated metal electrodes and thinned wafers. For more information, see www.EMC3D.org.

Contacts for EMC3D Members include:

Equipment Members:

Alcatel, France; (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) Jean-Marc Gruffat, Director of Business Development

Technology: Si and dielectric etching using DRIE
EV Group, Austria; Thorsten Matthias, Director of Technology North America
Technology: bonding, thin wafer handling, mask alignment lithography,
conformal coat and develop
Semitool Inc, USA; (NASDAQ:SMTL), Bioh Kim, Director of 3D Interconnect
Technology: electroplating, metal/barrier etch, photoresist strip,
wafer cleaning and thinning

XSiL Ltd, Ireland; Richard F. Toftness, Vice President of Business Development

Technology: Si laser machining, via drilling, and wafer dicing
Isonics Corp, USA; (NASDAQ:ISON) Kim Bell, Director of Sales
Technology: wafer service (reclaim and test wafers, wafer thinning,
and thick-film SOI wafers)

Materials Members:
AZ Electronic Materials, USA; Aldo Orsi, Global Product Manager
Technology: positive and negative acting photoresists

Enthone (Cookson Electronics), USA; Kristian Story, Key Account and Regional Line Manager

Technology: chemistry for electroplating and metal etch

Honeywell Electronic Materials, USA; (NYSE:HON) Brian Larabee, Strategic Marketing Director

Technology: thermal spreaders, thermal interface materials, and
electrical interconnect products
Rohm and Haas, USA; Bob Forman, Advanced Packaging Business Manager
Technology: chemistry for lithography, plating, etching, dielectric
formation, and bonding

Technology Members:
Fraunhofer IZM, Germany; Jurgen Wolf, Group and Project Manager

KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Korea; Dr. Kyung-Wook Paik, Professor

SAIT (Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology), Korea; Dr. Yoon-Chul Sohn, Researcher

TAMU (Texas A&M University), USA; Dr. Manuel Soriaga, Professor

Source: Semitool, Inc.

CONTACT: Paul Siblerud, Vice President of Semitool Inc.,
+1-406-752-2107, psiblerud@semitool.com; or Geoff High of Pfeiffer High
Investor Relations, Inc., +1-303-393-7044, ir@semitool.com, for Semitool, Inc.

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