Lam Research ships 3,000th single-wafer spin clean process module

FREMONT, USA: Lam Research Corp., a major supplier of semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment and services, has shipped the 3,000th single-wafer SEZ spin clean technology process module to a leading DRAM manufacturer.

This DV-Prime wet clean system will be used for multiple applications, including cleaning high-aspect-ratio structures (up to 40:1). The system was selected for its multi-chemistry flexibility and advanced capabilities, including new drying technology that minimizes collapse of fragile features. Shipment of this 3,000th spin clean module continues Lam’s leadership in maintaining the largest installed base of single-wafer wet clean modules.

“We are extremely proud of the continued success of our spin clean products as highlighted by this 3,000th shipment,” said Jeff Marks, vice president and general manager, Clean Product Group, Lam Research. “This milestone shipment demonstrates customer confidence in the advanced capability delivered by recent innovations in our spin clean design.”

First introduced over 20 years ago, Lam’s single-wafer SEZ spin clean technology pioneered the industry transition from batch to single-wafer wet processing and is widely used in back-end-of-the-line applications.

With recent design advances – including improved particle removal efficiency, new drying technology, and higher throughput – spin technology is now being used by customers for several critical front-end-of-the-line (FEOL) applications. These include gate module cleans, pre-cleans, photoresist strip, and silicide cleans, where the numerous materials involved require significant process and chemistry flexibility.

“All of our recently shipped FEOL spin clean modules are configured with multiple chemistries,” added Marks, “and customers are reporting that we provide greater flexibility in chemical management on our spin clean platforms than our competitors.”

Lam’s spin technology is used in a broad range of applications, including particle, polymer, and residue removal; substrate thinning; photoresist removal; and backside and bevel cleaning. It is also well-suited for several critical FEOL and middle-of-the-line applications, where new capabilities deliver advanced performance specifications, increased productivity, and a lower cost of ownership.

Together, the company’s spin wet clean, linear wet clean, and plasma bevel clean products provide a diverse single-wafer clean product portfolio that addresses a wide range of current and future wafer cleaning challenges.