Altatech 300 mm CVD system used in 3D IC pilot production at ASSID

MONTBONNOT, FRANCE: All Silicon System Integration Dresden (ASSID), a leading-edge microelectronic wafer-level packaging and system integration center operated by the Fraunhofer IZM Institute, has begun pilot-line production of 3D semiconductor devices using a single-wafer, multi-chamber AltaCVD 300 system from Altatech Semiconductor S.A.

At Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID's 970-square-meter cleanroom facility in Dresden, Altatech's 300 mm CVD system is depositing conformal dielectric liners inside through silicon vias (TSV) to created advanced 3D ICs and system-in-package (SiP) devices. The TSVs being filled have aspect ratios up to 10:1 and diameters as small as 10 microns.

"With Altatech's excellent support, their AltaCVD 300 tool gives us the flexibility to deposit dielectric films with both high-pressure CVD and PECVD, enabling us to integrate the various layers of our 3D devices," said M. Jurgen Wolf, manager of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID. "We're achieving excellent quality in film conformality, uniformity and integrity at low processing temperatures below 400°C."

Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID is developing enhanced 3D integration, assembly and interconnection technologies to enable the heterogeneous integration of different chip functionalities within a single packaged device. The advantages of multi-function 3D semiconductor devices include faster communication between device layers, reduced power consumption and smaller chip footprints. These characteristics enable greater processing performance in different application areas such as mobile electronics, image and security applications.

"After previously releasing our advanced CVD systems for front-end and memory processing, we are now delivering deposition tools for TSV isolation and conductive layers," said Jean-Luc Delcarri, president of Altatech Semiconductor. "The AltaCVD system's performance in low-temperature processing and its ability to accommodate both 200 mm and 300 mm wafers without changing the hardware within the chamber is generating great market acceptance among both R&D facilities and commercial semiconductor manufacturers."