IR purchases multiple NEXX Systems PVD tools for power device manufacturing

BILLERICA, USA: NEXX Systems, a leading provider of processing equipment for advanced wafer-level packaging applications, announced that International Rectifier (IR), a world leader in power management, purchased multiple Apollo, physical vapor deposition (PVD) system for IR's Newport, Wales fab. The Apollo will help introduce IR's next-generation power devices, including Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs).

In November IR qualified an Apollo tool and placed another order for a PVD System. Alain Charles, VP of Technology Development at IR, commented: “We are excited to collaborate with NEXX Systems to create cutting edge advanced packaging technologies unavailable in the marketplace. International Rectifier invests years of research and development to offer their customers a product platform built on highly reliable and proven consumer grade DirectFET products.”

Didier Andre, NEXX Systems’ director of European Sales, said: “International Rectifier bought the tool for its flexible competitive advantage. Not only is the Apollo one of the few tools that can handle extremely thin wafers (50μm – 200μm), but it also permits wafer size conversions, during production, in under an hour.”

This customer will take advantage of the Apollo’s backside metallization capabilities to produce the emerging technology thin, insulated gate bipolar transistor wafers (IGBT) known for their ability to handle higher currents than ever before.

Apollo’s Bernoulli wafer handling system is perfect for thin wafers because it moves them on a processing tray in an atmospheric environment. The Apollo is differentiated from most sputtering systems by its unique capability to handle thin wafers, bowed wafers, and several distinctive wafer shapes, with high temperature, anneal capabilities.