Avantor Performance Materials to present at SEMATECH Surface Preparation and Cleaning conference

PHILLIPSBURG, USA: Avantor Performance Materials (formerly, Mallinckrodt Baker) director of Marketing, Electronics Division, John Bubel, will present a poster on the importance of collaboration among tool builders, chemistry suppliers and fab operators in electronics manufacturing at the SEMATECH Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference (SPCC), March 21–23, 2011, in Austin, TX.

In “Strategies for Reducing Costs of Semiconductor Surface Preparation Processes: A New Collaboration Model,” Bubel proposes that semiconductor manufacturers, tool builders and chemistry suppliers work together more closely to develop optimized solutions that fulfill customer process requirements for the development of new technology nodes.

When currently confronted with challenges for wet-etch, photoresist strip and residue removal processes, chemistry suppliers and tool builders often work separately on new formulations and tool development, causing more time spent in rework and increasing costs. Bubel’s poster demonstrates how solving problems with suppliers as if they were members of the device maker’s own team can decrease the inefficiencies caused by working independently.

Through collaboration, the fab operators, chemistry suppliers and tool builders could eliminate extra wafer runs, reduce process ramp and reduce ramp costs. In his discussion, Bubel will detail a successful case study in which Avantor collaborated with a device manufacturer processing 200mm wafers in the 0.25µm technology node.

“I look forward to sharing our technological successes with other leaders in the semiconductor manufacturing industry,” Bubel said. “Avantor hopes to build upon this achievement with even more collaborative projects, resulting in successful solutions as new technology nodes are developed.”

Avantor manufactures and markets high-performance chemistries and materials around the world under several respected brand names, including J.T.Baker, Macron, Rankem and Diagnova. Avantor products are used around the world in a wide range of industries including biotechnology and pharmaceutical production; electronics and photovoltaic manufacturing; and in research, academic and quality control laboratories.

SPCC is an annual event which brings together prominent researchers from the semiconductor industry and the university community to focus on the current developments and ITRS challenges in advanced wafer and mask cleaning and surface preparation technologies for the 16nm node and beyond.