Oxford Instruments launches Atomfab®: High volume ALD manufacturing solution for GaN power device passivation

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) has today launched a revolutionary plasma Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) high volume manufacturing (HVM) solution delivering a step change needed to address fundamental challenges in the GaN power device industry.

Gallium nitride devices are enabling the next generation of efficient power electronic devices for applications such as compact consumer power supplies, 5G networks, electric vehicles and renewable energy conversion.

GaN devices are more efficient and higher performance than current technologies, however there are manufacturing yield and scalability challenges. These need to be addressed to deliver reliable devices at a competitive cost.

One of the key challenges is a consistently high-quality gate passivation, Atomfab delivers this solution with high throughput and low Cost of Ownership (CoO). 

• Performance: Excellent passivation and dielectric properties enable the demanding device performance critical for key applications.
• Plasma: Remote plasma delivers a reproducible GaN interface. Atomfab precisely controls the plasma to protect the underlying sensitive GaN substrate.
• Pace: High throughput delivered by a high deposition rate process on a high uptime HVM platform specifically developed for GaN power applications.

The significantly reduced cost per wafer that Atomfab delivers is enabled by numerous technical innovations including a patent pending revolutionary fast remote plasma source.

Atomfab fulfils the customer needs on a single wafer platform with SEMI standard cluster configurations and improved process controls for the latest compound semiconductor solutions.

“Atomfab provides many key benefits to our GaN device manufacturing customers including significant CoO reduction, increased yield and excellent film quality & device performance. For many years Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology has been known as the go to supplier for compound semiconductor plasma solutions. We’ve leveraged that knowledge onto a HVM platform to ensure optimum devices are produced all day, every day”, says Klaas Wisniewski, Strategic Business Development Director, OIPT.

Mike Gansser-Potts, Managing Director, OIPT states: “We’ve been highly commended for our unique plasma ALD solutions and have listened to our HVM customers to take these solutions to the next level. We are happy to announce that Atomfab provides these HVM solutions to our customers”. 

For more information on Atomfab please visit Plasma.oxinst.com/Atomfab

Additional Information:

Whitepaper: "Atomic Layer Deposition and Atomic Layer Etching for GaN Power Electronics"(LINK)

Blog: "5 Ways ALD Can Benefit GaN Devices" (LINK).

Oxford Instruments wins contract to supply cryogenic systems to The Institute of Physics-Chinese Academy of Sciences

Oxford Instruments PLC (LON:OXIG) has fought off competition from around the world to supply its cryogenic and superconducting magnet systems to a renowned Chinese research institute. Multiple systems will be installed at the Institute of Physics-Chinese Academy of Sciences' new facility in Beijing through 2020 and 2021. The technology will allow researchers to test materials at extremely low temperatures and different magnetic field strengths. 

 

Oxford returns to annual profit Oxford, which was spun out from the University of Oxford back in the 60s, has previously supplied several bits of its technology to IOP-CAS's other labs. "This is an excellent example of the growth we are seeing from customers involved in Physical Science Research and Quantum Technologies where our key enabling technologies and advanced solutions enable fundamental research and accelerate our customers applied R&D," said chief executive Ian Barkshire. "We are delighted to be the provider of choice to the renowned Institute of Physics in Beijing. This underlines Oxford Instruments' status as a world leader in state-of-the art technology solutions that create unique environments and enable measurements down to the molecular and atomic level." Shares were unmoved on Friday morning at 1,020p.

 

 

 

Source: Proactive Investors LINK

Oxford Instruments Partners ITRI for Micro LED Development with Plasma Etch Solutions

[LED Inside, LINK] Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) announced that it has worked with Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) by providing multiple PlasmaPro 100 systems including both etch and deposition for ITRI’s Micro LED R&D program.

 

 

The PlasmaPro 100 ICP process solutions are designed to support leading edge device applications such as Lasers, RF, Power and advanced LEDs.

The semi equipment market will contract 2019 but grow 20.7 percent to reach an all-time high 2020

TOKYO – December 12, 2018 – Releasing its Year-End Total Equipment Forecast at the annual SEMICON Japan exposition, SEMI, the global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing supply chain, today reported that worldwide sales of new semiconductor manufacturing equipment are projected to increase 9.7 percent to $62.1 billion in 2018, exceeding the historic high of $56.6 billion set last year. The equipment market is expected to contract 4.0 percent in 2019 but grow 20.7 percent to reach $71.9 billion, an all-time high. [Source: SEMI LINK] 

 

For 2019, SEMI forecasts that South Korea, China, and Taiwan will remain the top three markets, with all three regions maintaining their relative rankings. Equipment sales in South Korea is forecast to reach $13.2 billion, in China $12.5 billion, and in Taiwan $11.81 billion. Japan, Taiwan and North America are the only regions expected to experience growth next year. The growth picture is much more optimistic in 2020, with all regional markets expected to increase in 2020, with the market increasing the most in Korea, followed by China, and Rest of World [Source: SEMI LINK]

After a period of record growth in 2017-18, the semiconductor equipment industry is expected to face a slowdown in 2019. Logic is strong but memory is weak, and the trade issues between the United States and China are a cause for concern. According to a report in Semiengineering (LINK), heading into 2019, there is a shortfall of 200 mm equipment. The industry requires from 2,000-3,000 new or refurbished 200 mm tools to meet fab demand, according to SurplusGlobal. But there are only 500 available 200 mm tools on the market, according to the company. 200 mm tool prices will remain high. 300 mm tool prices are lower than 200 mm tool prices these days

 

For the ALD OEM market the situation is therefore heating up even though the. Currently the top 300 mm ALD equipment companies (ASM, TEL, Lam, Jusung, Wonik IPS, Applied Materials) does not actively support the market with pure play 200 mm products except for Large Batch Furnaces. So if you want a 200 mm single wafer ALD tool today you can buy a 300 mm tool and equip it with 200 mm handling or go to one of the smaller companies like Picosun, Veeco, Beneq, Oxford Instruments, which all have 200 mm ALD cluster products on the market today.

 

 

From presentation "ALD/CVD applications, equipment and precursors in high volume manufacturing" at SEMICON Europa 2018, available on SlideShare LINK.

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Written by Abhishekkumar Thakur and Jonas Sundqvist

 

 

 

Sino-emic Chooses Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology Etch Systems for Manufacturing Facility

Optoelectronics supplier Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) has announced that Sino-emic has selected OIPT's Cobra plasma etch systems for their manufacturing facilities in Taizhou City, China.Sino-semic, the first all-Chinese developer and manufacturer of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for face recognition, noted that process capability and local support were key factors in their decision to adopt the high-performance inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch Cobra systems.

"We chose Oxford Instruments to supply our ICP etch equipment because they offer cutting edge plasma processing systems and unrivalled process support, which will be invaluable to us during our production scheme," said Li Jun, vice general manager at Sino-semic. 

The Cobra process solutions are designed to support device applications such as lasers, radio frequency, power, and advanced LEDs."VCSEL based devices are entering another exciting phase of growth," said Richard Pollard, managing director at OIPT. "We are thrilled to be providing our VCSEL processing solutions to a pioneering production manufacturer such as Sino-semic."Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology offers flexible, configurable process tools and processes for the precise, controllable, and repeatable engineering of micro- and nano-structures.

Source: LINK

The PlasmaPro 100 range of etch and deposition tools can be fitted with a variety of substrate electrodes, enabling processes over a wide temperature range. They offer a 200mm platform with single wafer and multi-wafer batch capability. The process modules offer excellent uniformity, high throughput and high precision processes.[source Oxford Instruments LINK]

Oxford Instruments swings back into profit

Oxford Instruments swung back to a profit in the year to the end of March 2018, driven by a strong performance from its materials and characterisation business and favourable currency movements.
Pre-tax profit came in at £34.2m versus a loss of £26.2m in 2017, although revenue slipped 1.1% to £296.9m.

Meanwhile, reported orders were up 5% to £313m, or 5.8% higher at constant currency, while net debt fell to £19.7m from £109.3m thanks to good operating cash flow and proceeds from the sale of Industrial Analysis.

Adjusted basic earnings per share rose 35.7% to 56.3p and the full-year dividend was lifted 2.3% to 13.3p a share.

The company, which provides high-technology products and systems for industry and research, saw good growth in the early implementation of its Horizon Strategy and a strong financial performance across materials & characterisation, driven by leading product portfolio and customer applications focus in growing markets.

It also saw a good second half performance in research & discovery, which was offset by a weaker first half, while profit and margin growth in the service & healthcare division was driven by services relating to its own products.

Chief executive Ian Barkshire said: "We have made good progress in the year with the early implementation of the Horizon strategy, which was introduced in May 2017.

"We have positioned the group to become a leading provider of high technology products and services to the world's leading industrial companies and scientific research communities to image, analyse and manipulate materials down to the atomic and molecular level. Our chosen end markets remain robust and, combined with our customer applications focus and improved core capabilities, provide strong long-term drivers for future growth and margin improvement."

OIPT delivers record number of integrated ‘Lab to Fab’ solutions

[Semiconductor Today] UK-based plasma etch and deposition processing system maker Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) is celebrating a year of delivering a record number of integrated solutions, enabling customers to rapidly commercialize semiconductor devices, developed using Oxford Instruments ‘Lab to Fab’ solutions.

Oxford Instruments says that many of its customers are now converting their research into commercially available devices. The key to success is to transfer the results achieved in development and pilot facilities, and repeat them every day, every month in the fabrication facility, notes the firm. OIPT reckons that, due to its installed base of R&D tools, it is ideally placed to offer this ‘Lab to Fab’ solution. 

 

“We’ve shipped over 600 of our high-technology process modules to leading production facilities and, with an increasing demand from the optoelectronics, power and other leading markets, our plasma process solutions are being utilized globally to achieve excellent device performance and throughput,” says OIPT’s sales & marketing director Paul Davies.

 

Semiconductor Today LINK

 

 

Solid State Laser manufacturer Lasertel Inc. purchases Oxford Instruments ICPCVD

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology announce that Lasertel Inc of Arizona, US have recently purchased one of their advanced inductively coupled plasma chemical vapour deposition (ICPCVD) systems for the manufacture of Solid State Lasers (SSL).

Source: AZoM LINK

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology announces a new partner in Korea

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology is delighted to announce that it has signed an Agent Agreement with Woowon Technology Co. Ltd. in Korea. Woowon, established in 1990, are experts in the semiconductor industry, offering a wealth of experience to customers engaged in the development and manufacture of Semiconductor, LED, Solar Energy and MEMS devices.

Source : Nanotechnology Now (LINK)

Oxford Instruments using NPL's non-destructive quality control method to commercialize wafer-scale fabrication of 2D molybdenum disulphide

UK-based Oxford Instruments says that a world-first non-destructive quality control method developed by the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has enabled it to commercialize wafer-scale fabrication technology for the two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting material molybdenum disulphide (MoS2)...

Source: Semiconductor Today LINK

 

 

Introducing the FlexAL-2D the ALD Plasma Processing System for 2D Materials

Oxford Instruments’ ALD and 2D technical specialists have teamed up with Eindhoven University of Technology research teams to develop the innovative FlexAL-2D for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides for nanodevice applications.

Source: AZoNano LINK

 

Oxford Instruments are promoting a cluster tool for Atomic Scale Processing

Oxford Instruments are promoting a cluster tool for Atomic Scale Processing including the metrology tools to analyze and monitor these processes:

• Atomic Layer Deposition (ALDep)
• Atomic Layer Etch (ALEt)
• 2D growth by high temperature Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD)

Metrology:

• Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) 
• Raman Spectroscopy.

The technology exists to make these layers and Plasma Technology has these tools and is uniquely able to cluster them all on a single tool (LINK).