Axus Technology, an Arizona-based supplier of CMP and wafer thinning equipment and process services, has announced an agreement with the Fraunhofer IZM and Fraunhofer CNT technology centers, located in Dresden, Germany, that will provide advanced 300mm process development and foundry services for North American customers.  

This exclusive arrangement is currently focused on process and metrology services for CMP, substrate thinning, and related process technologies for 300mm wafers, with additional processes being offered in the future.

As part of the agreement, Axus Technology will provide local process support to North American customers, defining the foundry or development work to be provided, and work directly with Fraunhofer engineering teams to complete the processing.  

The Fraunhofer facilities offer state-of-the-art process capability along with high-level engineering expertise.  Utilizing the Fraunhofer IZM and Fraunhofer CNT capabilities will now allow 300mm customers in North America to take advantage of the advanced equipment, technology, and level of expertise resident at these sites.

Process services range from the routine processing of small batches of 300mm wafers, detailed design and development services, through foundry processing of production lots of material. CMP process work will be accomplished in both facilities using Applied Materials Reflexion LK 300mm CMP tools, as well as the extensive metrology capabilities, ranging from defectivity analysis and film thickness measurements, through detailed analytical techniques, including various microscopy, spectroscopy and X-ray analysis tools.

The Axus Technology development and foundry facility delivers process services for a range of substrates and film technologies for diameters of 200mm down to die-size samples. This arrangement extends process capability into the 300mm scale and capitalizes on the Fraunhofer team’s expertise in advanced manufacturing processes, especially as related to improved formfactor and 3D integration technologies. “This agreement is the result of our growing work together in CMP and wafer thinning technologies,” stated Barrie VanDevender, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Axus Technology.  “The technology experts within Fraunhofer CNT and Fraunhofer IZM deliver industry-leading expertise to the various projects they manage.  Coupled with the experience and insight of the Axus Technology engineering team, this is a very promising opportunity for us to work together for the benefit of our customers.

About Axus Technology    
The Axus Technology engineering team provides advanced technical solutions for CMP, substrate thinning, and substrate cleaning processes Along with providing parts and support services for existing tools, Axus Technology delivers economical leading-edge equipment and process solutions that are precisely configured for end-user applications.
 
Based in Chandler, Arizona, Axus Technology operations include a fully-equipped development and foundry processing facility, as well as design, manufacture, and service operations.

About Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is one of the leading organizations of applied research in Europe, undertaking contract research on behalf of industry, the service sector and government. At present, the organization maintains more than 80 research units in Germany, including 60 Fraunhofer Institutes. The majority of the more than 20,000 staff are qualified scientists and engineers, who work with an annual research budget of €1.8 billion. 

• Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM is a world leading research facility in microelectronics and microsystem packaging development. The IZM-ASSID (All Silicon System Integration Dresden) facility houses is a fully equipped and staffed 300 mm process line that supports for 3D wafer level system integration and advanced packaging development.
• Fraunhofer Center Nanoelectronic Technologies CNT develops advanced 300 mm process solutions for Front-End and Back-End-of Line applications on state-of-the-art process- and analytical equipment. Research is focused on process development enabling 300 mm production, innovative materials and its integration into Systems (SoC / SiP) as well as Nanopatterning through Ebeam Litho.