NEXX Licenses Alchimer’s Coating Technology
Alchimer SA (Paris) said it has licensed its eG ViaCoat product for creating conformal copper seed layers for through-silicon via (TSV) applications to NEXX Systems Inc. (Billerica, Mass.), a maker of electroplating tools. The partnership allows the combination of 300 mm tooling with the optimized chemistry and recipes used in the eG ViaCoat for copper seed deposition.
Laura Peters, Editor-in-Chief -- Semiconductor International, 10/8/2008 11:07:00 AM
Alchimer SA (Paris) announced today it has licensed its eG ViaCoat product for creating conformal copper seed layers for through-silicon via (TSV) applications to NEXX Systems Inc. (Billerica, Mass.), a maker of electroplating tools. “Several customers really wanted to see our technology in a 300 mm environment,” said Steve Lerner, Alchimer CEO.
The partnership with NEXX allows the combination of 300 mm tooling with the optimized chemistry and recipes used in the eG ViaCoat for copper seed deposition. Scientists and engineers will also provide continuous support by characterizing and customizing the process for a wide variety of barrier layer materials in addition to copper seed. The process is currently optimized for thin, conformal coat of copper seed, which adheres even to resistive barriers.
Alchimer owns some 22 patent families surrounding the organic precursor used for copper deposition, the process and the application to TSVs. “One of the big selling points is that this technology can be integrated on existing plating equipment; customers do not need to purchase new equipment,” Lerner said. A NEXX Stratus system won Semiconductor International’s Best Product award in 2007. In the future, Alchimer expects to be partnering with chemical companies as well.
