EDITOR’S CHOICE NEWS MANAGING SEMICONDUCTOR TOOL OBSOLESCENCE ARBITRARY WAVEFORM


GENERATOR FOR QUANTUM RESEARCH


When it comes to semiconductor manufacturing equipment obsolescence, there’s no good way to avoid the issue, says Owen Tangney, marketing director of Ichor Systems (pictured). With the significant expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) and MEMS markets as well as the continuation of More than Moore (MtM), the demand for devices on legacy equipment is increasing. Semiconductor fabs using this legacy equipment will inevitably lose part of their supply lines to obsolescence every year. Many Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs) put off dealing with the issues until it is too late, but there are significant drawbacks to this approach. In many cases, waiting until


obsolescence becomes a problem can have serious consequences. These include extended system downtime, lost production and potential yield loss when replacement parts are not fully engineered and tested with urgency to get the systems back to production. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment parts become obsolete when the Original Equipment


Manufacturer (OEM) discontinues making the part or servicing the systems in which is it used. This commonly occurs when the demand for such devices drops to a level that makes it unsustainable for the OEM to continue manufacturing it. Often they may also be getting pressure through the supply chain for the sub-assemblies that make up the part in question. As the devices we use become smaller and we are ever more connected through IoT and MEMS Devices, the


entire supply chain that serves semiconductor manufacturers is affected, especially the systems used in 150mm and 200mm tech nodes. Manufacturers typically have about 6-12 months to react to an end-of-life announcement on critical


components. This leads to a last time buy process in which they try to bulk up on inventory to extend the life of their production lines, but this is a temporary solution at best. In many cases the amount of inventory needed to extend equipment lifetime is simply unavailable. According to research on obsolescence challenges faced by IDMs, “a typical end of life announcement generates product orders to the Original Component Manufacturer (OCM) that cover only 60 percent of future demand for that specific part.” While the last time buy process quickly consumes the remaining inventory for an obsolete component,


there are other ways to manage end of life announcements. Some manufacturers will simply upgrade their production lines with newer equipment, but this is not cost effective in the long-term. It is only a short term fix at best, as this equipment will also have parts going obsolete early into its life cycle. Supply chain managers know that investing in new equipment every time a tool part goes obsolete is not sustainable. Alternatively, some IDMs will engage with a licensed OEM partner to develop a repair and refurbishment


program, or to develop new upgrades for their current systems. This works best when there is a wider relationship between the IDM community and the licensed OEM partner. When customers and suppliers work together on a holistic strategy to combat the obsolescence issue, everyone benefits. When they are aware of systems and parts that need to be replaced, manufacturers can work with licensed


OEM partners to re-engineer sustainable solutions without heavily investing in new equipment. These third- party partners have relationships with the OEMs and access to parts and designs that are used to tailor custom solutions and value added manufacturing. Semiconductor manufacturing systems can be updated to bypass obsolescence issues and keep working long after individual parts are discontinued. By working proactively with suppliers, semiconductor fabs can successfully mitigate the effects of


obsolescence. Attacking the issue head-on helps extend the lifetime of machines as well as reduce potential expense and capacity reduction. www.ichorsystems.com


A new arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) has been released by Zurich Instruments. The HDAWG is a high-density multi-channel AWG featuring a high channel density and low trigger latency (<50ns). Both the 4 and 8 channel models offer 16-bits of vertical resolution at a sampling rate of up to 2.4GSa/s and a signal bandwidth of 750MHz. The maximum output amplitude is ±5V. With the HDAWG comes LabOne, a


software package included with all the company’s instruments. It has browser- based instrument control and APIs for the most important software environments. The LabOne sequencer combines waveform and sequence definition in a single editor and enables the use of parametrised control sequence and internal oscillators. It significantly reduces the sample-based waveform definition from third party software and so minimises the waveform transfer times. In addition, the C-like sequencer language


makes it easy to define branching conditions so the user will find it much easier to stay on top of the signal generation complexity. www.zhinst.com


HIGH TEMPERATURE ADHESIVE OFFERS LONG-TERM BOND FOR OIL AND GAS APPLICATIONS


offers a high bond strength after long-term aging (1,000 hours at 250o (also 250o


C) and at temperature C), as well as having good temperature


stability and thermal and chemical resistance. Eamonn Redmond, Sales Manager, says: “Many


applications now require adhesives that can survive high temperatures and still bond well. In the oil & gas sector, for example, product extraction temperatures can be over 200o


C. In


the automotive sector, several fluids are used which can compromise bond integrity.” In tests this solution demonstrated a bond


strength (compression shear strength on ceramics) of 43MPa when tested at room temperature. After 500 hours at 250o


Inseto is now offering DELO MONOPOX HT760 from DELO Industrial Adhesives. Ideal for a variety of automotive, aerospace and oil & gas sector applications, this solution is a high temperature, heat-cured anhydride adhesive. It


6 WINTER 2017 | MICROMATTERS C, 12MPa at 220o C, cooling


and subsequent increases in temperature the test results were: 52MPa at room temperature, 15MPa at 200o 250o


C and almost 10MPa at


C. Also, in compression shear strength tests - FR4 on FR4 after 20 minute of curing at 150o


C,


subsequent cooling and exposure to typical automotive fluids - the following results were produced: 47MPa for diesel, 44MPa for petrol and 43MPa for ATF gear oil. Unlike most specialist adhesives for harsh


environment industrial applications, this adhesive can be ordered in minimum order quantities as low as 200g; supplied as four 50g syringes. Redmond notes: “All adhesives have a finite


shelf life so ordering large quantities can prove wasteful in the long-run. At Inseto, we are committed to working with all customers to understand their processes and supply them with made-to-order adhesives in suitable quantities and at optimum intervals. “Also, our relationship with DELO is such that


we frequently get involved in specifying changes to the chemistry of some adhesives for bespoke applications.” https://www.inseto.co.uk/adhesives.php


/MICROMATTERS


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