Product category:
Honing, polishing, burnishing and lapping
News Release from: Engis (UK) | Subject: Microtech CMP-D polishing system
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 03 March 2004
Compound semiconductor substrate
polishing reduced
By using the efficiency of precisely graded micron diamond in specially formulated slurries, a new process reduces costs, eases cleaning and works extremely hard and chemical resisting materials.
As a result of Engis Corporation's pioneering work on high-technology polishing systems, Engis UK is delighted to be able to offer its customers a completely new process for the surface planarization and polishing of high quality compound semiconductor substrates and other difficult-to-machine materials By using the efficiency of precisely graded micron diamond in specially formulated slurries, the new Engis Microtech CMP-D polishing systems reduce production costs, improve throughput, ease cleaning and are effective for use with extremely hard and chemical resisting materials
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 8 Jan 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Microtech range can be used to replace and/or augment costly traditional CMP polishing.
Engis Microtech CMP-D polishing systems have been designed to be effective on materials such as sapphire, silicon carbide, III - V nitrides and other substrate materials used for MEMS and nanotechnology applications.
The Microtech products offer three major benefits over traditional polishing methods: firstly, overall productivity is increased through shorter cycle times and faster material removal rates.
Further reading
Cooling nozzles boost grinding performance
Cooling system reduces coolant consumption, increases stock removal efficiency, extends grinding wheel life and provides enhanced surface finish characteristics.
Diamond compounds provide more surface coverage
Diamond compounds, specifically designed for mould polishing, provide more surface coverage and improved impregnation of lapping tools. The products are also oil soluble.
One-stop lapping and polishing consumables shop
Engis (UK is now able to offer customers a one-stop shop for high quality lapping and polishing supply solutions.
Secondly consumables costs are reduced, due to lower slurry consumption, and can lead to the elimination of polishing pads and CMP colloids.
Thirdly, the cleaning process is made much easier, quicker and less toxic, because the slurries do not require acid cleaning.
Furthermore, unlike colloids, the slurries do not "set up" on the wafers, a problem which is the cause of a considerable proportion of wafer returns.
Sapphire is the most commonly used substrate for III-V deposition due to its low cost and transparency and its high wear resistance and strength, making it ideal for many mechanical applications in aggressive environments.
Its increasing use is pushing costs of production downwards and the material is now approaching silicon wafer standards.
Current Sapphire processing usually consists of a multi-step process with the inclusion of a long CMP operation, at the end of which cleaning with Hydrochloric Acid is required.
As well as being time consuming the process uses a large number of consumables, including: B4C slurry, diamond slurry, copper plate, colloidal silica and polishing pads.
The Engis CMP-D sapphire process by comparison can save up to a massive 75% of the conventional cycle time, at the end of which cleaning is done in an environmentally friendly ultrasonic bath and the only consumables used are a grinding wheel, two diamond slurries and two composite plates.
In conclusion, the Engis CMP-D uses less expensive consumables and fewer of them, requires less processing time and makes final cleaning much easier.
The CMP-D slurries require less waste management and the Engis CMP-D products reduce operator exposure to hazardous materials, both major factors in today's environmentally and H and S conscious manufacturing situation.
Similar benefits are obtainable when working with Silicon Carbide, primarily known as a blue LED substrate, and ideally suitable for high temperature, high power, harsh environment MEMS and IC applications, and also with the III-V Nitrides, the newest generation of semiconductor substrates.
These materials are extremely difficult to grow in bulk and are currently deposited on SiC or Sapphire substrates in commercial applications, being extremely brittle and inert and difficult to machine and polish to epitaxial grade finishes.
Some GaN growers are already using diamond processes, but the Engis CMP-D process is not only much faster, it also produces a better Rt level than the methods that are currently being used.
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