Jul 11 2006
Semiconductor manufacturers who need to improve productivity and performance in operations such as cleaning and soldering can work with BOC to develop cost-effective solutions tailored to improve quality, reliability and yield.
BOC has partnered with Shinko Seiki, a leading supplier of plasma and vacuum soldering systems in Japan, to assist chip manufacturers with void-free and flux-free advanced solder bumping. BOC has added Shinko Seiki's hydrogen plasma reflow technology to its BOC N-Flow line of lead-free soldering solutions. The new technology provides a truly flux-free soldering process for system-in-package applications and other processes involving wafer bumping, flip chip attach and ball grid array.
"Today's devices have an increasing number of connections that require solder bumps. This, combined with shrinking component size, makes it harder for chip manufacturers to remove the flux residue around the solder bumps using traditional wet cleaning processes. The hydrogen plasma reflow process eliminates the need for flux and produces void-free solder bumping and reliable attachment of flip chips," said Kok Whee Teo, vice president, global electronics market sector, BOC.
The system, available only through BOC, is offered to customers around the world as a modular or standalone option. Trials and tests can be arranged by contacting BOC. BOC representatives will be available in booth #729 at Semicon West in San Francisco's Moscone Center, July 10-14 to discuss BOC's lead-free soldering capabilities in more detail.
In addition, representatives from Livermore, California,-based Eco-Snow Systems, a division of BOC, Inc., will be available to discuss the company's dry, carbon dioxide snow-based wafer cleaning processes and tools.
For stripping high dose, implanted resist, Eco-Snow has developed a unique process that combines dry CO2 cleaning with conventional wet cleaning methods. This process delivers several advantages over plasma ashing, the current method of removing resist.
"Plasma ashing promotes oxide growth, which reduces current conduction in the transistor. As transistor sizes shrink, so does the amount of allowable oxide growth. The Eco-Snow technology eliminates oxide growth and subsequent silicon loss in the source/drain extensions and junction modules," said Joe Clark, general manager, Eco-Snow.
The process is conducted in a new 300 millimeter cleaning tool called WaferClean 3600, available in modular or standalone configurations for easy integration within customers' manufacturing processes. "The damage-free particle removal process can also be used for photo mask, MRAM, MEMS, compound and back-end assemblies, such as imaging devices. It can be used to supplement or supplant existing wet cleaning operations," Clark said.
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