Rohm And Haas Unveils New Pad Products For Advanced CMP Applications

CMP Technologies' New Manufacturing Processes and Pads Improve Customers' Defectivity Levels, Polishing Tool Productivity and Ultimately CoO

Phoenix - Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, CMP Technologies, a leader and innovator in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) technology for the global semiconductor industry, introduced a number of new products in two different product lines. The company unveiled several new additions to its VisionPad line of polishing pads as well as a new series of IC1000 pads known as IC1000 AT series pads. These additions to the product portfolio are designed to meet the demand for continuous productivity and technology improvements in CMP processes required by advanced semiconductor manufacturers and provide various options for polishing applications from 90nm through 45nm technology nodes.

Additions to the VisionPad family of CMP pads, which are designed for advanced processes, join the VisionPad VP3100 introduced in 2005. The new pads include:

• VisionPad VP3200 for Copper Barrier - an extension of its popular VP3100 pad that provides enhanced defectivity results
  
• Planarizing VisionPad for Copper Barrier - IC1000 planarization levels with improved defectivity performance
  
• EcoVision EV4000 for Copper Barrier - for unparalleled defectivity results
  
• VisionPad for STI - IC1000 planarization levels with improved defectivity performance

"The new VisionPads are ideal for both volume production and process development applications requiring world class defectivity performance, exceptional planarization levels and extended lifetime for greater tool uptime," said Cathie Markham, vice president of technology, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, CMP Technologies. "For example, the VisionPad for STI achieves a 50% reduction in defects without sacrificing planarization results and the EcoVision EV4000 achieves an order of magnitude reduction in defectivity for copper barrier processes."

In addition, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials introduced the new IC1000 AT series of polishing pads. With this new product, customers will achieve reduced defect levels and improved cost of ownership in existing high volume manufacturing processes through a variety of innovative pad features. These features include an ultra flat design to reduce break-in time, the latest in end-point technology for improved consistency, new adhesive technology for extreme process conditions, and unique groove designs to achieve longer life, edge correction and defect reduction.

"The new VisionPads and the IC1000 AT series represent the most significant pad announcement in Rohm and Haas' history and demonstrate our commitment to helping customers achieve the demanding requirements in both emerging and existing technologies," said David Ventura, director of pad marketing, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, CMP Technologies. "These products will be manufactured and supported in our new facility in Taiwan as well as our existing manufacturing site in the United States, using our six-sigma approach to quality and process control."

All of Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials' new pad products will be featured during the SEMICON Taiwan trade show (Hall 1, booth #1146). The IC1000 AT CMP pads will be commercially available in Q1 of 2007, while the new VisionPad products will be commercially available in Q4 of this year and in Q1 of 2007. The new CMP Technologies Asia Pacific Manufacturing and Technical Center is located in the Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan and is scheduled to open in December of 2006. The new pads are now available under a limited sample plan.

SOURCE: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials