IQ Aligner Selected for its UV Nanoimprint Lithography Capability
ST. FLORIAN, AUSTRIA, July 14, 2008 - EV Group, a leading
supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS,
nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, today announced that Heptagon
Micro-Optics Pte Ltd. in Singapore - a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Finnish-Swiss wafer-scale micro-optics manufacturer, Heptagon - has
purchased an advanced IQ Aligner for UV-based nanoimprint lithography
(UV-NIL).
Specifically, the IQ Aligner will be used by Heptagon for high-volume
UV-NIL patterning of microlenses for CMOS image sensors. Set to
cost-effectively enable the development of smaller, next-generation camera
modules for mobile phones, optical mice and digital cameras, among other
electronic devices, the IQ Aligner has been in production since May 2008 -
specifically for Heptagon’s high-volume, 200-mm glass wafer micro-lens
production.
The IQ Aligner, one of EVG’s more versatile precision alignment tools, was
further developed to address an emerging application - UV-NIL - as well as
top side, bottom side, large-gap and IR alignment for standard lithography
and bond alignment applications. Following Heptagon’s successful production
results earlier on with EVG’s first-generation aligner used for UV-NIL in
production, the EVG640, the manufacturer teamed with the company to
optimize the IQ Aligner’s multiple processing capabilities from R&D to
high-volume production. This proved to be an effective strategy to meet the
subsidiary’s stringent cost and manufacturing requirements.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to work closely with Heptagon to quickly
and cost-effectively enable its next-generation processes,” noted Paul
Kettner, EV Group’s Asia-Pacific sales director. “Not only were we able to
install the tool and process transfer in record time, we are extremely
pleased to see the IQ Aligner meeting such challenging technical
requirements in a high-volume manufacturing environment. This is an
exciting new application area for this system and we couldn’t be more
pleased to be serving Heptagon with one of our finest technology
capabilities.”
NIL is an emerging lithography approach not only limited to resolve
features in the nanometer range, but also in the micron and even in the
sub-millimeter regime. Among several NIL technologies, soft UV-NIL is the
ideal method to pattern large areas in a single step imprinting mode. Soft
UV-NIL is gaining broader use for optical applications, particularly for
high-volume production of arrays of microlenses for CMOS image sensors due
to cost-of-ownership benefits when using working stamps replicated from a
master.
About Heptagon
Heptagon, a privately held company, designs and manufactures advanced
micro-optics products for OEM suppliers. Heptagon’s components are used in
many applications including CMOS imaging, LED lighting, display, optical
communications, consumer electronics and industrial optics. Heptagon’s
primary operations are in Switzerland and Singapore and it has a U.S.
subsidiary in Silicon Valley, California, USA.
About EV Group
EV Group (EVG) is a world leader in wafer-processing solutions for
semiconductor, MEMS and nanotechnology applications. Through close
collaboration with its global customers, the company implements its
flexible manufacturing model to develop reliable, high-quality,
low-cost-of-ownership systems that are easily integrated into customers’
fab lines. Key products include wafer bonding,
lithography/nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and metrology equipment, as well
as photoresist coaters, cleaners and inspection systems.
In addition to its dominant share of the market for wafer bonders, EVG
holds a leading position in NIL and lithography for advanced packaging and
MEMS. Along these lines, the company co-founded the EMC-3D consortium
in 2006 to create and help drive implementation of a cost-effective
through-silicon via (TSV) process for major ICs and MEMS/sensors.
Other target semiconductor-related markets include silicon-on-insulator
(SOI), compound semiconductor and silicon-based power-device solutions.
Founded in 1980, EVG is headquartered in St. Florian, Austria, and operates
via a global customer support network, with subsidiaries in Tempe, AZ;
Albany, NY; Yokohama and Fukuoka, Japan; Seoul, Korea and Chung-Li,
Taiwan. The company's unique Triple i-approach (invent - innovate -
implement) is supported by a vertical integration, allowing EVG to respond
quickly to new technology developments, apply the technology to
manufacturing challenges and expedite device manufacturing in high volume.
Contacts:
EV Group
Tel: +43 7712 5311 0
E-mail: Marketing@EVGroup.com
Marie Labrie
Vice President
MCA, Inc.
Tel: +1-650-968-8900, ext. 119
E-mail: mlabrie@mcapr.com