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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials

AMAT 223.95

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To: Tito L. Nisperos Jr. who wrote (48946)	7/9/2001 8:13:46 PM
From: StanX Long	Read Replies (2) of 70976

Being in the Equip. Industry for some time now, I’ll toss in an answer. Most systems are designed and built for a specific step in the overall process. A particular process step would require specific interaction between the machine and the actual wafer. The wafer generates the need for a specific step and the Equip OEM designs their equipment to address that one specific step. A given machine may address one or more steps within the overall process, but typically the chamber is specific to one step. If a change, “copper / 300mm” in a process step changes, the machine will need to address the change, with a change in it’s designs. This small change in process requirement at the wafer side pushes a machine design change. In the areas were I work, “Etching”, we are concerned with ever so small differences. The angles of a focus ring are specifically related to the wafer and the machine's performance. I know that one chamber could have dozens of focus ring addressing customer specific wafer designs. What works for customer A, may not work for customer B. Each wafer's interaction with the machine determines the machine's performance. Any changes of the wafer could require a machine design change. A more interesting sideline to the discussions would be the natural life of the standard semi tools. Here, again in Etch, the machine's life is typically 4-6 years. These machines would have 1 to 3 upgrades to the tool during its life due to the changes in the wafers. A few customers tries to make their machines last up to 10 years, but this is rare. Many of the systems in use now are 2 to 4 years old and their end of life is in near future. Just a thought. Stan

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