Here's some FSII news:
Tuesday October 14 6:36 AM EDT
Company Press Release
New 300mm-Capable ZETA Systems Propel FSI'S Spray Wafer Cleaning
Technology
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 1997--FSI International, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSII) today introduced a new, 300mm spray system designed to perform numerous semiconductor wafer cleaning applications and capable of processing next-generation, 300mm wafers. The new-product announcement was made at the SEMICON/Southwest trade show in
Austin, Texas. The fully automated ZETA(TM) Surface Conditioning System leverages FSI's production-proven, spray processor technology to achieve the stringent critical clean requirements for manufacturing advanced microprocessor and memory devices.
The ZETA system includes an eight-chemical flow system for improved process programming flexibility. The controls on the ZETA chemical flow system enable a wide range of chemical blend ratios, including dilute chemical blending ratios for RCA cleans and HF, on-line blending. Resulting benefits include not only a wider variety of process applications, but also lower chemical and DI water consumption, which reduces production costs for pilot and production fabs. The base price for the new ZETA system is $1.8 million. Shipments are expected to begin in the third quarter of FY 1998.
The new ZETA system design incorporates results from testing of a 300mm version of FSI's MERCURY(R)'' Surface Conditioning System at the International 300mm Initiative (I300I) fab in Austin, Texas. The tests, which will be completed this fall, began in the spring of 1997.
The ZETA system will accommodate either Front Opening Unified Pods (FOUP) or open cassettes of 15-25 wafers and automatically transfer them to spray-compatible process cassettes. Automation eliminates operator-induced handling defects and enhances the production efficiencies and process capabilities of the system.
''The new ZETA system is an evolutionary advancement for spray processing technology,'' said Dale Courtney, president of FSI's Surface Conditioning Division. ''The release of the ZETA system coincides with our customers' desire to move toward efficient, cost-effective 300mm wafer processing, which this product provides. We have built on years of spray processor experience to supply a competitive, state-of-the-art tool that competes in the critical clean and photoresist strip technologies for 0.18-micron devices.''
The Surface Conditioning Division is a leader in producing automated surface conditioning equipment for processing silicon wafers. The Division's products include: MERCURY(R) Surface Conditioning Systems, which perform submicron cleaning, etching, reclaim and photoresist stripping applications; EXCALIBUR(R) Vapor HF and Advanced Vapor Cleaning Systems, which perform critical cleaning and specialty etching applications; and the ARIES(TM) CryoKinetic Cleaning Systems, which use frozen argon/nitrogen crystals to remove particulate and etch residue contamination on semiconductor wafers. The Division
has design and manufacturing facilities in Chaska, Minn.
FSI International, Inc. is a leading global supplier of processing equipment used at key production steps to manufacture
microelectronics, including semiconductor devices, thin film heads, flat panel displays and multi-chip modules. The Company develops, manufactures, markets and supports products used in the technology areas of microlithography, surface conditioning and chemical management. FSI International's customers include microelectronics manufacturers located throughout North America, Europe, Japan and the Asia-Pacific Rim.
Additional information on FSI International can be obtained by accessing its homepage at fsi-intl.com.
Contact:
Laurie Walker-Trade Media
(612)448-8066
or
Heide Erickson- Financial Media and Investors
(612) 361-7648
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