SemiBull -
I certainly enjoy your posts, and find them very informative since I do not have expertise in semi manufacturing equipment. What are your thoughts on the IPEC/NVLS announcement? The most curious aspect of the announcement, at least to me, is that LRCX and IPEC already have a collaborative agreement for integrating the OnTrak cleaning tool into some IPEC tool, and NVLS and LRCX recently announced a collaborative agreement for deposition/etch/CMP. It almost sounds as if these 3 companies are planning to get together in some way, shape or form. I am not sure where this leaves SFAM, although the NVLS announcement suggested that they may be developing these sorts of agreements with other companies in the near future.
From a technology standpoint, my impression is that SFAM, IPEC and AMAT use similar polishing technology (rotary), while LRCX is using a linear polishing technology. As you have rightly noted in your posts, there are many issues that will be considered in choosing a polisher. Do you,or anyone else, have any insights as to the advantages/disadvantages of each companies machines?
Lastly, SFAM seems to have leveraged their polishing technology into three markets, IC manufacturing, hard drive head manufacturing, and polishing of newly minted wafers. Do they have any competition in these latter two markets, and how large are each of the markets for each? |
