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Story posted at 10 a.m. EDT/7 a.m., PDT, 5/11/98
Accord is granted notice of allowance
for semiconductor wafer-handling system
TEMPE, Ariz.--Accord Advanced Technologies Inc. here today announced that it has received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its proprietary support platform used in the
manufacture of semiconductor wafers. The notice precedes the issuance of a formal patent, which Accord expects to take place by the end of the year.
Wafer support platforms, or susceptors, are a universal feature of multichamber semiconductor manufacturing systems. During the chemical vapor d eposition (CVD) manufacturing process, susceptors support and heat individual semiconductor wafers. These susceptors deteriorate as they are exposed to thermal stress and corrosive gases, requiring periodic replacement.
Accord's new wafer-handling system offers higher consistency, longer durability and greater overall cost-effectiveness compared to susceptors currently on the market. Existing wafer-handling systems must be replaced after the production of approximately 3,000 wafers, while Accord's susceptor maintains its effectiveness an estimated three times longer.
"The consumption of wafer-handling systems comprises a significant portion of many semiconductor manufacturers' production costs. Our system not only enjoys a longer productive duration, but also decreases manufacturing downtime," says Travis Wilson, president and CEO of Accord Advanced Technologies.
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