Integrated Materials Offers Poly Silicon Furnace Liner; SiFusion Product Line Drastically Reduces Preventive Maintenance for Semiconductor Furnace Processes.

SAN FRANCISCO & SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Integrated Materials announces the global introduction of its pure poly silicon SiFusion(TM) liner for semiconductor furnace processes. This innovative new product is now available in limited quantities for "beta" phase validation at selected customers. The liner fixture completes the SiFusion suite of furnaceware, which includes furnace boats, injectors and pedestals.

By using the pure poly silicon liner along with other SiFusion products, fabs can fully realize poly silicon's potential to outperform traditional quartz and silicon carbide consumables. These advantages include significantly less furnace downtime for cleaning and component replacement, reduced particle counts and lower cost of ownership.

"With the introduction of the liner to the SiFusion furnaceware suite, fabs can eliminate time-consuming and costly practices they've been forced to employ with traditional furnace consumables," said Tom Cadwell, president and CEO, Integrated Materials Inc. "SiFusion furnaceware raises the performance bar for thermal processes, delivering increased furnace throughput, significant cost benefits and improved process performance."

Less furnace downtime

All furnace components require preventive maintenance when they reach a designated micron level. This exercise, even if just for a single fixture, requires the entire furnace system to go offline. SiFusion furnaceware can completely eliminate routine cleaning, greatly improving production capacity utilization rates. By eliminating machine downtime for routine cleaning and subsequent machine recalibration, fabs can achieve greater throughput and capacity utilization for each furnace.

Reduced particle generation, metallic contamination

Each component in the furnace can contribute to wafer defect. Parts constructed from silicon carbide and quartz release particles at a significantly higher rate than poly silicon. SiFusion's ionically pure poly silicon base material produces significantly fewer particles and releases no trace metals that can negatively impact wafer performance and yield. By adopting SiFusion for all fixtures, fabs achieve a proportionately lower rate of defects.

Lower cost of ownership

Recently confirmed in a cost-of-ownership analysis by Williams Wright & Kelly, Inc. (WWK), SiFusion's superior record for production utilization rates, good wafers out per week, annual cleaning costs, annual component consumption and annual breakage risk add up to a lower overall cost of ownership than silicon carbide or quartz alternatives.

SiFusion Liners

In conjunction with injectors and boats, SiFusion liners are an essential element of the semiconductor LPCVD furnace. Liners provide a uniform path for the gas flow from inlet to exhaust and act as an ultra pure barrier preventing particles from the outer furnace tube from affecting product yields.

SiFusion liners feature a patented surface treatment that diffuses thermal stress and allows the structure to maintain its integrity through high temperature cycling, positively impacting furnace uptime, defect rates and yield.

The liners are ideal for 200 and 300 mm vertical furnace process applications, including high temperature, LPCVD and HTO. SiFusion liners are already under qualification at fabs in Japan, Korea and Singapore. Initial performance data indicate unparalleled low particle levels when the SiFusion liner and boat are used together.

Availability

The SiFusion liner and other furnaceware products are available through Integrated Materials' global sales team. Visit www.sifusion.com to find a local representative.

About Integrated Materials, Inc.

With its patented SiFusion technology, Integrated Materials, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., is the first and only company to perfect the poly silicon furnace fixtures solution sought for years by the semiconductor industry. Integrated Materials' unique family of SiFusion poly silicon furnaceware eclipses traditional quartz and silicon carbide consumables by its ability to increase yield by reducing particles in LPCVD and trace metal contamination and slip reduction in high temperature process. SiFusion furnaceware improves productivity and reduces cost with the elimination of routine cleaning. Already qualified by 200 mm and 300 mm key fabs, SiFusion products are tested, proven and available now. Integrated Materials is supported worldwide by its team of application engineers and in-country support staff. For more information, visit www.sifusion.com.