Cobra SA Cleaning System

The Cobra SA cleaning system features the company's VcS advanced batch cleaning process technology for post-CMP. The new Cobra SA is 44% smaller, and provides a 10 percent reduction in cost of owenrship over the VcS-SAH-CMP cleaning system it replaces.

It is a sophisticated semi-automated process system designed to provide a smaller and lower capital cost alternative to automated systems. The Cobra SA VcS features a two-tank architecture with VcS multi-step clean and rinse tank, and an HF tank for metals removal. All controls and plumbing required to operate the system are self-contained along with a Windows NT based graphical touch screen user interface. Optional support equipment can be located behind or beneath the main process tool. The cleaning system is available in single cassette configurations for 150mm and 200mm wafers. Post-CMP cleaning applications include oxide, tungsten, and copper.

The size and cost improvements of the Cobra SA further stretches the advantages of the VcS batch cleaning technology over brush scrubbers for post-CMP. In production post-CMP cleaning applications, the VcS's non-contact process has proven more effective than brush scrubbers, and has shown to have greater than three times the wafer throughput. Added productivity gains from the non-contact process of the Cobra SA comes from elimination of the cost and production-time loss of frequent brush changeouts. Standardized cost of ownership comparisons of the new Cobra SA to leading scrubber systems shows the Cobra SA to have a cost per good wafer out of less than 50 percent that of the scrubber.

The Cobra SA's non-contact process, high throughput batch processing, and compact size make it an excellent replacement tool for upgrading post-CMP cleaning performance, and for adding cleaning capacity in an efficient and productive manner.

Verteq, Inc., 1241 E. Dyer Rd., Suite 100, Santa Ana, CA 92705. Tel: 714-445-2000. Fax: 714-445-2204.