22 March 2016

ClassOne's Plating-Plus capability adds processing chambers to Solstice plating tool

ClassOne Technology of Kalispell, MT, USA, which manufactures wet-chemical processing equipment (especially for emerging markets and other cost-conscious users of ≤200mm substrates), has announced its new Plating-Plus capability, which allows additional processes to be integrated into a single plating tool. The firm says that this can optimize utilization of the ≤200mm Solstice electroplating equipment and give substantial net cost savings as well as process enhancements.

"A lot of our customers, especially those with low to moderate production levels, are seeing significant benefits in incorporating additional processes into our Solstice plating tool," says Win Carpenter, VP of international sales. "With Plating-Plus, many users can eliminate the need to purchase additional downstream equipment — and that eliminates the costs of adding floor space, operators, training, spare parts, etc. Our customers can maximize the use of a single Solstice and streamline their process flow. They can gain the benefits of single-wafer processing with reduced queue times and less excess capacity. The result is a more efficient solution with better capacity matching and lower overall costs."

"Plating-Plus is made possible because of the unique flexibility we designed into our Solstice plating tools right from the start," notes president Kevin Witt. "The Solstice S8 provides eight modular chamber positions that can be used for different processes — all within one standard, highly reliable platform," he adds. "Users can get the special functionality they want simply by ordering their new Solstice with a specific configuration of chambers."

Three new chambers

To date, ClassOne has introduced three new modular Plating-Plus processing chambers that can be installed on Solstice plating tools. These are high-performance, high-efficiency chambers that enable high-pressure metal lift-off, resist strip, and UBM (under-bump metallization) etch. The new high-pressure metal lift-off chamber is designed for high-efficiency metal removal without re-deposition. The resist strip chamber is an advanced spray module that handles solvents safely and can run a single stripping process across a range of different resists. The UBM etch chamber incorporates an intelligent optical end-point detection technology that controls etching precisely and consistently to avoid undercut.

Picture: Solstice system chambers.

ClassOne says that the new Plating-Plus capabilities make Solstice a highly productive tool for applications including advanced packaging, MEMS, LEDs and optoelectronics. The multi-processing system is suited to a range of needs, from patterned plating to RDL (redistribution layers), from flip-chip/bump/wafer-level packaging to applications that require through-resist plating, resist removal and etching of seed layers.

In future, ClassOne plans to add more new Plating-Plus chambers to cover additional processes. Pricing for each of these chambers is designed to be significantly less than the costs of adding a new stand-alone tool.

The Solstice electroplating line serves many cost-sensitive emerging markets such as MEMS, sensors, LEDs, RF and others that use 200mm and smaller wafers. Solstice tools are available in three different models for production and development and can electroplate many different metals and alloys, either on transparent or opaque substrates. ClassOne claims that the systems are priced at less than half of what similarly configured plating systems from larger manufacturers would cost.  

See related items:

ClassOne's 8-chamber Solstice electroplater selected by LED maker in Europe

ClassOne launches electroplating tool for smaller-substrate users

Tags: ClassOne

Visit: www.classone.com/products