| Popis: |
The need for higher yields on high-value masks has heightened the mask making industry's sensitivity to mask defects. Decreasing the number of mask defects has necessitated improvements in the material handling throughout the production line, and in particular, from mask writer to mask etcher. Already one of the cleanest mask pattern generating systems in the world, implementing a SMIF material-handling paradigm on the ALTA systems decreased the number of defects attributable to the mask writer. ALTA 3000 through ALTA 3700 systems, configured with the SMIF Material Handling upgrade, allow the user to choose between the use of SEMI standard E100-0200 reticle SMIF pods or legacy magazines for loading and unloading reticles. When using SMIF material handling exclusively in production mask manufacture, the number of observed mask defects dropped measurably. The decreased number of defects on the masks improves turn around time, yield, and can decrease the cost of mask manufacturing. Observed defect data will be presented for an ALTA 3500 system before and after the SMIF upgrade. |
