OTHER ELECTRONICS & NANOTECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY UPDATE
May
2018
McIlvaine Company
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Facility Profile: Columbia University Nano Initiative
Cleanroom Renovation
The Georgia Tech Institute for Electronics and
Nanotechnology (IEN)
Grand Opening of UC Irvine Materials Research
Institute (IMRI)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Facility Profile: Columbia University Nano Initiative
Cleanroom Renovation
Size: 5,000 sq. ft.
Project team: Protecs (construction management)
Columbia University recently completed the renovation and expansion of its
existing clean micro and nano fabrication and characterization research
laboratories. Replacing and improving lab utilities, such as air filters, gas
piping, water cooling systems, and air handling units to allow for tight control
on temperature, humidity, and particles in the new lab, almost doubled the
previous space.
The cleanroom (Class 1,000 to Class 10,000) is open to researchers from inside
Columbia University as well as from other academic and industrial institutes.
The laboratory supports materials and device studies in physics, electrical
engineering, applied physics, mechanical engineering, biology, chemistry,
medicine, and more. A significant portion of the research done in the CNI
cleanroom is interdisciplinary in its nature and involves collaboration between
researchers from various fields on and off campus.
The new CNI Cleanroom is divided into 7 separate bays, each dedicated to a set
of related fabrication processes consisting of many new and advanced micro and
nanofabrication pieces of equipment:
Optical lithography bay consisting of dedicated fume hoods and spinners, two
mask aligners (one for DUV applications), two mask fabrication systems: a manual
Laser Writing and Mask Fabrication system (3µm resolution), and an automatic
Laser Writer system with submicron resolution.
Wet chemical bay with an automatic RCA bench, Spring Rinse Dry (SRD) system for
4" wafers, general acid hood, and general base hood for wet chemical processes.
Plasma bay with Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) plasma processing based on chlorine
and fluorine chemistries, as well as Deep RIE for silicon etching, and Plasma
Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) for Oxide and Nitride deposition.
Deposition bay including two sputtering systems (dedicated to metals and
dielectrics respectively), an e-beam evaporator, Atomic Layer Deposition, and a
thermal evaporator, all designed to grow high quality thin films.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) bay (with e-beam writing capabilities) with
nanometric imaging capabilities.
Furnace bay with Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) to grow: silicon
oxide, nitride, carbide, and for thermal treatments.
Backend room consisting of a Dicing saw, Chemical Mechanical Polishing system
for planarizing device surfaces, Wire bonders (Al and Au) for electrical
connections to the device, a Parylene coater, and a Critical Point Dryer.
Completion date: Q3 2017
The Georgia Tech Institute for Electronics and
Nanotechnology (IEN)
The Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN) is one of the founding
NSF interdisciplinary academic research centers dedicated to nanotechnology
discovery and development. The IEN evolved from its original focus as a NSF
Microelectronics Research Center (founded in 1981) at Georgia Tech’s Atlanta
campus. In 2009, the name was changed to the Nanotechnology Research Center
(NRC) to reflect its physical expansion into the Marcus Nanotechnology Building
(MNB) and research expansion into the growing realm of nanotechnologies
applications.
More recently, as part of Georgia Tech’s (GT) push to consolidate
capital-intensive research, the NRC was combined with similarly-themed research
centers (including NSF-funded graphene research, the Packaging Research Center,
and the Georgia Electronic Design Center) to form an interdisciplinary research
hub on campus, the IEN. Over the years, Georgia Tech has used these centers and
their associated facilities to become the one of the world leaders in nanoscale
science and engineering, with research programs spanning biomedicine, materials,
electronics, photonics/optics, and energy. The IEN is comprised of multiple
academic electronics and nanotechnology research centers, each offering a unique
intellectual focus ranging from basic discovery and innovation to systems
integration. The IEN has approximately 115 GT faculty users and more than 500 GT
student users as well as nearly 200 users from other academic institutions and
industries. Through the NSF’s National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
(NNIN), IEN facilities are accessible to all U.S. academic users at the same
price afforded by campus-based faculty.
The IEN runs one of the largest university cleanroom complexes in North America.
The IEN’s core mission is to provide exceptionally high value, fee-based open
user access to research cleanrooms and laboratories at its core facilities. The
IEN cleanroom has two on-campus locations: the Pettit Microelectronics Building
(PMB), opened in 1988; and the Marcus Nanotechnology Building (MNB), opened in
2009. Together, these two facilities provide fully integrated
electronics/materials cleanrooms; separate biological cleanroom space; a
state-of-the-art characterization and microscopy suite housed in a vibrationally
and acoustically shielded space; and supporting labs, equipment, and technical
expertise. The expanded space enables Georgia Tech faculty, students, and non-GT
users from academia, state and federal labs, and industry to carry out
pioneering nanoscale research. Both the Pettit and Marcus facilities include
significant laboratory space that house faculty research labs immediately
proximate to the cleanroom and microscopy facilities.
Pettit houses an 8,500 sq. ft. cleanroom (Class 10-100), while the Marcus
building includes 10,000 sq. ft. of inorganic fabrication cleanroom space (Class
100) as well as 5,000 sq. ft. of biological cleanroom space (Class 1000),
including Biosafety Level 1 and 2 labs. The inorganic and organic cleanrooms are
adjacent so that researchers can transfer their samples without exposing them to
a non-cleanroom environment. This novel design enables a seamless fusion of
traditional, top-down microfabrication approaches (e.g. optical and electronbeam
lithography) and various types of bottom-up self assembly approaches (typical
biologically-derived) to nanotechnology research at Georgia Tech. The Marcus
building also houses a newly-completed 3,300 sq. ft. imaging and
characterization suite that offers comprehensive microscopy and imaging
services, as well as X-ray and ion-based characterization, for a wide variety of
materials and devices.
The IEN cleanrooms and labs accommodate over two hundred individual pieces of
equipment, which enable users to run an extensive variety of materials growth
and fabrication processes in a single facility. These processes include
traditional microfabrication processes such as photolithography and mask
generation; thin film deposition; plasma etching and wet chemistry; and
packaging. Electron beam lithography and nano-imprinting services offer the
ability to quickly prototype nanoscale devices on different substrates.
Traditional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) materials growth, including atomic
layer deposition as well as non-traditional process such as soft lithography,
are also available. IEN cleanroom users come from numerous different academic
departments within Georgia Tech’s Colleges of Engineering and Science, as well
as the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).
The mission of the IEN is to maintain these current resources while also growing
our capabilities through the acquisition of new high-tech tools; train users on
safe and proper operation of the equipment; and provide the highest caliber
technical expertise to enable users to achieve their desired results. These
facilities, along with a skilled and experienced staff, has enabled Georgia Tech
to be the hub of nanotechnology research in the southeast and competitive with
the best U.S. national university facilities.
Fundamentally, having a fully controlled environment is crucial in
nanotechnology research and development. Particle levels, temperature, humidity,
pressure, light, ultrapure water, and process gases all play important roles in
achieving the conditions needed to conduct successful research.
One of the challenges of user-centered facilities is that most new users do not
have experience working in a cleanroom and lack familiarity with the unique
operational conditions that come with this environment. To assist with
acclimation, the IEN provides mandatory orientation programs to educate new
users about cleanroom operation, safety, regulations, training, and protocols.
Before being granted unsupervised access to any specific piece of equipment,
users are required to attend training and pass a hands-on check-off test by
facility staff. The IEN also offers seminars, workshops, forums, and staff
office hours to assist users with process or engineering.
Particle contamination is the biggest concern for maintaining a controlled
cleanroom environment. Cleanroom suits must be worn at all times to avoid
cleanroom users’ skin and hair generating particulate contamination. Every item
that users bring into the cleanroom must be cleanroom compatible (especially
with regard to particle contamination) and fully decontaminated before entering
to maintain the required cleanroom conditions. Non-cleanroom designed paper,
notebooks, and cardboard containers are not allowed inside, and any chemical
bottles, plastic boxes, or other instruments need to be wiped completely prior
to taking inside the cleanroom. Before a new piece of equipment can be installed
in the facility, it must be decontaminated multiple times in a dedicated
cleaning area. Any particle producing process must be conducted in a
well-ventilated area. The cleanroom staff checks particle levels on a regular
basis to monitor any changes in airborne contamination.
In the Pettit cleanroom, process equipment is located in bays separated by
chases which contain supporting items such as pumps, chilled water, gas
cabinets, exhaust scrubbers, power supplies, and other support equipment. These
supporting systems do not need to be in the highly controlled environment, so
isolating them in the chases reduces the amount of expensive cleanroom space one
has to construct. In addition, allowable particle levels are controlled
separately from bay to bay. For example, the photolithography bay has a Class 10
environment while the metallization bay is Class 1,000. In contrast, the Marcus
inorganic cleanroom is a flow-through, ballroom design where all equipment is
located within the same 10,000 sq. ft. open area. The challenge of maintaining
low particle counts throughout the facility is addressed by maintaining a higher
flow rate on the clean air return to those cleanroom sections that require it.
With this approach, we have been successful in keeping these low particle count
sections of the cleanroom at Class 100 level.
Many of the fabrication processes are sensitive not only to particle levels, but
also to other environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and
vibration. The IEN cleanroom has a network of sensors monitoring the variation
in these parameters, and the data can be directly read in real time via a web
interface, along with historical data covering longer periods of times to
identify trends. Many of the warnings and alarms from the sensor network are
sent immediately to cleanroom staff on their mobile devices so they can rapidly
identify problems and fix them.
Ultimately, maintaining the appropriate controlled environment relies upon
collaboration between staff and users. Users report to staff any problems or
concerns about the cleanroom environment, and they also help staff to identify
potential problems, warn other users of improper behavior, and do some routine
housekeeping work. Everyone who uses and benefits from the cleanroom has the
responsibility of keeping the facility safe.
The product of a well-controlled environment is high quality research. Supported
by the IEN cleanroom, Georgia Tech faculty, students, and research staff, as
well as our research affiliates from other universities and companies, have
published journal articles, presented at conferences, and filed patents based on
discoveries realized within the IEN facilities. In addition, this research has
led to a number of successful startup companies founded by GT faculty and
students.
Dr. Paul J. Joseph is Principal Research Scientist and Dr. Hang Chen is Research
Scientist II at the Georgia Tech Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology.
Drs. Joseph and Chen wish to thank their support team at Georgia Tech for their
assistance with this article. www.ien.gatech.edu
Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility
The University of Chicago’s Institute for Molecular Engineering will build a
major new facility for nanoscale fabrication within the William Eckhardt
Research Center, supported by a $15 million gift from the Pritzker Foundation.
In recognition of the gift, the 12,000-square-foot facility in the heart of the
Hyde Park campus will be named the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility.
With an advanced toolset and enough space for a wide range of projects, the
Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility will support work on new applications in
computing, health care, communications, smart materials and more. Products could
include advanced computer processors, quantum-bit processors, sensors,
detectors, lasers, micromechanical systems and bionano devices.
“The Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility will put highly sophisticated tools in
the hands of researchers, providing critical support to the work of faculty in
our Institute for Molecular Engineering, as well as offering new opportunities
for inquiry in related areas,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “I am deeply
grateful to the Pritzkers, whose generosity will benefit the Institute for
Molecular Engineering and the University, and enhance Chicago as a hub for
discovery and innovation.”
“We believe the new nanofabrication facility holds great promise for
breakthroughs that can transform fields of study and improve human life,” said
Thomas J. Pritzker, on behalf of the Pritzker Foundation. “We understand that
this kind of project can’t be done piecemeal. It takes a significant investment,
and we believe this facility will be an important contribution to greater
Chicago’s innovation ecosystem.”
The gift brings the total Pritzker Foundation contribution in support of the
Institute for Molecular Engineering to $25 million, including a 2011 gift
recognized with the naming of the Institute’s directorship.
The William Eckhardt Research Center is a major new home for the physical
sciences and molecular engineering located on Ellis Avenue. It houses the
Institute for Molecular Engineering, along with other faculty offices and
laboratories for the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and the Kavli
Institute for Cosmological Physics.
The building was specially engineered to account for the particular needs of a
large clean room. The creation of the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility will
fulfill the vision for a multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art facility that will
provide distinct advantages.
“In size, in the variety of work it can support and in the technology of the
toolset, the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility will be a regional and national
resource the day its doors open,” said Matthew Tirrell, the Pritzker Director of
the Institute for Molecular Engineering. “Having a facility like this at the
center of campus makes a powerful statement about the University’s commitment to
these emerging fields of discovery.”
The Institute for Molecular Engineering will manage the facility, which it also
will make available to researchers across the University, as well as to external
users, including other institutions and industry.
The Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility will house a suite of tools that can
fabricate complex, integrated electronic, mechanical and fluidic structures.
Work at the facility is expected to bridge the gap between academia and
industry, leading to the creation of new nanotechnology applications. The scale
of these applications can be as small as a few atoms.
One example of such an application would be a tiny, ultra-low power device that
combines computation, communication and storage capabilities. To do that,
scientists will go beyond conventional electronics that move charges in
electrical circuits to multifunctional quantum devices that manipulate the spins
of electrons.
Another potential application of nanofabrication would be a device that can
detect and count virus particles in blood.
“Having a world-class nanofabrication facility on campus will dramatically
enhance the capacity of the Institute for Molecular Engineering and change the
dynamics of interactions with numerous departments, Argonne National Laboratory
and researchers at Northwestern University, the University of Illinois and
startup companies in Chicago,” said David Awschalom, the Liew Family Professor
in Molecular Engineering.
“The cleanroom will serve as a common meeting ground for students in
engineering, materials science, biology, physics and chemistry; they will all
work in the same facility, exploiting advanced fabrication capabilities to
prototype new devices and technology concepts,” Awschalom added. “Sharing tools
and exchanging ideas among students and faculty within a multiuser facility will
catalyze research projects, and help develop solutions to problems in their
respective fields. This infrastructure will be extremely important to our
experimental efforts in atomic-scale electronics, and its presence will drive
new directions in quantum engineering.”
The Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility adds another key piece of infrastructure
to a growing set of programs and venues that support scientists working at the
intersection of basic scientific research and the innovation of new
technologies.
University officials said that the new facility will complement the nanoscale
research infrastructure already in place at Argonne National Laboratory. The new
facility also will provide another key resource for scientists and entrepreneurs
seeking to bring new discoveries to practical application through the recently
opened Chicago Innovation Exchange.
The Institute for Molecular Engineering was created at the University of Chicago
in 2011, in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory. The Institute is
designed to explore fundamental societal challenges such as safe drinking water,
cancer prevention and efficient energy storage, through advances in nanoscale
manipulation and molecular design.
Since its founding, the Institute has recruited eight scientists of
international stature on the way to a projected faculty of at least 24, as well
as launching a PhD program and an undergraduate curriculum.
The University of Chicago’s Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility, completed in
2015, has an ISO Class 5 cleanroom which specializes in advanced lithographic
processing of hard and soft materials. Its cleanroom components are part of the
nearly unlimited range of scale and focus in research space found within the
University of Chicago’s Eckhardt Research Center (ERC). The Pritzker facility
hosts a 13,000 sq. ft., Class 100 cleanroom. It was envisioned to serve as a
core facility with highly specialized tools to enable chemists, engineers, and
physical scientists to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges at the
molecular level.
The cleanroom was originally designed for a generic “straw man” program by Abbie
Gregg Inc., which worked with HOK to obtain approvals for the facility. Jacobs
Engineering was selected as the final designer of the cleanroom build-out.
The designers sought to create a high-performance, vibration-free space for the
cleanroom, imaging area, and other high performance laboratories on a tight
urban site next to high-traffic streets. Working with Colin Gordon and Abbie
Gregg Inc., HOK determined that these spaces must be located well away from the
street traffic. This resulted in the creation of two deep basement levels that
extend beyond the building to the west under the landscaped quadrangle to
achieve the area requirements. The cleanroom and imaging areas are in the area
on each basement level that is furthest from the street.
Electromagnetic interference was also mitigated using epoxy-coated reinforcing
bars, tested and used for their ability to conduct electric current, in
foundations. In addition, moving metal elements such as steel doors were
eliminated.
The cleanroom offers a unique view corridor, with large expanses of glass, which
enables visitors to easily observe the cleanroom scientists in action while also
visually connecting the cleanroom users to building activity.
The Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility has partnered with Northwestern University
in the NSF-supported Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE)
resource. It is open to all properly trained users through a fee for use
structure.
Equipment includes advanced electron beam lithography systems; I-line optical
stepper; direct write lithography capable of handling piece parts to 150 mm
wafers; physical vapor deposition tools including sputtering systems, electron
beam evaporators, and a thermal evaporator; plasma etching systems configured
for both chlorine- and fluorine-based etching; inspection tools including
scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and high performance
optical microscope; profilometry, ellipsometry, thin film interferometry, and
stress; a probe station; and a 150 mm capable dicing saw.
The University of Chicago’s William Eckhardt Research Center provides a link to
transformative, interdisciplinary discovery. The facility’s laboratories,
collaborative spaces, and precision instrumentation support the Department of
Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, the
new Institute for Molecular Engineering (IME), the Dean’s Office of Physical
Sciences, and their partners in their collective work toward scientific
discovery.
Finite Element Analysis of LL1: Colin Gordon Associates provided finite element
analysis to predict the vibration characteristics of the ERC lower levels in
design. Highest performance zones are revealed in the blue areas.
The facility provides a home for the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility
cleanroom’s work at the molecular level, as well as flexible physics
laboratories where the origins of the universe are studied and Chem-Bio
laboratories where researchers explore the efficacy of new molecules in curing
disease.
Grand Opening of UC Irvine Materials Research
Institute (IMRI)
The JEOL Center for Nanoscale Solutions at IRMI is poised to become one of the
world’s preeminent centers of excellence for interdisciplinary research,
discovery and development of engineered and natural materials, systems and
devices. IMRI is home to several of the highest performance TEMs available in
the world today. It is also the first US installation of the JEOL GRAND ARM
Transmission Electron Microscope developed for advanced atomic resolution
characterization, In addition, the facility also houses the JEM-2800 high
throughput, nano-analysis TEM/STEM, and the JEM-2100F cryogenic and atomic level
structural analysis TEM.
The Grand Opening will showcase the accomplishments to date at this premier
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) facility, now open to serve all
university, industry and nonprofit researchers. Invited speakers will include
leading edge researchers in electron microscopy who are known worldwide for
their achievements in materials and biological sciences.
The interdisciplinary nexus for the study and development of new materials, IMRI
operates a wide range of state-of-the-art, open-access user facilities for the
characterization of materials, biological samples and devices from sub-Å to
macroscopic length scales - available to all university, industry and non-profit
researchers. It offers advanced techniques and services with professional staff
support.
Dr. Pan, an internationally-recognized researcher in the physics of materials,
joined the UC Irvine faculty in 2015 to lead the $20 million initiative.
According to Dr. Pan, “The three-day symposium will bring together the
scientific community working on various aspects of research and development in
TEM to encourage the exchange of ideas for the advancement and challenges in
atomic scale imaging and spectroscopy. There will be over 50 internationally
renowned TEM experts and scientists participating in this event.”
In his work Pan has pioneered the development and applications of advanced TEM
techniques and the discovery of novel phenomena and properties of engineered
materials, which range from ferroelectrics and multiferroics to nanocatalysts
and energy materials.
“The JEOL Center for Nanoscale Solutions will be the most advanced electron
microscopy cluster available for probing the atomic structure and properties of
materials," says JEOL USA President Peter Genovese.
Tempo to Build New Factory for Electronics
Manufacturing
Tempo, the world's fastest low-volume electronics manufacturer, announced that
it has closed a $20 million Series B round to increase its manufacturing
capacity and double its team in key roles in software engineering, sales, and
manufacturing. Driven by high demand, Tempo plans to increase manufacturing
capacity with a new connected factory and company headquarters in the heart of
San Francisco. Paired with its factory software, this increases its overall
capacity by 10X over the next couple years.
The round was led by P72 Ventures with participation from existing
investors Lux Capital, Uncork Capital and AME, and new investors Industry
Ventures, Dolby Ventures, and Cendana.
Sri Chandrasekar of P72 Ventures joins Tempo's board of directors.
Hardware companies use Tempo's service to rapidly prototype printed circuit
board assembly (PCBA) designs and to get to market faster. Tempo's strength is
in 'connected manufacturing,' so design data from the customer uploads directly
interface with the robots on the floor. This eliminates manual setup and
drastically speeds up the manufacturing process. For engineers, this also means
they focus on engineering, and less project management. Engineers simply upload
a CAD design, get a real-time quote and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) feedback,
track the order through each process, and get fully assembled boards straight to
their desk. Tempo's connected factory creates an unbroken digital thread so
every step of the process - from design data to machines to material vendors and
to technicians - is interconnected, which results in customers being able to
iterate up to 5 times faster.
"Whether they're building products from rockets to medical devices to autonomous
cars, today's leading companies are racing to get their ideas and concepts to
market faster. Yet, the tools to
design and manufacture hardware have not improved in decades. When developing
new software, it would be unimaginable to have to wait weeks and trade tens of
phone calls and emails just to see if your code works or not.
Yet, that's the daily experience of electrical engineers today," said
Jeff McAlvay, CEO of Tempo Automation. "We are excited to have Sri from P72 join
our board. Having experienced the
frustrations of electronics development firsthand, he shares our mission to
create a new electronics manufacturing paradigm by building an unbroken digital
thread from design to delivery."
This funding underscores the momentum Tempo has recently achieved, including:
Growth in revenue of over 500%, in 2017 alone
Plans to nearly double staff from 60 to over 100, specifically in key roles
across engineering, sales and manufacturing by the end of 2018
Accelerating enterprise traction, counting nearly 200 paying customers from the
world's leading technology enterprises
A significant increase in customers from key verticals across aerospace,
automotive, commercial hardware, consumer electronics, internet of things (IoT)
and medical devices
"People take for granted that engineers can rapidly iterate designs, but that's
never been the case in electronics design.
By reducing prototyping time from weeks to days, Tempo empowers engineers
to experiment and companies to completely rethink their design timelines and
processes. Tempo is transforming
the electronics industry and their new factory will finally keep up with the
demand and enthusiasm from engineers across industry," said Sri Chandrasekar,
Partner at P72 Ventures.
For more information, please visit: http://www.tempoautomation.com. To search
careers at Tempo, please visit: https://www.tempoautomation.com/careers.
About Tempo Automation:
Tempo is the world's fastest low-volume electronics manufacturer.
Its connected factory is powered by proprietary automation software,
creating an unbroken digital thread from design to delivery. This makes it
possible for engineers to explore & realize ideas faster and better than ever.
Tempo's investors include P72 Ventures (Series B Lead), Lux Capital (Series A
Lead), AME, Bolt, Cendana, Dolby Ventures, Draper Associates, Golden Seeds,
Incite Ventures, Industry Ventures, OS Fund, and Uncork Capital. The company was
founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Francisco.
Versum Materials' New Technology Center
The smartphone, laptop and other electronic devices you own would not exist
without the major technological improvements to the integrated circuit, or
microchip, over recent decades.
And the semiconductor industry that makes those modern microchips relies on
special materials and chemical processes developed by companies like Versum
Materials.
The next level of electronic speed and performance will rely on the work done at
Versum’s new research and development facility in Rush Township, Schuylkill
County.
Versum, an electronic materials company spun off from Trexlertown’s Air Products
in October 2016 and based in Tempe, Ariz., held a grand opening for the $20
million Tamaqua-area facility. It’s part of a $60 million investment in the
larger campus, home to more Versum employees (nearly 250) than any of its other
manufacturing facilities around the world.
The new R&D center created about 30 new jobs, and many of these workers hold
advanced degrees in chemistry or chemical engineering.
The campus produces a variety of specialty gases and chemicals for semiconductor
manufacturers around the world. Two of the main ones are nitrogen trifluoride,
used to create clean plasma etching of silicon wafers, and tungsten
hexafluoride, which the semiconductor industry uses to make thin films.
“The gases and chemicals that we invent, manufacture and supply here are used to
make the most advanced computer chips in the world,” said John Langan, senior
vice president and chief technology officer. “Our customers produce devices that
are powering the digital era by processing and storing information on scales
that were just unimaginable a few generations ago.
To continue improving and shrinking microchips, Langan said, semiconductor
companies are turning to 3D technology that relies on stacking silicon wafers.
“These complicated designs require new enabling materials and processes to make
them possible,” Langan said. “That’s both the challenge and opportunity for
Versum.”
Jim Hart, a chemical engineering technology manager, said Versum was able to
make the investment in the technology center in part because it no longer has to
compete for major project funding. When Versum was a division of Air Products,
it vied with the core industrial gases division for capital.
CEO Guillermo Novo has made a point of encouraging innovation, Hart said.
Versum’s “Process Materials” team will use the facility to focus on specialty
materials manufacturing improvements and the identification of new etching and
cleaning gases.
Versum’s Organometallic team will use it to more quickly synthesize, test and
deliver new organometallic precursors. This will enable faster and more
comprehensive collaborations with its global semiconductor customers and
partners.
Ed Shober, senior vice president of materials and a graduate of nearby Marian
Catholic High School, said all of Versum’s customers have one thing in common:
They’re working on “the next big thing.”
“The next big product, the next technology, the next breakthrough that boosts
efficiency, power and performance,” he said. “We remain fully committed to
always be looking around the corner … this investment is further validation of
our commitment to invest for the future.”
Versum employs about 2,200 people worldwide. It had revenues of $1.1 billion in
2017.
Company Details:
Versum Materials
Electronic materials company spun off from Air Products in 2016
Headquarters: Tempe, Ariz.
Employees: 2,200 globally; 550 in the Lehigh Valley and Rush Township,
Schuylkill County
Revenue: $1.1 billion in 2017
Makes: Specialty chemicals and gases for electronics manufacturing
McIlvaine Company
Northfield, IL
60093-2743
Tel:
847-784-0012; Fax:
847-784-0061
E-mail:
editor@mcilvainecompany.com
Web site:
www.mcilvainecompany.com