Forge Nano, Inc., an atomic layer deposition solution provider, today announced the completion of its new semiconductor cleanroom. The 2,000 sq ft cleanroom enables Forge Nano to manufacture multiple commercial TEPHRA™ ALD cluster tools to accommodate growing equipment demand from the semiconductor market.
Forge Nano TEPHRA ALD cluster tool in the new cleanroom production space. Image Credit: Forge Nano, Inc.
Forge Nano announced the expansion of its semiconductor ALD business in 2024 with the launch of TEPHRA – its new 200mm wafer atomic layer deposition cluster tool. Forge Nano’s ability to coat single wafers at 10x the throughput of traditional ALD systems has significantly grown customer demand thus requiring an expansion of the Company’s manufacturing capacity and addition of a demonstration space.
“The Forge Nano TEPHRA can enable conformal metal barrier seed layers for through silicon (TSVs) and through glass vias (TGVs) at aspect ratios greater than 25:1 at production speeds,” said Matt Weimer, Director of R&D at Forge Nano. “We’re showcasing the capabilities of our atomic layer deposition solution for wafers, which we expect to position the company as a key enabler for advanced packaging and 3D chip integration.”
The new cleanroom provides a Class 10 (ISO 4) space for processing sensitive customer samples and includes a metrology lab for advanced thin-film measurement and particle inspection. The remainder of the cleanroom will house Forge Nano’s own internal TEPHRA tool and provide space to build multiple customer tools, serving as a dual operating space for demonstrations and manufacturing. In addition to increased manufacturing space, this expansion is poised to accelerate Forge Nano’s ability to provide proof-of-concept and commercial solution validation to manufacturers planning to integrate new ALD processes.
Powered by Forge Nano’s ALDx technology, which offers ultrathin, uniform, pinhole-free films with an unprecedented 10x throughput for single-wafer processing, TEPHRA is dedicated to the manufacturing of specialty semiconductor applications on 200 mm wafers and below. With efficient chemical use, rapid cycle times, increased yield, and low-risk manufacturing, TEPHRA is the only single-wafer cluster tool with commercial throughput speeds serving 200mm applications in advanced packaging, power semiconductor, radio frequency devices (RFD), microLEDs, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and more.
Forge Nano expects to deliver TEPHRA tools in early 2025. Forge Nano is offering on-site TEPHRA demonstrations to new and existing customers starting in early 2025.