Product overview
Leuven Instruments offers 8-inch (IBS-8) and 12-inch (IBS-12) IBS systems, both based on physical sputtering: positive ions from the ion source are accelerated, neutralized, and bombarded the sample surface to form patterns.
Common Design: Plasma generation is separated from the wafer area to avoid interference from non-volatile byproducts; both support single/cluster chamber configurations.
Differences: The 12-inch system is tailored for 12-inch wafer mass production with a large-diameter ion source; the 8-inch system is compatible with 8/6/4-inch wafers, ideal for medium-small scale production and R&D.
Advantages
Common Advantages
1.Broad material compatibility: Processes metals, alloys, oxides, semiconductors, insulators, etc.
2.Flexible control: Independent adjustment of ion beam energy/density; -90° to +80° stage tilt for tilted patterns/sidewall cleaning; rotatable stage for uniformity.
Differentiated Advantages
1.12-inch (IBS-12): <1% etch uniformity (1σ), suitable for high-precision 12-inch advanced processes (e.g., emerging memory).
2.8-inch (IBS-8): <3%/2% uniformity (standard/large ion source); compact size, cost-effective, fit for mature nodes and R&D.
Advantages
Ultra-high uniformity & precision
Its large-diameter ion source hits <1% etching uniformity (1σ)-super consistent. You can tweak ion beam settings independently, dialing in parameters just right to cut down material damage.
Broad material compatibility
No chemical hang-ups like RIE-handles every solid out there, from Ta and MTJ layers to insulators. Perfect for the tricky material stacks in advanced devices.
Flexible adaptability
The wafer stage tilts from -90° to +80°, great for slanted structures. Add in on-axis rotation to boost symmetry, and it'll fit all sorts of patterning needs.
Mass production reliability
It's ready to slot into 12-inch fabs, working with all kinds of transfer modules. Physical sputtering means no chemical residues-cuts maintenance hassle and keeps operations steady long-term.
Applications
Common Applications
Semiconductor patterning (logic/memory devices); fabrication of slanted/blazed gratings; post-etch sidewall cleaning.
Differentiated Applications
1.12-inch: Key process for 12-inch emerging memory (e.g., MRAM MTJ), integrated with LMEC-300™ for mass production.
2.8-inch: 8-inch mature nodes (e.g., 0.11μm poly gate etching); MEMS/optoelectronic R&D.
Parameters
|
Category |
8-inch IBS System |
12-inch IBS System |
|
Model |
Lorem A Series |
Pangea A Series |
|
Wafer Compatibility |
8-inch (primary); 6-inch/4-inch (optional, via compatible electrodes) |
12-inch (exclusive) |
|
Etch Uniformity (1σ) |
<3% (standard ion source); <2% (optional large-diameter ion source) |
<1% (large-diameter ion source as standard) |
|
Ion Beam Control |
Independent adjustment of ion beam energy and flux |
Independent adjustment of ion beam energy and flux |
|
Stage Tilt Range |
-90° to +80° (enables tilted ion beam incidence) |
-90° to +80° (enables tilted ion beam incidence) |
|
Stage Function |
Rotatable during process (enhances process axisymmetry) |
Rotatable during process (enhances process axisymmetry) |
|
Chamber Configuration |
Single-chamber or cluster configurations (optional) |
Integratable into various cluster systems (compatible with large-scale production lines) |
|
Material Compatibility |
Metals, alloys, oxides, compounds, semiconductors, insulators, and other solid materials |
Metals, alloys, oxides, compounds, semiconductors, insulators, and other solid materials |
|
Core Application Scenarios |
8-inch mature process nodes (≥0.11μm), poly gate etching, STI auxiliary processing, R&D (MEMS/optoelectronics) |
12-inch advanced processes, emerging memory (MRAM MTJ, PCRAM phase-change layer) mass production |
FAQ
Q: How to choose between 8-inch and 12-inch IBS systems?
A: Select based on wafer size and production scale. Choose 12-inch for 12-inch wafer mass production with high precision; 8-inch is ideal for 8/6/4-inch wafers, small-medium production or R&D.
Q: Can the systems process non-semiconductor materials?
A: Yes. Both support almost all solid materials, including metals, oxides, insulators, and composites, beyond semiconductor substrates.
Q: Is the 8-inch system upgradable to handle larger wafers?
A: No. The 8-inch system is structurally designed for 8-inch and smaller wafers; 12-inch wafers require the dedicated Pangea A Series.
Q: What ensures the process stability of the two systems?
A: The separated design of plasma production and wafer area avoids byproduct interference, plus rotatable stages and standard-compliant components guarantee stability.
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