SPTS Technologies has secured an order to supply its 900th Omega deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) process module to an Asian Foundry involved in the production of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).
The new order proves SPTS Technologies’ leadership in the DRIE market. The company’s DRIE products are utilized globally in the production of numerous devices such as power devices, advanced packaging and MEMS. In 1995, SPTS Technologies supplies its Bosch-licensed DRIE system via its collaboration with Robert Bosch who invented the ‘Bosch process.’ The company’s strategic merger and acquisition activities have gradually extended its DRIE product offerings.
DRIE is an etching process that is highly anisotropic and is utilized to fabricate silicon patterns and is the foundation of the current MEMS market. The application of DRIE is extended to through-silicon-via in sophisticated three-dimensional IC production and power applications in deep trench isolation.
SPTS Technologies’ Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Crofton stated that DRIE is the cornerstone of MEMS production and the company has supported clients in this field from the development of inductively-coupled plasma methods to high power decoupled plasma sources and finally the Pegasus Rapier system. The MEMS market growth has been tremendous in the last 5 to 10 years and now almost everybody uses a MEMS-enabled device, he added.