Dainippon Screen and Ashland Specialty Chemical Forge Strategic Alliance Targeting Polymer Removal

07-Dec-2000

Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Company Limited, known as DNS in the semiconductor industry, and Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, a division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH), announced that they will work jointly to promote chemistries for polymer cleaning on single-wafer processing tools. The strategic alliance will be in effect for a minimum of one year and will address the clear trend in polymer Removal processes toward single wafer cleaning. The Ashland-ACT business unit of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company's Electronic Chemicals Division will participate in the alliance.

“We judge that the trend of the polymer removal process is clearly indicating a move to the single-wafer spin process due to finer design rules, contamination problems, clean room space considerations, and 300-mm wafer processes,” explained Nobutoshi Ogami, Corporate Executive Officer and President of the Semiconductor Equipment Division of Dainippon Screen. “We are happy to have this partnership with Ashland-ACT, which is showing strong leadership with post etch polymer removal process optimization for single-wafer spin processes. With 20 years of expertise, we are the world’s top supplier of single wafer cleaners. The synergy of both companies will certainly bring matured process solutions to our mutual customers.”

By combining the expertise of both companies, Dainippon Screen and Ashland expect to promote chemistries that will greatly reduce process times for polymer removal while reducing consumables. This translates into higher throughput and lower cost of ownership for the customer.

“Our position in the Japanese market, and all of Asia, has grown dramatically in the past few years as a result of our alliances with Nagase and Nippon Zeon,” said Bob Rohlfing, business director of Ashland-ACT. “It is important for us to work together with leading equipment manufacturers like Dainippon Screen to ensure that the best possible cleaning package is provided to our customers in this growing region.”

Ashland-ACT has developed products such as the ACT® NE Series of polymer removers that are designed to perform at a very short process time (<1 min.), are buffered to ensure process stability, and are compatible with aluminum, copper and many low-k films.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/459/dainippon-screen-and-ashland-specialty-chemical-forge-strategic-alliance-targeting-polymer-removal.html