The AP&S production supporting equipment range includes cleaner for carriers, boxes, SMIF’ and foup’s, drying tools for wafers, laboratory equipment and chemical management solutions.

Chemical wet process auxiliary tools

Supporting equipment

To ensure efficient wet processes in our customers’ semiconductor fabs is our primary goal. Therefore, supporting equipment like foup and box cleaner, drying tools for wafers, laboratory equipment and chemical management solutions belong to our product range too. In this way, our customers receive everything they need from one single source and have a competent partner for all relevant concerns about wet chemical processes by their side.

Equipment for chemical management handling, cleaning of boxes, carrier, SMIF-Pods, Foup's, Quartz tubes and boats

Everything for smooth chemical wet processes

CleanSurF®

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CleanStep
CBII, CBIII

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SPRAY

CLEANER

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CleanStep

Tube

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Chemical
Management

System

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Cleaner for FOUPs, SMIFs, carriers and boxes

CleanSurF®

NEW AP&S cleaner for efficient particle and AMC (airborne molecular contamination) removal on the surfaces of all common types of carriers, boxes, SMIF-Pod’s and FOUP’s

Main Benefits

High loading capacity of up to 12 x 12 inch FOUPs per run at optimized recipe time
Attractive TCO through very compact footprint of 3 m² and low consumption of water and nitrogen
Optimum cleaning results achieved by a new, innovative nozzle concept. More than 50 nozzles (DIW as well as N2 nozzles) are installed in the tool.

Processes

Cleaning and Drying

Important technical features

The CleanSurF® concept is optimized for both manual and automatic loading
Smart equipment fixtures offers maximum flexibility with regard to the wafer carriers to be cleaned
New locking devices with additional safety functions
Autarkic process chamber with a large loading window for comfortable loading and unloading
The new nozzle concept enables flexible, 360-degree, separately controllable handling of the nozzles for highest cleanliness and short process times
Latest software technology including HMI for maximum procesess reliability
User-friendly monitoring ensures convenient and simple system handling, including a wide range of technical and schematic features
Integrated RFID scanning system
A second process chamber door allows a gate function between the cleanroom and the grayroom
The clear design ensures simple installation and maintenance. Access to the service area is on the backside of the tool and can be on gray room side

More information, videos and pictures from the cleaner CleanSurF® can be found here on the CleanSurF-Impressions page.

Cleaning machine for different wafer transportation boxes

CleanStep CBII, CBIII

Efficient cleaning tool for all common types of carrier, boxes, SMIF-Pod’s and FOUP’s

Main Benefits

The CleanStep Carrier Box combines multiple work steps in one tool
Up to 3 runs per hour*
Setting up between cleanroom and greyroom is possible, as the tool is accessible from two sides (back and front)

Processes

Cleaning and Drying

Important technical features

Smart fixture system for easy and fast exchange of different box and carrier types
Easy handling incl. load and unload
Process control via latest software technology, SECS/GEM
Suitable to in-house tracking system
Optimized footprint: CB II 1560 x 1900 x 2510mm; CB III 1865 x 1685 x 2610mm
Cleanstep II loading capacity: 8 carriers, 8 boxes or 24 carriers without boxes
Cleanstep III loading capacity: FOUP’s up to 8 complete sets, for SMIF-Pod’s up to 8 complete sets with carrier

*depends on cassette/ carrier/ SMIF/ FOUP type

Cleaning and etching tool for PECVD AND DIFFUSION BOATS

SprayCleaner

The SprayCleaner is designed for etching and cleaning of PECVD and diffusion boats such as graphite boats, quartz parts, silicon carbide boats

Main Benefits

This tool processes with an innovative spray cleaning technique, that achieves optimized process time, while requiring less chemical consumption compared to an immersion process

Wet chemical processes

Etching and Cleaning

Important technical features

Optimization of CoO due to very small footprint and reduced DI water consumption, that is 2 times lower compared to an immersion process
Minimized cleaning costs per boat by low chemical consumption, which is in fact 10 times lower compared to an immersion process
Highest safety for the operator as the tool processes by closed chamber only, loading and unloading happens solely after complete rinse of process chamber. Furthermore, a fail-safe door locking system is installed
Highest process safety due to overfilling protection function and exhaust monitoring
High and fast availability and low maintenance requirements achieved by the modular design and long life components

Cleaning machine for quartz tubes and liners

CleanStep Tube

The Vertical and Horizontal Tube Cleaner are specially designed for the cleaning of quartz tubes, liners and boats of different sizes

Main Benefits

Optimized footprint
Fully automated cleaning process
Flexible modular construction
Advanced graphical user interface
Extremely maintenance friendly

Substrates

Quartz tubes of different sizes

Chemical wet processes

HF/HNO3 cleaning
dHF for final cleaning (optional)
DIW for rinsing
Hot-DIW for final rinsing and better drying performance (optional)

Important technical features

Programmable tube and liner rotation for efficient cleaning
Special inserts for quartz boats
Tanks for cleaning media placed beneath the cleaning basin – bulk fill and recirculation
Drain separation system
Acid saving spray process compared with immersion spray
Reliable and comfortable process control including a recipe editor
Up to 40 recipes with up to 50 steps each
Integrated DI and N2 guns