ClassOne Technology, a global provider of advanced electroplating and wet processing tools for microelectronics manufacturing, today announced that Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) has selected a Solstice S8 single-wafer processing system for its advanced packaging R&D program. Georgia Tech will implement the eight-chamber Solstice’s range of plating and surface preparation capabilities in back-end-of-line processing of silicon and glass substrates for 3D heterogeneous integration.
Each chamber in the Solstice S8 system, slated for shipment to Georgia Tech in Q4 2024, will be dedicated to a different advanced packaging process. The configuration will comprise two CopperMax chambers for pillar/redistribution layer (RDL) and through-silicon via (TSV) chemistries, individual chambers for tin-silver, gold, and nickel-tungsten plating, an etch chamber, and a vacuum pre-wet chamber. This fully loaded configuration brings all requirements for advanced packaging development onto one platform.
The Solstice order is central to a broader relationship between ClassOne and Georgia Tech. ClassOne will support the establishment of the 3D Heterogeneous Integration Hub at the university’s Institute for Matter and Systems. The hub will promote basic and translational research, business models, and educational endeavors in advanced packaging at Georgia Tech, connecting the semiconductor industry with students and faculty thought leaders.
Jud Ready, principal research engineer and associate director, Institute for Matter and Systems at Georgia Tech, said, “Working with ClassOne and the Solstice tool is an effort to enhance our fabrication capabilities. The demands in this field require constant innovation, and this collaboration and tool will give our team new ways to innovate and produce.”
ClassOne will provide in-depth support for the cross-functional 3D Heterogeneous Integration Hub, including dedicating onsite senior process and service engineers to assist students with projects and train them on Solstice maintenance and upgrades; supplying technical and process support; creating three internships per calendar year; participating in Georgia Tech’s graduate student fellowship program; and jointly pursuing in-depth research.
“Georgia Tech is leading the way in technological innovation at the university level,” said ClassOne Technology CEO Byron Exarcos. “We are excited to enable the school’s faculty, staff and students to pursue exceptional packaging R&D leveraging our equipment and strategic guidance, and we anticipate highly valuable results to emerge from this long-term relationship.” Exarcos further noted that this is the first of several microelectronics-focused collaborations between ClassOne and leading universities planned over the next five years.