SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions, Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “SCREEN”), which exhibited at SEMICON West, is a leading manufacturer of wafer processing equipment for the global semiconductor market. Products include:
- Single wafer & batch cleaning systems and scrubbers (SCREEN is the market leader in wafer cleaning systems).
- Coat/Develop tracks for all lithography and spin-on applications (SOC/SOG, etc.).
- Flash lamp and laser systems for annealing treatment
- Wafer inspection systems and metrology
“We respond to changing market needs with a diverse range of systems, from our flagship models for 300mm wafers, offering high functionality and superior productivity for the cutting-edge device market, to 200mm and under models that handle wafers of various sizes and shapes for the IoT device market,” said Dr. Harold Stokes Senior Manager and R&D Strategist at SCREEN SPE USA, LLC. “We are offering a diverse line-up of cleaning, coat/develop track, annealing, inspection, and metrology systems.”
At SEMICON West, SCREEN will be highlighting its sustainability efforts, along with newly introduced coat/develop track systems as well as flagship cleaning system. “In response to climate change, the SCREEN Group aims to contribute to the development of a sustainable society by reducing the environmental impact of all our business activities, including the development, manufacture, and sale of the technologies, products, and services it provides, as well as those of its customers,” Stokes said. “The SCREEN Group will strive to reduce GHG emissions through its business operations and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.”
Progress to date has been impressive. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, GHG emissions (Scope 1 + Scope 2) from the company’s business activities were reduced by 45.3% (preliminary figures) compared to the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, significantly exceeding the target (10% reduction) of Sustainable Value 2023, its mid-term plan through the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
SCREEN efforts to achieve a sustainability society include:
- Participation in the Semiconductor Climate Consortium As one of the founding members, SCREEN participated in the Semiconductor Climate Consortium established by SEMI. The company will continue to propose effective semiconductor ecosystem initiatives to address climate change issues.
- Participation in imec SSTS To reduce the environmental impact of the semiconductor industry, SCREEN participated in the new research program “SSTS” promoted by imec.
- Introducing a visualization application into the Hikone Plant’s Process Technology Center SCREEN has introduced FTD solutions INC’s Water Management Application (WMA) to visualize water management to accelerate sustainability development.
- “zeroboard,” a cloud service for calculating and visualizing CO2 emissions As an industry first, SCREEN has incorporated “zeroboard” into the semiconductor manufacturing equipment world. The company will continue to monitor CO2 emissions for SCREEN products and services.
Sustainability efforts also include bringing greater energy efficiency to equipment operation and decreased use of chemical substances. With these factors in mind, SCREEN has successfully developed two new coat/develop track systems: the RF-200EX, designed for 150 and 200mm wafers, and the RF-300EX for 300mm wafers. These systems inherit a wealth of advanced coat/develop track technologies refined by SCREEN over many years and deliver both outstanding productivity and a smaller footprint. They are also distinctly more environmentally friendly, dramatically reducing resist consumption during wafer coating and electricity consumption throughout the manufacturing process.
Expansion of production and service system S3 factory
Aiming to more swiftly and flexibly accommodate rapidly growing demand for semiconductor production equipment, in January 2024, SCREEN began operations at its new factory, S3-5. Along with the previously built S3-4 factory, the total productivity has been boosted by 40% (compared to 2022). It strengthens the production/sorting of parts and equipment/unit assembly of single-wafer cleaning equipment. An efficient production flow from start to shipment will be realized through connecting with S3-3 and S3-4.
“In addition to increasing our production capacity, the new factory’s operations have been designed to reduce environmental burden in a variety of ways, such as using renewable energy, reducing chemical and wastewater discharge, and using energy-efficient air conditioning systems,” Stokes said. “These efforts also extend to equipment development, as we constantly work to provide more environmentally friendly equipment.”
Mr. Okamoto, the president of SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions, Co., Ltd., sums up the company’s initiatives, saying: “As we go forward, we will continue striving to contribute to society by delivering innovative, creative solutions to our customers through superior manufacturing. To this end, we are working to strengthen our R&D capabilities and further enhance communication with customers. I hope that you will take a look at what we are doing at SCREEN and let us know your thoughts. We provide leading-edge semiconductor equipment from Kyoto to the world.”
