FREMONT,
Calif., Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lam Research
Corp. (Nasdaq: LRCX) today introduced Dextro™, the
semiconductor industry's first collaborative robot (cobot) designed
to optimize critical maintenance tasks on wafer fabrication
equipment. Now deployed in multiple advanced wafer fabs around the
world, Dextro enables accurate, high-precision maintenance to
minimize tool downtime and production variability. It drives
significant first-time-right (FTR) results that can enhance
yield.
Today's wafer fabrication equipment utilizes advanced physics,
robotics and chemistry to create semiconductors at nanoscale. A
typical fab has hundreds of process tools that each require
regular, complex maintenance. Dextro is designed to improve the
cost effectiveness of this equipment by performing critical
maintenance tasks repeatability with sub-micron precision.
"Dextro is an exciting leap forward in semiconductor
manufacturing equipment maintenance. Built to work side-by-side
with fab engineers, it executes complex maintenance tasks with
precision and repeatability that are beyond human capability alone,
enabling higher tool uptime and manufacturing yield," said
Chris Carter, group vice president
of the Customer Support Business Group at Lam Research. "It is a
powerful addition to Lam's extensive portfolio of tools and
services designed to help chipmakers optimize their fabs for cost
and productivity."
As fabs continue to grow in size, geographic diversity and
equipment complexity, chipmakers need to optimize the effectiveness
of their fab engineers by increasing automation and adding
efficiencies. This is becoming even more important as the number of
semiconductor positions worldwide continues to outpace the
availability of skilled engineers.1
Precision is crucial in tool maintenance, where the accurate
reassembly of subsystems translates to the bottom line. Achieving
FTR saves time and cost. Repeatable maintenance also reduces waste
associated with consumable parts, labor and production downtime,
leading to less variability and higher yield in production.
"When manufacturing equipment requires maintenance, the work
must be done quickly and efficiently to avoid extended tool
downtime and wasted cost," said Young Ju
Kim, vice president and head of the Memory Etch Technology
Team at Samsung Electronics. "Error-free maintenance by Dextro
helps drive improvements in production variability and yield. This
is an exciting milestone in Samsung's journey to the autonomous
fab."
Dextro is a mobile unit with a robotic arm operated by a fab
technician or engineer. It uses various end-effectors as hands to
manage critical equipment maintenance tasks that are time-consuming
and prone to errors when done manually. For example:
- It precisely installs and compresses consumable components with
more than two times the accuracy of manual application. Precise
assembly helps control etch performance at the wafer edge,
improving yield.
- Dextro tightens vacuum-sealing, high-precision bolts to exact
specifications, relieving fab engineers of a repetitive task that
has up to a 5% error rate when done manually. Accurately meeting
specifications eliminates chamber temperature deviations that may
take a tool out of production and impact die yield.
- Using automation and cleaning technology, Dextro removes
side-wall polymer build-up within the chamber, without the burden
of disassembly of the lower chamber. Importantly, it does this at
lower risk to humans who require heavy protective breathing
equipment to perform the task manually.
Lam's Flex® G and H series dielectric etch tools are
currently supported by Dextro, expanding to additional tools in
2025 and beyond.
"With the enormous increase in demand that AI is bringing to the
semiconductor market, it's critical for chipmakers to keep all
their manufacturing equipment working as efficiently as possible to
minimize downtime," said Bob
O'Donnell, president of TECHnalysis Research. "Dextro can
automate tedious, time-consuming and, often, intricate cleaning and
maintenance tasks on chip fabrication equipment so that
manufacturing output can be maximized. It offers a huge benefit for
companies that choose to deploy it."
Dextro joins a portfolio of smart solutions from Lam that
enhance efficiency and reduce the cost of operations for
semiconductor fabs. This includes the Lam Equipment
Intelligence® process tools with autonomous calibration
and self-adapting maintenance capabilities, as well as Equipment
Intelligence® Services that use data, machine learning,
artificial intelligence and Lam domain knowledge to achieve better
productivity outcomes.
Additional Media Resources
- Visit Media Center on the Lam Newsroom for related images,
video and press content
- Read the Lam blog
- Learn more about Dextro
About Lam Research
Lam Research Corporation is a
global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and
services to the semiconductor industry. Lam's equipment and
services allow customers to build smaller and better performing
devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with
Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology
leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering
commitment to our customers. Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) is a
FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Fremont, Calif., with operations around the
globe. Learn more at www.lamresearch.com.
1 The Global Semiconductor Talent Shortage,
Deloitte, 2022
Company Contacts:
Allison L. Parker
Media Relations
(510) 572-9324
publicrelations@lamresearch.com
Ram Ganesh
Investor Relations
(510) 572-1615
investor.relations@lamresearch.com
Source: Lam Research Corporation, (Nasdaq: LRCX)
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