Keeping legacy semiconductor tools running when parts go obsolete
Old controllers, discontinued boards and lost manuals retire most legacy tools. How to plan spares, backups and retrofits before a failure forces it.
Pieces, 75 mm (3 in), 100 mm (4 in), 150 mm (6 in) · 1990s–2010s
The TePla 300 is a batch microwave plasma asher for stripping resist, descum and cleaning surfaces. We supply used units and service the magnetron, chamber and pumps on yours.
Price on request
The PVA TePla 300 series is a batch microwave plasma system, used mostly as a resist asher. A magnetron at 2.45 GHz excites an oxygen plasma in a quartz chamber, and a boat of wafers is stripped in one run with little ion bombardment. University cleanrooms and pilot lines buy a used TePla 300 for resist stripping after etch or implant, descum before metallisation and surface cleaning, so that wet strip benches and solvent use go down.
The 300 series was built in several versions, from manual-load units to semi-automatic ones, with different chamber sizes and gas options, so check which one a listing describes. An asher does not replace an etcher; for patterning films you need an RIE or ICP tool such as the Plasmalab 80 Plus.
Most labs run a handful of recipes on one asher:
Each one should be qualified on your own resist and wafers.
A microwave asher has few moving parts, but some wear predictably:
We run an oxygen plasma, check that power and pressure hold, and photograph the quartz parts for the report.
Refurbishment covers new door and chamber seals, cleaning or replacement of the quartz chamber and boats, magnetron and power supply checks, pump service and mass flow controller calibration. For a tool already in your lab, our repair and troubleshooting service handles the common faults: plasma that will not strike, power that drifts, or slow pump-down. Our plasma etch maintenance checklist covers routine checks that apply to ashers as well.
An oil-sealed pump running pure oxygen needs inert oil and regular attention; a dry pump removes both. A CF4 line helps descum residues that oxygen alone leaves behind, provided your exhaust can handle fluorinated by-products. Extra quartz boats let one asher serve two wafer sizes.
Check the chamber size, boat sizes and gases fitted against your wafers and resists. Ask for magnetron hours or replacement history, and whether the pump is oil-sealed or dry. Decide your rules on metals before the tool arrives. The etch category lists the etchers that pair with an asher.
Typical values for the platform. Each tool’s inspection report lists its actual configuration.
Keep older process tools running with planned maintenance, repair, calibration and parts.
Learn moreRebuild used tools to their original specification, with a written scope and a test report.
Learn moreMoving a process tool from one cleanroom to another, and getting it running at the new site.
Learn moreNeed a spare part for the 300 series? Send us the part number and we will check what we can supply.
Microwave ashers are used to strip thick and cross-linked resists, though hard-baked or implanted resist may need longer runs or added gases. We recommend testing your resist on the tool before relying on a recipe.
A microwave plasma has high density of reactive species at low ion energy, so it strips quickly with little ion damage to the wafer. That suits resist removal before further processing.
Many labs restrict metals in their asher to protect the chamber and other users' wafers. Decide your contamination rules before buying, as they affect which work the tool can take.
200 mm (8 in) · Late 1990s–2010s
150 mm (6 in) · Mid-1990s–2000s
Old controllers, discontinued boards and lost manuals retire most legacy tools. How to plan spares, backups and retrofits before a failure forces it.
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Tell us the process, wafer size and facilities. We reply with availability, an inspection report and a refurbishment scope.