SSEC (now Veeco) 3300 series single-wafer spray processor

Where the SSEC 3300 fits

Solid State Equipment Corporation (SSEC), acquired by Veeco in 2014, built the 3300 series as single-wafer wet processors for fabs that wanted the control of one-wafer-at-a-time processing without a full wet bench. A used SSEC 3300 is a good fit when you need repeatable spray cleans, single-wafer etches or solvent steps on 100 to 200 mm wafers, especially for MEMS, compound semiconductors and packaging work.

The series covers more than one kind of machine. Some units are brush and high-pressure spray scrubbers for post-process cleaning; others are chemical spray processors for etch, develop or solvent work. The nameplate alone does not tell you which you have, so the first step is always to document the configuration. If batch processing suits your volumes better, compare it with the benches and dryers under wet processing and CMP.

Common configurations and what they mean for you

The process a 3300 can run is fixed by hardware, not software:

• Bowl and chuck materials decide which chemicals are safe.
• Dispense arms and lines decide how many chemicals, whether they are heated and how they reach the wafer.
• Drains and exhaust decide whether solvents and acids can be separated, which is a fire and safety question as well as a process one.

For metal lift-off, a solvent-rated configuration with good exhaust is essential. Our article on e-beam evaporation vs sputtering for lift-off explains why the deposition choice changes how hard the lift-off step is.

Inspection and wear points

We inspect the spin motor and chuck for run-out and vacuum leaks, check every dispense valve and pump, pressure-test chemical lines and look for crazing or swelling in plastic parts that shows chemical attack. Spray nozzles, brushes on scrubber units, and bowl seals are routine wear items. On the controls, we check sensors, interlocks and the recipe storage.

Because these tools have handled acids, bases or solvents, a used unit must be cleaned and documented before shipping. Our decontamination service flushes and neutralises the chemical paths and records what was done, which your safety team will ask for.

Refurbishment

Refurbishment replaces worn seals, valves, nozzles and tubing, renews the chuck and motor where needed and recalibrates flows and spin speeds. For Certified tools we run a test process, for example a timed etch or a particle check on clean wafers, and include the results in the report. Upgrades such as an extra dispense line or a new wafer size are scoped before work starts.

Facilities

Depends on chemistry and model; we confirm the list for your unit.

• Power, voltage and phases depending on configuration
• DI water and filtered nitrogen
• Compressed dry air for pneumatic valves
• Chemical supply or canisters with secondary containment
• Drains segregated by chemistry
• Exhaust sized for the bowl, with flow monitoring

Planning these connections is part of our hook-up and facilities work.

Buying advice

Ask what chemicals the tool ran, for how long and whether it was flushed when it was taken out of service. Photos of the bowl, chuck and dispense arms show more about condition than the age of the tool.