Auros wins multiple orders from Japan for 8-inch overlay equipment

Auros Technology has won orders to supply overlay equipment for 8-inch wafers from multiple South Korean and Japanese chipmakers, TheElec has learned.

The company’s 8-inch OL-100n was being evaluated by up to five companies based in the East Asian countries, sources said.

The customers were considering buying overlay equipment to improve their processes, they added, which they haven’t done for legacy processes.

Auros Technology’s OL-100n is modified from the original equipment for 12-inch wafers to support 6-inch and 8-inch wafers.

Overlay equipment are used to check whether the circuit patterns on the wafers are aligned correctly.

This process directly affects the yield in wafer fabrication, where chip designs are put on wafers before being cut out and packaged.

Demand for 8-inch wafers is increasing globally, due to rising demand for SiC and GaN chips that are made in that wafer size.

Auros Technology previously said its OL-100n equipment can react flexibly to chemicals and can detect circuit patterns than previous equipment.

The kit can also measure oxide and aluminum films on the wafers, the company had said.

The equipment is being used by South Korean research institutes in researching chips as well as foundry fabs run by Taiwanese and South Korean chipmakers.