Instrument/equipment Core/facility: Yale Cleanroom Facilities

Back-end processing

Building: Becton Engineering and Applied Science Center, 5th floor

About the instruments

Before and after vacuum processing steps, samples often require bulk physical modification, separation from the wafer, and other post-processing steps. With proper handling and appropriate equipment selection, damage can be kept to a minimum during these steps, improving device functionality and yield.

Available to Yale researchers & external researchers

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Equipment list

  1. HESSE Bondjet BJ855 Wire Bonder
  2. ADT 7122 Dicing Saw
  3. Ontos 7 Indium Surface Treatment System
  4. SETNA FC150 Flip Chip Bonder
  5. Tousimis Critical Point Dryer
  6. LatticeGear Scribing Tools

 

HESSE Bondjet BJ855 Wire Bonder

Cleanroom_Hesse

This tool is an advanced automated wire bonder designed for precise and efficient bonding processes, particularly suited for delicate substrates and high-throughput applications. It offers high-precision, delay-free touchdown detection, advanced calibration systems, and automated features to streamline operations and minimize errors. The tool integrates flexible automation options, real-time quality control, and innovative technologies to ensure reliable performance in wire bonding. With the ability to perform up to 7 wire bonds per second, it is ideal for applications requiring speed, accuracy, and consistency.

  • Tool owner: Luigi Frunzio
  • Location: Main Campus Cleanroom
  • Internal rate: Included with cleanroom access

 

ADT 7122 Dicing Saw

Cleanroom_ADT7122

The ADT 7122 is a high-precision automatic dicing saw designed for cutting a wide range of substrates including silicon, glass, ceramics, and compound semiconductors. It features dual-spindle architecture for flexibility in process development and supports full and partial cut modes. The system includes a high-resolution vision alignment system, a vacuum chuck for secure wafer holding, and automatic blade dressing capabilities.

It is suitable for dicing wafers up to 8 inches (200 mm) and can handle small pieces down to a few millimeters. With programmable cutting parameters, the 7122 allows fine control over blade speed, spindle rotation, and cutting depth, enabling high yield and low-damage dicing processes across a variety of materials and applications.

  • Supported materials: Si, GaAs, InP, glass, sapphire, ceramics, polymers
  • Wafer size: Up to 8" (200 mm)
  • Tool owner: Luigi Frunzio
  • Location: Main Campus Cleanroom
  • Internal rate: Included with cleanroom access

Ontos 7 Indium Surface Treatment System

The Ontos 7 is an atmospheric downstream plasma tool designed for surface activation and oxide reduction of sensitive materials like indium, copper, and nickel. It uses helium-based plasma to generate neutral radicals (H*, O*, N*) without ion bombardment, making it ideal for compound semiconductors and delicate structures.

Process parameters such as RF power, gas mix, scan speed, and head gap are adjustable. The system performs oxide reduction, surface activation, and nitrogen passivation in sequence at substrate temperatures below ~100 °C.

Cleanroom_ontos7

Common applications include native oxide removal (In, Cu, Ni), surface activation for bonding, plasma cleaning of residues, and N₂ passivation.

  • Available processes: Oxide reduction, surface activation, surface passivation
  • Supported materials: In, Cu, Ni, Au, organics, and more
  • Substrate size: Up to 6" wafers
  • Tool owner: Luigi Frunzio
  • Location: Becton 322
  • Internal rate: Included with cleanroom access

 

SETNA FC150 Flip Chip Bonder

The SETNA FC150 is a high-precision flip chip bonder designed for R&D and small-scale production. It supports a range of bonding techniques including thermo-compression, epoxy, and solder bonding, and can handle substrates up to 150 mm. The system includes a high-resolution optical system with dual microscopes, motorized stages with sub-micron accuracy, and a programmable bonding sequence via a user-friendly interface.

Cleanroom_Senta

The FC150 features automatic alignment, bonding force control, and optional modules such as laser leveling and in-situ inspection. Its modularity and programmable recipe editor make it ideal for process development in advanced packaging and optoelectronic integration.

  • Maximum substrate size: 6"

  • Alignment accuracy: ≤ 1 µm

  • Bonding methods: Thermo-compression, epoxy, solder

  • Tool owner: Luigi Frunzio
  • Location: Becton 322
  • Internal rate: Included with cleanroom access

 

Tousimis Critical Point Dryer

Cleanroom_CPD

Supercritical drying, also called critical point drying, is a process that removes liquid from materials in a precise and controlled manner, avoiding the surface tension effects that can damage delicate structures. This technique is widely used in engineering and research, particularly in the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), where it prevents the collapse or deformation of microstructures during drying. It is also essential in preparing biological specimens for scanning electron microscopy, preserving fine details by minimizing shrinkage and distortion. Additionally, supercritical drying finds applications in aerogels, porous materials, and advanced coatings, enabling researchers to maintain the integrity of intricate structures for analysis and development. Its precision makes it invaluable for studying and manufacturing delicate and high-performance materials.

  • Tool owner:  Yeongjae Shin
  • Location: Main Campus Cleanroom
  • Internal rate: Included with cleanroom access

 

LatticeGear Scribing Tools

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Yale owns a full suite of LatticeGear scribing tools, a quick and clean alternative to full-wafer dicing.

For everyday scribing, the LatticeGear FlexScribe is a straightforward solution. For cleaves where the backside of the wafer needs to be protected, consider the FlipScribe. For cleaves where precision is important, the best solution is likely the microscope-enhanced LatticeAx.

  • Tool owner: Yong Sun
  • Location: Main Campus Cleanroom
  • Internal rate: Included with cleanroom access