Etec: Semiconductor IC Mask Pattern Generation (PG) Equipment
Etec, an Applied Materials Company, designs, manufactures and markets
maskmaking equipment solutions that enable the production of the faster, smaller and
cheaper semiconductor chips necessary for today's electronics.
As the
market leader for semiconductor IC mask pattern generation (PG) equipment—equipment that makes semiconductor masks—Etec is widely recognized for its three
decades of patterning expertise and its ALTA laser- and MEBES electron-beam PG
technologies. Today Etec offers a wider selection of equipment to the
maskmaker, including ARIS-i advanced mask inspection systems.
Precision lasers or electron beams in Etec's pattern generation systems image the design of just one layer of a semiconductor chip onto a piece of chrome-coated quartz glass-the mask or photomask. The beam is used to expose the pixels that make up the designs with amazing speed and accuracy.
After the design has been written on a mask, the mask is then used much like a photographic negative to transfer the circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers. As many as 28 masks are used to build subsequent layers on the wafer. The patterns on the masks translate into the tiny transistors and electrical circuits that make up each final chip. Etec's advanced inspection products allow maskmakers to verify accuracy and ensure higher productivity and quality for our customers.
