Bondscale dramatically improves wafer bonding productivity.
Solving the Challenges of Logic Transistor Scaling and 3D Integration

On the 24th, EV Group (EVG) launched the automated production fusion bonding system 'BONDSCALE'.
BondScale is designed for a wide range of fusion/molecular wafer bonding applications, including advanced industrial substrate manufacturing and 3D integration methods utilizing layer transfer process technologies such as Monolithic 3D (M3D).

With this BondScale launch, EVG brings wafer bonding technology to the front-end semiconductor processing process, addressing challenges long identified by the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) as they seek to improve logic devices beyond Moore's Law.

By employing enhanced edge alignment technology, BondScale delivers improved wafer bonding productivity and significantly lower cost of ownership (CoO) compared to existing fusion bonding platforms. Equipment shipments to customers have already begun.

The BondScale is sold alongside EVG's GEMINI FB XT automated fusion bonding system, each platform focused on different applications. BondScale primarily focuses on advanced industrial substrate bonding and layer transfer processes, while Gemini FB XT will support applications requiring higher alignment precision such as memory stacking, 3D SoC, BIS CMOS image sensor stacking, and die partitioning.

According to the IRDS roadmap, parasitic scaling will be a key driver of future logic device performance, necessitating new transistor architectures and materials. Furthermore, new 3D integration approaches, such as M3D, are needed to transition existing 2D semiconductors to 3D VLSI.

Layer-transfer processes and advanced engineered substrates enable logic scaling by providing significant improvements in device performance, functionality, and power consumption. Direct wafer bonding using plasma-activated technology is a proven method for heterogeneous integration between different materials, advanced industrial substrates, and thin silicon layer transfer applications.

BondScale is a high-volume production system for fusion/direct wafer bonding required for front-end-of-line (FEOL) applications.

Featuring EVG's LowTemp plasma activation technology, the BondScale system integrates all steps required for fusion bonding—cleaning, plasma activation, alignment, pre-bonding, and IR inspection—into a single platform, making it ideal for a wide range of fusion/molecular wafer bonding applications.

The system can handle both 200mm and 300mm wafers, ensuring a high yield, void-free production process with high productivity.

BondScale integrates next-generation fusion/direct bonding modules with novel wafer handling systems and optical edge alignment to deliver high productivity to customers seeking to drive advanced industrial substrate wafer production and M3D integration.

“Our new BondScale solution delivers higher productivity to meet the growing demand for advanced engineered substrates and layer transfer processes that will enable the continued performance, power consumption and area reduction of next-generation logic and memory devices in the post-Moore’s Law era,” said Paul Lindner, CTO of EVG.