The lithography business plays a vital role in the semiconductor industry. It is one of the key steps in the semiconductor manufacturing process and is used to transfer the circuit pattern to a silicon wafer to form tiny electronic components. Advances in lithography have directly contributed to the shrinking of semiconductor process nodes. For example, as process nodes move from 7nm to 5nm and beyond, the precision and resolution requirements for lithography continue to increase. This makes it necessary for semiconductor manufacturers to continuously invest in new technologies and equipment to remain competitive. In addition, lithography is one of the most complex and costly aspects of semiconductor manufacturing. The procurement, maintenance, and use of photoresist equipment all affect the overall cost of production. In addition, the yield rate in the lithography process is directly related to the yield and economic benefits of semiconductor products. Therefore, improving the efficiency of the lithography process and reducing defect rates is critical for the semiconductor industry as a whole. Onto Innovation Inc. is a global provider of process control and packaging lithography solutions for the semiconductor market. Recently, the company announced that it has acquired Lumina Instruments, Inc. in Milpitas, California.
"We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of Lumina Instruments, enhancing Onto Innovation's inspection portfolio by adding its highly differentiated laser scattering technology," said Dr. Mike Rosa, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Onto Innovation. This technology will expand the addressable markets we serve by more than $250 million, including opportunities in wafer and panel manufacturing and power semiconductors. With this technology, we can extend defect sensitivity from 750nm to below 100nm while maintaining industry-leading throughput, and it complements our Firefly® inspection systems for panel packaging applications.”
Figure: Onto Innovation's strategic layout of the acquisition company and lithography business
As panel-level packaging applications transition to glass, the opportunities to detect surface and subsurface defects and contamination continue to increase. At the same time, the silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) wafer power market continues to grow, with process control challenges in the manufacturing process increasing as wafer sizes change from 150 mm to 200 mm and from 200 mm to 300 mm, respectively.
Dr. Steven Meeks, former CTO and President of Lumina Instruments, said, "We are looking for the next phase of technology growth in a range of applications, from advanced packaging to compound semiconductor power. Onto Innovation impressed us with its strong market access and focus on product synergies. In addition, their dedication to empowering small, high-performing teams and their vision for new growth areas such as panel-level processing have inspired our team.”
Onto Innovation also acquired the lithography business from Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc., with 24 issued patents, 8 pending patents, and more than 200 person-years of experience in semiconductor lithography and wafer applications. With powerful hardware and software technologies, differentiated patents, and a unique metrology and lithography performance design, the team will accelerate and expand the JetStep® panel lithography roadmap.
The acquisitions are expected to generate up to $100 million in annual revenue over the next three years and increase earnings over a 12-month period, industry insiders said. With the development of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things, the demand for high-performance semiconductors continues to grow. This will further advance lithography technology, prompting manufacturers to invest in new equipment and processes to meet the challenges of the future.
