Canon Inc. announced that the company has commenced sales of the new FPA-3030i5+ i-line stepper, designed to provide a long-term manufacturing solution for manufacturers of energy-efficient "green devices" and MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) devices.

As awareness of clean energy and energy conservation increases, so too has demand for new "green technology," including wind and solar power, fuel-efficient vehicles, low-power facilities and green devices. Trends indicate a drive toward environmental impact reduction for products and operations.

Green device manufacturers have unique process requirements and several new upgrades have been incorporated into the FPA-3030i5+ semiconductor stepper design. The FPA-3030i5+ is designed specifically to provide a flexible solution for a variety of users, including power-semiconductor, LED (Light-Emitting Diodes) and MEMS manufacturers.

Canon FPA-3030i5+ realizes highest levels of imaging-resolution, overlay-accuracy and productivity performance in its class
Based on technologies cultivated through the field-proven FPA-3000 series, the FPA-30303i5+ is capable of providing imaging resolution below 350 nm*1 while maintaining overlay accuracy of less than 40 nm*1 and throughput in excess of 104 wafers per hour,*2 delivering the highest levels of performance among i-line lithography tools of the same class.*3 Canon developed the FPA-3030i5+ system to reliably meet and exceed the imaging, overlay and productivity requirements of green device and MEMS manufacturers.

The FPA-3030i5+ features a renewed software structure and electrical control system that allow the application of advanced hardware and software options to support next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

Canon FPA-3030i5+ supports special substrate materials required for green device and MEMS manufacturing
The FPA-3030 platform allows processing of silicon (Si), sapphire (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC) and a wide variety of wafer materials used in green device manufacturing. FPA-3030i5+ options include warped-wafer handling systems to allow processing of distorted substrates. The FPA-3030i5+ stepper can also be configured to process multiple wafer sizes, and can be equipped with a variety of options to improve productivity and efficiency.

^*1 1 nm (nanometer) = 1 billionth of a meter
^*2 200 mm wafers, 60 shots per wafer
^*3 As of June 15, 2012, among same-class i-line lithography tools (based on Canon market research)