Lam Research Introduces the Semiconductor Industry's First Collaborative Robot for Fab Maintenance Optimization
Lam Research (LRCX) has introduced Dextro™, the semiconductor industry's first collaborative robot (cobot) designed for wafer fabrication equipment maintenance optimization. Currently deployed in multiple advanced wafer fabs globally, Dextro works alongside engineers to perform critical maintenance tasks with sub-micron precision.
The cobot enhances maintenance efficiency by: performing component installation with twice the manual accuracy, executing precise bolt tightening with reduced error rates, and conducting automated chamber cleaning. These capabilities help minimize tool downtime, reduce production variability, and improve yield. Initially supporting Lam's Flex® G and H series dielectric etch tools, Dextro's support will expand to additional tools in 2025.
Lam Research (LRCX) ha introdotto Dextro™, il primo robot collaborativo (cobot) dell'industria dei semiconduttori progettato per ottimizzare la manutenzione delle attrezzature per la fabbricazione di wafer. Attualmente impiegato in numerosi stabilimenti avanzati a livello globale, Dextro lavora insieme agli ingegneri per eseguire operazioni di manutenzione critiche con precisione sub-micronica.
Il cobot migliora l'efficienza di manutenzione: eseguendo l'installazione dei componenti con il doppio della precisione manuale, effettuando il serraggio dei bulloni con tassi di errore ridotti e conducendo operazioni di pulizia automatizzata delle camere. Queste capacità aiutano a ridurre i tempi di inattività degli strumenti, a diminuire la variabilità della produzione e a migliorare il rendimento. Inizialmente a supporto degli strumenti di incisione dielettrica delle serie Flex® G e H di Lam, il supporto di Dextro si espanderà a ulteriori strumenti nel 2025.
Lam Research (LRCX) ha presentado Dextro™, el primer robot colaborativo (cobot) de la industria de semiconductores diseñado para optimizar el mantenimiento de equipos de fabricación de obleas. Actualmente desplegado en múltiples fábricas avanzadas de obleas a nivel global, Dextro trabaja junto a ingenieros para realizar tareas críticas de mantenimiento con precisión submicrónica.
El cobot mejora la eficiencia del mantenimiento: realizando la instalación de componentes con el doble de precisión manual, ejecutando el ajuste de tornillos con tasas de error reducidas y llevando a cabo la limpieza automatizada de camaras. Estas capacidades ayudan a minimizar el tiempo de inactividad de las herramientas, reducir la variabilidad de la producción y mejorar el rendimiento. Inicialmente apoyando las herramientas de grabado dieléctrico de las series Flex® G y H de Lam, el soporte de Dextro se expandirá a más herramientas en 2025.
램 리서치 (LRCX)가 Dextro™를 발표했습니다. 이는 웨이퍼 제조 장비 유지 보수를 최적화하기 위해 설계된 반도체 산업 최초의 협업 로봇(cobot)입니다. 현재 전 세계 여러 고급 웨이퍼 팹에 배치되어 있으며, Dextro는 엔지니어와 함께 작업하여 서브 마이크론 정밀도로 중요한 유지 보수 작업을 수행합니다.
이 협업 로봇은 유지 보수 효율성을 향상시킵니다: 수동 정확도의 두 배로 부품 설치를 수행하고, 오류율을 줄여 정밀한 볼트 조임을 수행하며, 자동화된 챔버 청소를 실시합니다. 이러한 기능은 툴 가동 중지 시간을 최소화하고, 생산 변동성을 줄이며, 수율을 개선하는 데 도움을 줍니다. 처음에는 램의 Flex® G 및 H 시리즈 유전체 에칭 도구를 지원하고 있는 Dextro는 2025년에 추가 도구로 지원을 확대할 예정입니다.
Lam Research (LRCX) a présenté Dextro™, le premier robot collaboratif (cobot) de l'industrie des semi-conducteurs, conçu pour optimiser la maintenance des équipements de fabrication de wafers. Actuellement déployé dans plusieurs usines de wafers avancées à l'échelle mondiale, Dextro travaille aux côtés des ingénieurs pour effectuer des tâches de maintenance critiques avec une précision submicronique.
Le cobot améliore l'efficacité de la maintenance en : effectuant l'installation de composants avec deux fois la précision manuelle, en exécutant un serrage précis des boulons avec des taux d'erreur réduits et en réalisant un nettoyage automatisé des chambres. Ces capacités aident à minimiser le temps d'arrêt des outils, à réduire la variabilité de la production et à améliorer le rendement. Initialement, Dextro soutient les outils de gravure diélectrique des séries Flex® G et H de Lam, et son support s'élargira à d'autres outils en 2025.
Lam Research (LRCX) hat Dextro™ vorgestellt, den ersten kollaborativen Roboter (Cobot) der Halbleiterindustrie, der für die Optimierung der Wartung von Wafer-Fertigungsanlagen entwickelt wurde. Dextro wird derzeit in mehreren fortschrittlichen Wafer-Fabriken weltweit eingesetzt und arbeitet an der Seite von Ingenieuren, um kritische Wartungsaufgaben mit submikronischer Präzision auszuführen.
Der Cobot verbessert die Wartungseffizienz, indem er z.B. Komponenten mit doppelter manueller Genauigkeit installiert, präzises Anziehen von Schrauben mit reduzierten Fehlerquoten ausführt und automatisierte Kammerreinigungen durchführt. Diese Fähigkeiten helfen, Ausfallzeiten der Geräte zu minimieren, die Produktionsvariabilität zu reduzieren und die Ausbeute zu verbessern. Ursprünglich unterstützt Dextro die Dielektrik-Ätzwerkzeuge der Flex® G und H Serie von Lam, und die Unterstützung wird 2025 auf weitere Werkzeuge ausgeweitet.
- Improves maintenance precision with over 2x accuracy compared to manual operations
- Reduces maintenance error rates from 5% to near-zero in certain tasks
- Minimizes equipment downtime and improves production yield
- Addresses skilled engineer shortage in semiconductor industry
- Reduces waste in consumable parts and labor costs
- initial deployment only to Flex G and H series tools
- Requires human operator oversight and cannot work autonomously
Insights
- 2x improvement in consumable component installation accuracy
- Reduction in bolt-tightening errors from
5% to near-zero - Automated chamber cleaning without disassembly
Today's wafer fabrication equipment utilizes advanced physics, robotics and chemistry to create semiconductors at nanoscale. A typical fab has hundreds of process tools that each require regular, complex maintenance. Dextro is designed to improve the cost effectiveness of this equipment by performing critical maintenance tasks repeatability with sub-micron precision.
"Dextro is an exciting leap forward in semiconductor manufacturing equipment maintenance. Built to work side-by-side with fab engineers, it executes complex maintenance tasks with precision and repeatability that are beyond human capability alone, enabling higher tool uptime and manufacturing yield," said Chris Carter, group vice president of the Customer Support Business Group at Lam Research. "It is a powerful addition to Lam's extensive portfolio of tools and services designed to help chipmakers optimize their fabs for cost and productivity."
As fabs continue to grow in size, geographic diversity and equipment complexity, chipmakers need to optimize the effectiveness of their fab engineers by increasing automation and adding efficiencies. This is becoming even more important as the number of semiconductor positions worldwide continues to outpace the availability of skilled engineers.1
Precision is crucial in tool maintenance, where the accurate reassembly of subsystems translates to the bottom line. Achieving FTR saves time and cost. Repeatable maintenance also reduces waste associated with consumable parts, labor and production downtime, leading to less variability and higher yield in production.
"When manufacturing equipment requires maintenance, the work must be done quickly and efficiently to avoid extended tool downtime and wasted cost," said Young Ju Kim, vice president and head of the Memory Etch Technology Team at Samsung Electronics. "Error-free maintenance by Dextro helps drive improvements in production variability and yield. This is an exciting milestone in Samsung's journey to the autonomous fab."
Dextro is a mobile unit with a robotic arm operated by a fab technician or engineer. It uses various end-effectors as hands to manage critical equipment maintenance tasks that are time-consuming and prone to errors when done manually. For example:
- It precisely installs and compresses consumable components with more than two times the accuracy of manual application. Precise assembly helps control etch performance at the wafer edge, improving yield.
- Dextro tightens vacuum-sealing, high-precision bolts to exact specifications, relieving fab engineers of a repetitive task that has up to a
5% error rate when done manually. Accurately meeting specifications eliminates chamber temperature deviations that may take a tool out of production and impact die yield. - Using automation and cleaning technology, Dextro removes side-wall polymer build-up within the chamber, without the burden of disassembly of the lower chamber. Importantly, it does this at lower risk to humans who require heavy protective breathing equipment to perform the task manually.
Lam's Flex® G and H series dielectric etch tools are currently supported by Dextro, expanding to additional tools in 2025 and beyond.
"With the enormous increase in demand that AI is bringing to the semiconductor market, it's critical for chipmakers to keep all their manufacturing equipment working as efficiently as possible to minimize downtime," said Bob O'Donnell, president of TECHnalysis Research. "Dextro can automate tedious, time-consuming and, often, intricate cleaning and maintenance tasks on chip fabrication equipment so that manufacturing output can be maximized. It offers a huge benefit for companies that choose to deploy it."
Dextro joins a portfolio of smart solutions from Lam that enhance efficiency and reduce the cost of operations for semiconductor fabs. This includes the Lam Equipment Intelligence® process tools with autonomous calibration and self-adapting maintenance capabilities, as well as Equipment Intelligence® Services that use data, machine learning, artificial intelligence and Lam domain knowledge to achieve better productivity outcomes.
Additional Media Resources
- Visit Media Center on the Lam Newsroom for related images, video and press content
- Read the Lam blog
- Learn more about Dextro
About Lam Research
Lam Research Corporation is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam's equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better performing devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in
1 The Global Semiconductor Talent Shortage, Deloitte, 2022
Company Contacts:
Allison L. Parker
Media Relations
(510) 572-9324
publicrelations@lamresearch.com
Ram Ganesh
Investor Relations
(510) 572-1615
investor.relations@lamresearch.com
Source: Lam Research Corporation, (Nasdaq: LRCX)
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SOURCE Lam Research Corporation
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