DFS 8960 Surface Planarization

The DFS 8960 Surface Planarization is a fully automatic surface planarization system manufactured by Disco. The DFS 8960 belongs to the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) category of wafer processing equipment. The DFS 8960 processes wafers of 8-inch and 12-inch diameter.^[3][1][2]

The DFS 8960 is an automatic system specified for 200-230 V, 50/60 Hz, and three-phase electrical service. The DFS 8960 is equipped with a sedimentation tank that serves as a collection container. The DFS 8960 is equipped with a Disco DTU 1531 chiller unit. The DFS 8960 is equipped with two duct units for exhausting the process chambers.^[3][1]

Surface planarization tools are used in semiconductor fabrication to produce globally flat wafer surfaces before subsequent lithography. In a typical process flow, a planarization step follows a deposition step such as dielectric or metal layer deposition. Downstream, the planarized surface proceeds to photolithography, where a uniform surface height improves depth-of-focus across the exposure field. Without global planarization, surface topography variations would degrade pattern definition.

Applications of this class of equipment include planarization of interlayer dielectrics, shallow trench isolation structures, and damascene metal layers. CMP-type planarization is also used to thin and smooth wafer surfaces for stacking and packaging operations.