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VTTs world-class cleanroom facilities restored to full operational condition
23.10.2006
VTT offers world-class research in microelectronics. The VTT cleanroom at Micronova facilities in Espoo, Finland that suffered considerable damage in February because of a fire has now been fully restored to service condition. It is expected that research activities can be resumed within the next few weeks.
The air-conditioning system and most of the cleanroom structures that were
damaged in the fire have been completely replaced. Covering a floor area of
1,100 m², the cleanroom suffered considerable damage in the fire, with the
cost of renovation and refurnishing estimated at approximately EUR 13.5
million. The new and restored research equipment is currently being installed,
and process start-up was begun at the same time as the installation work. The
facilities are expected to be in full working order and available for research
by the end of the year.
The cleanroom serves research in micro- and nanoelectronics, using equipment
such as a CMOS-based production line for integrated circuits and MEMS
components, as well as specialised equipment for deep etching in silicon and
silicon dioxide. The facilities also house equipment required for materials
research, particularly for the needs of nanoelectronics research.
Much of the research equipment destroyed in the fire has been replaced with
new, equally powerful equipment. For example, migration from 100 mm to 150 mm
wafer size in the production of integrated circuits and semiconductor
components can be regarded as a significant improvement, furthering VTT's
partnering opportunities with the industrial sector.
Micronova is a leading centre for excellence in micro- and nanotechnology run
jointly by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Helsinki
University of Technology. There are nearly 300 research specialists working at
the Micronova facilities in Otaniemi, Espoo. This building is the largest
cleanroom used for micro- and nanoelectronics in the Nordic region. Micronova
partners with various universities, research institutes and commercial
enterprises in international world-class research.
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