AXIC, INC.

AXIC, Inc manufactures and distributes semiconductor plasma processing equipment and Thin Film Metrology tools Ellipsometer, Spectroscopic and Discrete Wavelength Ellipsometry, Film Thickness Probe, Reflectometer for the semiconductor, III V compound semiconductor, optics, photonics, optoelectronics, nanotechnology and micro electromechanical system MEMS industries We offers six product lines including 1 Plasma processing equipment for inductively coupled plasma ICP etch, low temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition ICP PECVD, reactive ion etch RIE, PECVD for fabrication of silicon and III V GaAs, GaN and InP devices for microprocessors, VCSEL, HBT and laser diodes 2 Etchers for photoresist stripping, surface cleaning and modification and hybride cleaning 3 Microwave plasma etcher for wafer thinning and damage removal 4 Rapid thermal processors for annealing RTA, oxidation RTO, nitridation RTN, chemical vapor deposition RTCVD, metal organic chemical vapor deposition

AXIC, Inc. was founded in 1980 as a company to develop surface science equipment for the semiconductor, electronics, and general scientific community. The early stages of the company were involved with determining future equipment requirements for the semiconductor industry which could be filled by a small company with strategic knowledge of surface measurement requirements.

Initial developments focused on x-ray and electron beam analysis of surfaces for compositional and film thickness analysis. These developments lead to the introduction of a stand alone x-ray fluorescence unit which was easily operated by fab personnel for the measurement of film composition and thickness. AXIC, Inc. now produces 3 XRF systems for coatings analysis in both development and production applications for the semiconductor, magnetic, and superconductor industries.

In 1992, AXIC entered the market of producing laser based reflectometers for the measurement of film thickness, index of refraction, and film absorption properties of transparent/translucent films for the semiconductor, optical and magnetics industries.

Shortly after, AXIC commenced the manufacture of plasma tools for cleaning, photoresist stripping, reactive ion etch (RIE), and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Today these offerings include the MultiMode HF8, PlasmaStar, and BenchMark 800-II. Units are ideally suited for research and development and small scale productions. The plasma tools can be configured in various ways to meet the end users' specific requirements.