ThinkLaser SigmaClean Wafer Laser Marking Machine

ThinkLaser SigmaClean is a fully automated "soft-marking" laser marking system designed specifically for 100mm to 200mm wafers, fully compliant with Class 1 cleanroom standards. Its core mission is to leverage patented laser technology to provide semiconductor wafers with efficient, durable, and highly legible markings—without generating particulate contamination—thereby enabling automated traceability throughout the entire wafer lifecycle.

**Technical Principles**

SigmaClean's core strengths lie in its source-controlled clean technology and its stable, precision-engineered hardware design.

**Patented SuperSoftMark® Technology:** This is the key differentiator that sets SigmaClean apart from other equipment. By precisely controlling laser energy, it achieves truly "Debris-Free" marking. This feature fundamentally eliminates the risk of particulate contamination, allowing the system to be safely deployed in Front-End of Line (FEOL) manufacturing environments where cleanliness requirements are extremely stringent.

**Highly Stable Diode-Pumped Solid-State Laser:** The system employs a patented diode-pumped solid-state laser characterized by exceptional pulse-to-pulse stability. This ensures a high degree of consistency in the depth and roundness of every marked dot, thereby guaranteeing the stability and repeatability of the marking quality.

**Robust Optical and Automation Systems:** The entire machine features a fully automated design, supports SECS II/GEM factory automation communication protocols, and integrates seamlessly with mainstream automated wafer handling systems, such as SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) wafer pods.

**Core Advantages and Features**

SigmaClean's advantages extend beyond its advanced marking capabilities to the tangible value it delivers to wafer fabrication plants.

**Unparalleled Cleanliness:** Compliant with Class 1 (International Standard ISO Class 3) cleanroom compatibility requirements, making it the preferred choice for Front-End wafer fabrication plants (Fabs) with extremely demanding clean environment standards.

**High Throughput and Cost-Effectiveness:** The soft-marking process—specifically developed to mark polished wafers within cleanroom environments and now an industry standard—is utilized by this system to provide a highly cost-effective solution.

**Consistent Marking Quality and Traceability:** The laser's exceptional pulse stability is the key to achieving uniform dot depth and roundness, a critical factor in boosting the recognition rates of subsequent machine vision systems (Optical Character Recognition, OCR). Simultaneously, the system creates permanent, legible marks, providing traceability throughout every stage of production.

Extensive Application Flexibility: Multiple mark groups can be placed in any orientation on the wafer surface, with marking locations restricted to an annular zone within 25 mm of the wafer edge.

Specifications & Operation/Maintenance

Specification Category | Detailed Parameters & Description

Equipment Classification | Fully Automatic, ISO 3 / Class 1 Cleanroom-compatible, 100–200 mm Wafer Soft Marking System

Wafer Size | Standard support for 100 mm – 200 mm (4–8 inches)

Laser Type | Sigma100 IR Diode-Pumped Solid-State Laser

Marking Technology | Patented SuperSoftMark® (Debris-free Soft Marking)

Marking Location | Any orientation within the 25 mm annular zone at the wafer edge

Communication Interface | SECS II/GEM, SEMI-standard Host Interface

Transport/Cassette | 3 Open Cassette Stations; Optional 200 mm SMIF Pod Adapter

Optional Features | OCR/Barcode Reading and Re-marking

Software System | Windows®-based User Interface

Compliance & Certification | Compliant with SEMI S2/S8, CE, and other standards

Power & Air Supply | Standard Industrial Single-Phase 220V Power Supply and Clean Compressed Air

SigmaClean is also designed with ease of maintenance in mind:

**Ease of Maintenance:** The system design facilitates simple daily upkeep; routine checks—such as lens cleaning—can be completed in approximately 5 minutes. Furthermore, the equipment features automated daily self-diagnostic capabilities and provides clear maintenance protocol guidance in the event of a fault, thereby facilitating user-initiated scheduled maintenance.

**Safety and Cleanliness:** The overall machine design complies with international safety standards (e.g., SEMI S2/S8, CE, etc.) and is equipped with an integrated dust extraction system, further ensuring the safety and hygiene of the production environment.

**Key Functions and Application Scenarios**

**Front-End Wafer Manufacturing:** Suitable for wafers made from materials such as silicon, SiC, and GaAs, ranging in size from 100mm to 200mm. By engraving a unique identifier during the initial stages of production, the system enables end-to-end quality traceability and Statistical Process Control (SPC).

**Advanced Packaging:** Provides critical traceability IDs within Wafer-Level Packaging (WLP) or Reconstituted Wafer processes.

**R&D and Small-Batch Production:** Its flexible, automated design makes it ideally suited for R&D and pilot production environments characterized by high-mix, low-volume manufacturing.

**Summary and Comparison**

In summary, the ThinkLaser SigmaClean is a piece of equipment that achieves industry-leading standards in terms of cleanliness, stability, and automation. By leveraging its patented SuperSoftMark® technology, it effectively resolves the core pain point—particulate contamination—often associated with traditional marking methods, thereby establishing itself as the benchmark in the field of "soft marking" for 4-to-8-inch wafers. To gain a more intuitive understanding of its positioning within the product line, please refer to the following comparison with the SC300—another soft-marking device:

**Feature** | **SigmaClean** | **SC300**

**Primary Positioning** | Fully automated soft-marking system for 100–200mm (4–8-inch) wafers | Fully automated soft-marking system for 300mm (12-inch) wafers

**Market Application** | Targeted at semiconductor wafer fabs and packaging plants handling 8-inch and smaller wafers; serves as the leading solution in this market segment | Widely adopted by all 300mm Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs) and wafer foundries

**Technical Features** | Class 1 cleanroom compatible; utilizes patented SuperSoftMark® technology to achieve debris-free marking | Also employs soft-marking technology, providing the necessary compatibility, cleanliness, marking quality, and reliability required for 300mm mass production

**Transport System** | Typically configured with 3 open cassette stations; SMIF pods available as an option | Typically compatible with Front-Opening Unified Pods (FOUPs); supports OHT (Overhead Hoist Transport) systems

**Industry Status** | The industry-leading solution for 4–8-inch wafer soft marking | The industry standard for soft marking in 300mm wafer fabs, boasting a massive installed base (over 140 units)