Sweden-based SiC CVD developer and manufacturer Epiluvac AB has entered into a collaboration with SAMCO, a semiconductor process equipment developer and manufacturer based in Japan, in which Epiluvac will introduce new clients to SAMCO in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

SAMCO offers systems and services that revolve around three major technologies: 1) thin film deposition with PECVD, MOCVD and ALD systems, 2) microfabrication with ICP etching, RIE and DRIE systems, and 3) surface treatment with plasma cleaning and UV ozone cleaning systems.

“With this collaboration, Epiluvac and SAMCO are both acting as a one-stop solution,” says Bo Hammarlund, managing director of Epiluvac AB. “We offer our expertise to help customers decide upon the best combinations in terms of processing equipment for WBG materials, including both SiC and GaN materials.”

Since its establishment in 1979, SAMCO has earned a reputation both at home and overseas for dependable systems and reliable service. In order to continue serving the needs of its customers in Europe, SAMCO acquired samco-ucp ltd. in Liechtenstein in 2014, which now offers services and support for the company’s European customer base.

In addition to its main European office in Liechtenstein, SAMCO also operates from several locations in North America and across Asia. The company works with research institutions and manufacturers around the world and offers customizable systems designed to meet the unique needs and goals of its clients.

“Both companies, Epiluvac and SAMCO, have long-standing relations with major players in the quickly-growing market for power electronics,” says Hammarlund. “Many of the processes have to be more efficient in terms of improved yield.”

He highlights the additional need to handle larger wafers during the coming years, pointing to the fact that 8-inch protoypes of SiC wafers are already on the market.

“This rapid development results in a strong request for new, improved equipment and processes which Epiluvac and SAMCO together can offer their customers,” he adds.

New equipment and processes made by Epiluvac and SAMCO in order to meet customer demand, Hammarlund says, include “not just standard solutions, but also custom-designed equipment.”