Waferpedia

Tegal

i90X

EtchTegal i90X family
Research Quality: 60% complete

The Tegal i90X is a plasma etch system built on the production-proven Tegal 900-series platform. The Tegal i90X provides unlimited recipes and 20X fine set-point control for pressure, RF and gas flows. The Tegal i90X runs its industrial integrated PC/touchscreen interface on Windows NT.[1]

i90X — web.archive.org
Fig. 01i90Xweb.archive.org[1]

Optics

high-resolution stepper motors[1]

Control era

Windows NT

What it is

General reference — not yet source-verified

Plasma etch systems remove material from a semiconductor wafer using ionized gas species. The process typically involves generating a plasma by applying radio-frequency power to a low-pressure gas, creating reactive ions and radicals that etch the desired film.

How it works

General reference — not yet source-verified

In a typical plasma etch process, the wafer is placed in a vacuum chamber. Process gases are introduced and ignited into a plasma by an RF field. Ions from the plasma bombard the wafer surface, etching the exposed material. The endpoint of the etch can be monitored optically or by analyzing the chemistry of the exhaust.

Where it fits in the process flow

General reference — not yet source-verified

In semiconductor fabrication, the etch step follows photolithography, where a patterned photoresist mask protects certain areas of the wafer. The etch system removes the underlying material from regions not covered by the mask. After etching, the photoresist is stripped away. Etching can be used for layers such as oxide, nitride, polysilicon, or metals.

What can it run?

Process applications and technology nodes documented for this tool.

  • silicon
  • telecom

What do the numbers mean?

Power & electrical3

Set-point control
20X fine set-point control for pressure, RF and gas flows[1]
Accurate?
Control computer
Windows NT, Pentium II 130MB RAM, 230 MHz clock, 6GB hard drive available[1]
Accurate?
Control computer
Windows NT, Pentium II, 130MB RAM, 230 MHz clock, 6GB hard drive, integrated PC/touchscreen, read-write CD, 3.5 floppy disk[1]
Accurate?

Wafer handling3

User interface
GUI touch screen human interface; on-screen end-point trace; I/O screen read-out; on-screen alarm logging; lot and wafer ID[1]
Accurate?
Wafer transport
High-resolution stepper motors; intelligent micro-stepping motor drivers[1]
Accurate?
User interface
GUI touch screen; on-screen end-point trace; I/O screen read-out; on-screen alarm logging; lot and wafer ID[1]
Accurate?

Optics & imaging1

Stepper motors
high-resolution stepper motors[1]
Accurate?

Control & software6

Recipes
unlimited recipes[1]
Accurate?
Recipe editor
easy to use screen recipe editor[1]
Accurate?
Control system
programmed logic controller (PLC) for input/output speed and expansion; interface board connects to all existing sensors for troubleshooting and maintenance[1]
Accurate?
Integrated PC
industrial strength integrated PC/touchscreen[1]
Accurate?
Recipes
Unlimited recipes; easy-to-use screen recipe editor[1]
Accurate?
I/O control
Programmable logic controller (PLC) for I/O speed and expansion; interface board connects to all existing sensors[1]
Accurate?

Dimensions & facilities1

Footprint
no increase in footprint[1]
Accurate?

Configuration & options11

Technology
plasma etch technology[1]
Accurate?
Platform
based on the robust, production-proven platform of the 900 series[1]
Accurate?
Stabilization step
configurable, faster stabilization step[1]
Accurate?
Overetch step
programmable percent overetch step[1]
Accurate?
Transport
improved, smooth, faster transport[1]
Accurate?
Motor drivers
intelligent micro-stepping motor drivers[1]
Accurate?
Data logging
default or user-defined values and polling rates; downloadable files to disk or CD; on-screen real time and historical trending; unlimited access to every system I/O data point; additional I/O available for expansion[1]
Accurate?
Removable media
read-write CD and 3.5 floppy disk[1]
Accurate?
Technology
Plasma etch[1]
Accurate?
Process steps
Configurable, faster stabilization step; programmable percent overetch step[1]
Accurate?
Data logging
Default or user-defined values and polling rates; downloadable files to disk or CD; on-screen real-time and historical trending; unlimited access to every system I/O data point[1]
Accurate?

Vintage & configurations

Control-system eraWindows NT[1]

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What does it need to run?

Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.

  • Set-point control20X fine set-point control for pressure, RF and gas flows[1]
  • Control computerWindows NT, Pentium II 130MB RAM, 230 MHz clock, 6GB hard drive available[1]
  • Control computerWindows NT, Pentium II, 130MB RAM, 230 MHz clock, 6GB hard drive, integrated PC/touchscreen, read-write CD, 3.5 floppy disk[1]

Where are the manuals?

Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.

Not publicly documented

Field notes

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Frequently asked questions

What is the platform basis of the Tegal i90X?

The i90X is based on the production-proven platform of the Tegal 900 series.[1]

What control system does the i90X use?

The i90X uses a personal computer running Windows NT on a Pentium II processor with 130 MB RAM and a 230 MHz clock, combined with a programmable logic controller for input/output.[1]

What display and interface features does the i90X offer?

The i90X has a graphic user interface touch screen, on-screen end-point trace and I/O screen readout, on-screen alarm logging, and real-time and historical trending.[1]

Not publicly documented

The following facts about the i90X are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.

  • No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the i90X are on record.

    Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement

  • No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the i90X are on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool

  • No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the i90X are on record.

    Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician

  • The process node or technology generation of the i90X is not on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report

  • No publicly documented compatible parts, consumables, or accessories for the i90X are on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM parts catalog or a service engineer

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Sources & citations

Sources (1)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
  1. [1]web.archive.org — web.archive.orgweb.archive.org
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Last updated Sep 22, 2026.

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