Intellectual Property

NexTech FAS currently has over 40 patents (U.S. and international) issued and pending and owns the rights to over 120 other patents. The company is continuously evaluating and applying for new patents to help protect the company’s interest and future. The application of new patents and expansion of the company’s intellectual property portfolio is a key element to NexTech FAS’ long-term strategy.

Being that intellectual property rights were a significant part of NexTech FAS business and revenue, they have a history of successfully defending potential patent infringements. The company plans to maintain its close legal partnerships and continue to avidly fight to protect its technology and intellectual property rights.

Our Technology

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) - NexTech FAS’ advanced automated optical inspection (AOI) inspection system detects critical defects on the surfaces of plastic and glass substrates during the manufacture of semiconductors and FPDs. The company’s advanced illumination and optics made possible the development of the NexTStar NanoScan, a state-of-the-art AOI system capable of submicron defect inspection on FPD patterned substrates. The NexTStar Nanoscan has achieved defect inspection resolution down to 300 nanometers. NexTech FAS’ AOI systems have been measured against top industry competitors resulting in market acceptance of NexTech FAS products and confirming its technological superiority.

Coating Technology - Historically there have been three methods of coating process fluids (the latter two invented by NexTech FAS) in the manufacture of a wide variety of microelectronic products: spin coating, extrusion and spin coating and extrusion coating (also known as spinless coating, slot die coating or slit coating) with spin coating for many years being the most popular approach in the manufacture of a wide variety of microelectronic products. Spin coating uses a method whereby substrates are spun at extremely high speeds while fluid is poured onto the center, using centrifugal force to cover the substrate. A great deal of fluid (approximately 90 percent) is forced off the surface and essentially wasted. Since more space and resist is required for larger substrates, this progressively becomes a bigger financial issue in terms of footprint, material waste and environmental compliance, as well as becoming mathematically and physically impossible for spin coating.

NexTech FAS is the pioneer in the development of extrusion coating. NexTech FAS’ proprietary and patented FAS-Coat coating technology allows a single technology platform to provide the essential coating operations pervasively in five key markets:

Flat-Panel Displays (“FPDs”), for both computer applications and high-definition television applications.
Silicon Wafers (“Semiconductor”).
High-Density Interconnects (“HDI”).
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (“MEMS”).
Photovoltaic Market (Solar Panels).

Environmental Impact

Environmental responsibility is a major trend among industry leaders. Process fluids used in microelectronics manufacturing are generally considered to be hazardous materials subject to environmental regulation in most modern economies. The microelectronics industry is seeking to be environmentally conscientious. Industry participants are implementing programs aimed at preventing pollution, minimizing waste, conserving natural resources and recycling water, chemicals and packaging materials. As environmental controls are tightened across the world, these manufacturers are forced to adopt expensive measures to dispose of the 90 percent of process fluids wasted with traditional spin-coating.

Through its unique extrusion coating, NexTech FAS is leading the way to making microelectronic manufacturing an environmentally-friendly process. The company’s extrusion products deposit the fluid with precise uniformity over the surface of the substrate with essentially no waste of material.