IST E, a semiconductor equipment specialist, said on Sunday it has won an additional supply contract from SK Hynix for FOUP cleaner equipment dedicated to HBM. It plans to deliver the equipment by July 21. IST E also won an order for the same equipment from SK Hynix in January.

FOUP cleaners remove contaminants inside FOUPs in which wafers are transported and stored in semiconductor manufacturing processes, improving process stability. In high value-added memory processes centered on HBM, the importance of cleanliness control and process reliability during wafer transport and storage is growing, and interest in the equipment is also rising.

The company stressed that the latest order is significant because it secured both demand for HBM enhancements in front-end and back-end processes and demand from new investment. IST E is upgrading its semiconductor process equipment lineup, including FOUP inspection combined equipment and PECVD, based on its FOUP cleaners. It plans to continue expanding its equipment supply to meet the needs of high value-added memory processes and next-generation semiconductor production environments.

An IST E official said, "Demand for FOUP cleaners will continue as HBM and DDR5 DRAM production increases."