Tactras™
Tokyo Electron's plasma etch system for 300 mm wafers. Since its launch in 2006, its face-to-face chamber layout has combined a small footprint with fast wafer transfer.
Specifications
| Wafer size | 300 mm |
|---|---|
| Type | Reactive ion etching (RIE) |
| Chamber configuration | Up to 6 chambers (face-to-face layout) |
| Target | Dielectrics and conductors |
| Main applications | High-aspect-ratio etch, mask and dielectric etch, BEOL dielectric etch |
Specifications as published by the maker. See the sources below.
Overview
Tactras is a plasma etch system for 300 mm wafers from Tokyo Electron (TEL). It pioneered the space-saving layout in which chambers face each other horizontally, and since its launch in 2006 it has been refined to reach world-leading transfer speed and footprint.
As 3D device structures make etching more demanding, Tactras comes in application-specific configurations: high-aspect-ratio etch, mask and dielectric etch, and BEOL dielectric etch. Because they share a base design, a system can be converted from one application to another.
It can carry up to 6 etch chambers and is designed for within-wafer uniformity, low wafer-to-wafer variation, and high selectivity combined with high etch rates. It also builds in operating know-how such as a robust design that reduces tool-to-tool and chamber-to-chamber differences, particle reduction and automation to cut labor.
Key features
- Face-to-face chamber layout for a small footprint and fast transfer
- Up to 6 chambers
- Configurations for high-aspect-ratio, mask and dielectric, and BEOL dielectric etch (convertible)
- Robust design that reduces tool-to-tool and chamber-to-chamber variation
Applications
- High-aspect-ratio etching, such as in 3D NAND
- Hard mask and dielectric etching
- Dielectric etching in BEOL interconnect layers
Also listed under: Silicon etchers, Polysilicon etchers, Oxide etchers, Metal etchers, MEMS manufacturing equipment
FAQ
What is the difference between Tactras and Episode UL?
Both are TEL RIE systems for 300 mm wafers. Tactras carries up to 6 chambers, while Episode UL, launched in 2020, can be configured with 4 to 12 chambers and offers data analysis through its Smart Tool function.
Other dry etching equipment
- VERSALINE® ICP · Plasma-Therm Japan
- NE-550EX · ULVAC
- uGmni-200E · ULVAC
More from Tokyo Electron (TEL)
- ALPHA-8SE™ i · Diffusion furnaces
- ANTARES™ · Dry cleaning equipment
- Cellcia™ · Wafer probers
- CELLESTA™-i · Single-wafer cleaning equipment
- CELLESTA™-i MD · Single-wafer cleaning equipment
- CELLESTA™ MS2 · Wafer scrubbers
- CELLESTA™ Pro SPM · Wet resist strip equipment
- CELLESTA™ SCD · Wafer dryers
Sources
Dry etching equipment
Last updated: October 23, 2026