Date: 07/02/2012

Fujitsu Semiconductor strengthens its fabs for a fast production-restore from disasters

Fujitsu Semiconductor has completed the installation of seismic isolation plates to its vertical furnaces in its 200mm wafer processing plants, and strengthened its capability to quickly restore the operation in the case of disasters.

Fujitsu explains vertical furnaces contain quartz parts inside. It would require considerable amount of repair time if those quartz parts are damaged due to an earthquake, causing a prolonged delay of the plant recovery. Before the March 11th earthquake last year, Fujitsu Semiconductor Group had finished installation of the seismic isolation plates to about 20% of its vertical furnaces, which were considered as the most critical equipment for the operation, in its 200mm wafer processing plants (Iwate plant, Mie plant, and Fujitsu Semiconductor Technology Inc.). After the earthquake, none of those furnaces with the seismic isolation plate had the quartz parts damaged, and this has greatly helped the rapid restoration of the plant operation. Upon confirming its effectiveness, Fujitsu Semiconductor Group decided to install the seismic isolation plates to all of its remaining 200mm vertical furnaces.

Fujitsu says for its 300mm wafer line in Mie plant, the seismic isolation plates are not necessary, since the clean room building itself was constructed seismically isolated.

Fujitsu is also setting up emergency generators to all of is plants, which will enable to maintain the clean room environment during a power outage.