Ushio Inc. Begins Orders for LED-Equipped 'UX-44101SCB / UX-45114SCB' Exposure Systems in the UX-4 Series

Ushio Inc. announced it will begin accepting orders from July 2026 for its new "UX-44101SCB" and "UX-45114SCB" models, which are equipped with LED light sources, as part of its UX-4 series of wafer projection exposure systems.

The "UX-4 series" is an all-projection exposure system with a long-standing track record of enhancing production efficiency for devices such as power semiconductors, MEMS, and optical/communication-integrated (optical semiconductor) devices.

In recent years, environmental regulations concerning the use and emission of chemical substances have been tightened, impacting the semiconductor industry. While the transition to LED light sources for exposure equipment is progressing, insufficient intensity has remained a challenge, often leading to longer exposure times for layers requiring high exposure doses.

To address this, Ushio has developed an LED light source unit that achieves intensity comparable to conventional mercury lamps, based on its expertise in solid-state light source design, leading to the successful development of these new products.

Consequently, even for processes requiring high exposure doses, such as Bump and WLP—which are essential for the wafer scaling and high-precision requirements of next-generation electronic devices critical for IoT, 5G, and mobility—the system achieves high throughput equivalent to traditional mercury lamps. Furthermore, compared to mercury lamps, it enables instant on/off during exposure and extends the life of the light source, significantly reducing post-installation running costs.

■ Key Features
- All-projection exposure: Mask-damage-less, high productivity (120 WPH or more)
- Deep depth of focus: Suitable for exposure on 3D surface shapes and thick-film resist exposure
- Automation support: Compatible with inline, online, OHT, and AGV systems
- Mercury-free, LED light source support