Lam Research
590
Provisional entry — research in progress
This page was generated automatically from cited public sources and hasn't completed the full research pass yet. Every specification shown carries its source; more detail is added as research completes.
What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedThe Lam Research 590 is an etcher used in semiconductor manufacturing. Etchers remove selected material from a wafer after a pattern has been defined by a masking layer. Plasma etchers use reactive gases and electric fields to drive material removal in dry processing steps.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedPlasma etchers operate by creating a low pressure discharge from process gases inside a chamber. Reactive species formed in the plasma interact with exposed films on the wafer surface and convert them into removable products. Process results depend on gas chemistry, chamber conditions, power delivery, and the masking material that protects areas meant to remain.
Where it fits in the process flow
General reference — not yet source-verifiedAn etcher is typically used after a film has been deposited and patterned. A wafer commonly enters etch after lithography has defined openings in photoresist or another masking layer. A wafer commonly proceeds to resist removal, cleaning, inspection, or another deposition step after etch, depending on the integration flow.
Applications
General reference — not yet source-verifiedPlasma etchers are used where dry pattern transfer is needed for films that must be removed selectively from exposed areas. Such tools are commonly applied to dielectric, nitride, polysilicon, metal, or resist related patterning tasks, depending on chamber design and chemistry.
What do the numbers mean?
Power & electrical5
Vacuum & pumping1
Wafer handling2
Gas & chemistry3
Configuration & options8
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
Where are the manuals?
Publicly hosted documents referencing this tool, linked at their original location. Hosted by the linked institutions — availability may change.
- wet_etch_121500.pdfDocumentumd.edu
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the 590 are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the 590 are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the 590 are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool
The control-system platform and OS era of the 590 are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the 590 are on record.
Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician
The process node or technology generation of the 590 is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Sources & citations
Sources (4)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]Inventory photo
- [2]Inventory photo
- [3]nanocenter.umd.edu — nanocenter.umd.edunanocenter.umd.edu
- [4]Lam Research Autoetch 590 - Rebuilt Plasma Etcher — spwindustrial.comspwindustrial.com
Last updated Oct 18, 2026.
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