Plasma-Therm
Plasma-Therm is a U.S.-headquartered manufacturer of plasma etch, deposition, thermal processing, and plasma dicing equipment for semiconductor R&D and high-volume manufacturing, serving compound semiconductor, photonics, MEMS, power device, memory, and advanced packaging customers globally across 30+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersSt. Petersburg, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Plasma-Therm does
Plasma-Therm is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of plasma-based semiconductor wafer processing equipment, founded in 1974 and headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. The company designs and builds configurable modular wafer processing platforms serving R&D labs and high-volume fabs across compound semiconductor, photonics, MEMS, memory, power device, and advanced packaging markets. Its core technology stack encompasses plasma etch (ICP, RIE, DSE, IBE, ALE, HDRF), deposition (PECVD, HDPCVD, PVD, IBD, F.A.S.T.), rapid thermal processing, and plasma dicing platforms (Singulator MDS-100 and MDS-300), with substrate support from 100mm to 300mm and over 40 U.S. patents protecting proprietary process technologies including notchless SOI etching, ARDE reduction, distributed ICP radical sources, and Marathon grid ion source designs.
The product portfolio is built around the VERSALINE modular platform and includes dedicated product lines such as Tegal, Mask Etcher, Odyssey HDRF, QuaZar, Eclipse, Endeavor, KOBUS, Heatpulse, and Singulator, supplemented by acquired brands CORIAL, Advanced Vacuum, CHA Industries, and Takachi. The company generates revenue through one-time capital equipment sales of custom-configured systems priced on a quote basis with deposit-required builds, plus an aftermarket spare parts, upgrade, and service business supported by more than 1,300 cumulative system installations globally.
Plasma-Therm operates a hybrid go-to-market combining a direct enterprise field sales organization covering North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific with a 2016 global distribution agreement with DISCO Corporation for plasma dicing and 14+ regional channel partners across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. The company was acquired by Swiss holding company Unaxis (later Oerlikon) in 2000 and re-established as an independent entity through a 2009 management buyout led by current CEO Abdul Lateef; since the buyout it has completed over 10 acquisitions to expand geographic reach and technology breadth (most recently Thin Film Equipment in September 2023), and was ranked No. 1 in Etch and Clean Equipment in the 2023 TechInsights Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Plasma-Therm firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plasma-Therm
- Legal name
- Plasma-Therm LLC
- Website
- https://plasmatherm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Plasma-Therm is a U.S.-headquartered manufacturer of plasma etch, deposition, thermal processing, and plasma dicing equipment for semiconductor R&D and high-volume manufacturing, serving compound semiconductor, photonics, MEMS, power device, memory, and advanced packaging customers globally across 30+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plasma-Therm industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Wafer Processing Equipment
- NAICS
- Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Etch & Strip Equipment (Dry/Wet/Ashing) (HDAHAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Thermal Processing Equipment (Furnaces/RTP/Anneal) (HDAHAEAE)
Keywords
Where Plasma-Therm is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St. Petersburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Plasma-Therm business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Sales: Sale of plasma-based semiconductor processing systems including etch, deposition, thermal processing, and plasma dicing platforms. Systems are sold as capital equipment with custom configurations to meet specific customer process requirements. Pricing is quote-based as each system is built to customer specifications.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Plasma-Therm product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plasma-Therm manufactures and sells configurable plasma-based wafer processing systems and related software for semiconductor R&D and high-volume manufacturing. Its flagship VERSALINE® modular platform integrates plasma etch (ICP, RIE, DSE™, IBE, ALE, HDRF™), thin-film deposition (PECVD, HDPCVD, PVD with S-Gun™, IBD, F.A.S.T.® ALD-CVD hybrid), rapid thermal processing, and Singulator® plasma dicing, supported by Cortex® control software and EndpointWorks® endpoint detection. More than 1,300 systems have been installed globally across specialty semiconductor and advanced packaging fabs.
Product overview
Plasma-Therm is a semiconductor manufacturing equipment provider offering a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on the VERSALINE® modular platform. The portfolio spans etch technologies (ICP, RIE, DSE™, IBE, ALE, HDRF™), deposition (PECVD, HDPCVD, F.A.S.T.®, PVD, IBD), thermal processing (RTP), and plasma dicing (PDOT™, PDOC, PDBG). Key product lines include VERSALINE® (core multi-process platform), Singulator® (plasma dicing), Endeavor™/Eclipse™ (PVD), KOBUS™ (F.A.S.T. deposition), QuaZar™ (IBE/IBD), Odyssey (HDRF), Heatpulse™ (RTP), Mask Etcher®, and Tegal™ (RIE). The company also maintains acquired brands CORIAL®, Advanced Vacuum™, CHA Industries®, and Takachi™. Software offerings include Cortex® control system, EndpointWorks® endpoint detection, and GLANCE™ data visualization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VERSALINE: Modular plasma etch and deposition platform supporting ICP, DSE, RIE, IBE, PECVD, HDPCVD, IBD, and HDRF technologies for semiconductor manufacturing.
- Tegal
- Mask Etcher
- Odyssey
- QuaZar
- Eclipse
- Endeavor
- KOBUS
- Singulator
- Heatpulse
Products and services
- VERSALINE® Modular Plasma Processing Platform Modular wafer processing platform supporting plasma etch (ICP, DSE, RIE), ion beam etch and deposition (IBE, IBD), PECVD, HDPCVD, and HDRF processes. Configurable from R&D single-wafer loadlock to high-volume multi-chamber production for semiconductor manufacturers and R&D labs.
- Singulator® Plasma Dicing Systems (MDS-100 and MDS-300) Plasma singulation systems for wafer-level dicing on 100mm–300mm wafers, achieving up to 3,000 mm/s dicing speed with street dimensions as small as 10µm, smooth sidewalls, no chipping, and die shape flexibility including rounded corners and custom shapes. Targeted at IDMs, foundries, and OSAT providers performing chiplet, 3D IC, and advanced packaging singulation.
- Tegal™ RIE Systems (including 900 Series) Cassette-to-cassette RIE platforms for descum and noncritical dielectric etching, available in manual and cassette loading configurations including the 900 Series, aimed at volume semiconductor manufacturers and OSAT providers.
- Mask Etcher® (Gen V) Dry-Etch Photomask Production Systems Dry-etch systems for photomask production, now in fifth-generation technology (Gen V), supporting Cr, phase shift, and EUV mask materials with excellent uniformity and particle control. Used by photomask and mask blank manufacturers.
- Odyssey HDRF™ High-Density Radical Flux Systems High-density radical flux system for resist stripping, polymer removal, sacrificial film etching, and surface modification, with scalable lab-to-fab configurations and dual load port options. Used by semiconductor fabs for damage-free resist strip, descum, polyimide processes, and BCB/SU8/PBO ashing.
- QuaZar™ Ion Beam Etch and Deposition Systems High-performance ion beam etch (IBE) and ion beam deposition (IBD) systems with Marathon Grids™ technology and multi-target turret (6 or 8 targets), delivering best-in-class uniformity (<2% 3-sigma across 200mm wafers), up to 40% higher throughput than legacy IBE, and stoichiometric/sub-stoichiometric oxide films for optical filters, MRAM, magnetic transducers, and bolometers.
- Eclipse™ PVD Systems (refurbished MRC Eclipse Mark II and Mark IV) PVD system, with Plasma-Therm as authorized manufacturer of refurbished MRC Eclipse Mark II and Mark IV systems, used for depositing metal interconnects, via fill, silicides, and packaging processes in semiconductor fabs.
- Endeavor™ Dual-Cathode S-Gun Magnetron PVD Systems Dual-cathode S-Gun magnetron PVD system for sputtering uniform films for frontside and backside applications, with temperature control up to 500°C and support for reactively sputtered piezoelectric films (AlN, ScAlN) and dielectric films (TiO2, Ta2O5, V2O5).
- KOBUS™ F.A.S.T.® ALD-CVD Hybrid Deposition Systems F.A.S.T. (Fast Atomic Sequential Technology) system bridging CVD and ALD for thick conformal films, used for TSV liners, barriers, seed layers, and superconducting TiN films for quantum computing interconnects. Delivers conformal ALD-like films at CVD-like deposition rates.
- Heatpulse™ Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) Systems Rapid thermal processing system for dopant activation, annealing, silicide formation, and CVD films. Processes substrates up to 200mm including SiC, GaAs, GaN, quartz, and sapphire for power, RF, MEMS, and LED manufacturers.
- Cortex® Control System and Process & Productivity Software Suite Integrated control system with recipe editing, comprehensive process parameter data logging, real-time charting, automated maintenance scheduling, SECS/GEM factory connectivity, and integrated GLANCE data visualization program. Sold with VERSALINE and other Plasma-Therm systems.
- EndpointWorks® Endpoint Detection System Endpoint detection system using laser interferometry, reflectance, optical emission spectroscopy (OES), optical emission interferometry (OEI), system parameter monitoring, and custom inputs (RGA, ellipsometer) to determine etch process endpoints with high reproducibility. Sold as an option on VERSALINE-compatible systems.
- CORIAL® Plasma Processing Equipment for R&D and Production CORIAL plasma processing equipment for R&D and production, acquired in 2018, now part of the Plasma-Therm portfolio and operated via corial.plasmatherm.com. Used by universities, research labs, and emerging technology fabs.
- CHA Industries® Thin Film Deposition Systems (Mark Series) CHA Industries thin film deposition systems (Mark Series) under the Plasma-Therm umbrella, providing high-performance deposition for advanced applications. Acquired brand retained within Plasma-Therm portfolio.
- Aftermarket Services, Spare Parts, and System Upgrades Global aftermarket spare parts infrastructure, obsolescence engineering, and field upgrade services supporting installed base to minimize downtime, alongside training courses and technical support for Plasma-Therm customers worldwide.
Quantifiable outcome
- Marathon Grids provide up to three times longer life than standard grids, reducing maintenance frequency and cost of ownership
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Plasma-Therm
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Plasma-Therm technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
Plasma-Therm partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- Elevate QuantumcorePlasma-Therm announced a collaboration with Elevate Quantum, a U.S. Department of Commerce-designated Quantum Tech Hub, to advance scalable quantum manufacturing. Plasma-Therm's CORIAL platform was deployed within Elevate Quantum's Quantum Fab infrastructure through QPICs to enable collaborative process development for next-generation quantum photonic integrated circuits.
- Thin Film Equipment (TFE) SrlcorePlasma-Therm acquired Thin Film Equipment (TFE), an Italian sputtering equipment supplier specializing in physical vapor deposition (PVD) for semiconductor R&D and production. The acquisition was effective September 18, 2023, and strengthens Plasma-Therm's European presence and portfolio in power device markets, supporting growth in the power semiconductor industry valued at $6.3 billion by 2027.
- DISCO Corp.coreDISCO Corp. signed a global distribution agreement with Plasma-Therm in 2016 to distribute Plasma-Therm's plasma dicing technology worldwide through DISCO's established global distribution network. This partnership leverages DISCO's semiconductor equipment distribution expertise to extend Plasma-Therm's market reach.
- Canon Marketing JapanregionalCanon Marketing Japan provides service support for Plasma-Therm equipment in Japan, with contact Takashi Sasagawa as service representative.
- Semi-cience Co., Ltd. (Korea)regionalSemi-cience Co., Ltd. serves as both sales and service partner for Plasma-Therm in South Korea, covering the Korean semiconductor market.
- ZAP Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand)regionalZAP Asia serves as a regional distributor for Plasma-Therm across multiple Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, providing both sales and service support.
- Aimil Ltd. (India)regionalAimil Ltd. serves as sales and service partner for Plasma-Therm in India.
- Grupo Sawaya (Brazil / Latin America)regionalGrupo Sawaya serves as sales and service partner for Plasma-Therm in Brazil and broader Latin America through representative Lucas Castro.
- N.Asteriadis S.A. (Greece)regionalN.Asteriadis S.A. serves as sales and service partner for Plasma-Therm in Greece.
- PicoTech Ltd. (Israel)regionalPicoTech Ltd. serves as sales partner for Plasma-Therm in Israel, with separate service coverage provided by Michael Belenki.
- Mercury Semiconductor (Italy)regionalMercury Semiconductor, represented by Aldo Longhi, serves as sales partner for Plasma-Therm in Italy.
- 284 Technologies (Iceland)regional284 Technologies, represented by Graham Webb, serves as sales partner for Plasma-Therm in Iceland.
- COMEF Sp. z o.o. (Poland)regionalCOMEF Sp. z o.o. serves as sales partner for Plasma-Therm in Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
- Photon Export (Spain, Portugal)regionalPhoton Export serves as sales partner for Plasma-Therm in Spain and Portugal.
- Mems Dis Ticaret Ltd. Sti. (Turkey)regionalMems Dis Ticaret Ltd. Sti. serves as sales partner for Plasma-Therm in Turkey, represented by Mehmet Turken.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Plasma-Therm competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oxford Instruments (Plasma Technology): Oxford Instruments' Plasma Technology division manufactures plasma etch and deposition tools for compound semiconductors, photonics, MEMS, and advanced packaging — a near-mirror product overlap with Plasma-Therm's VERSALINE, Singulator, and QuaZar lines, serving the same specialty fab and R&D customer base.
- SPTS Technologies (KLA): SPTS (now part of KLA) is a direct competitor in plasma etch, DRIE, PVD, and plasma dicing for advanced packaging, MEMS, photonics, and power devices — directly overlapping Plasma-Therm's Singulator, DSE, and IBD offerings to the same OSAT and specialty fab customers.
- Samco Inc. Samco is a Japan-based specialty manufacturer of plasma etch, CVD, PVD, and plasma dicing systems focused on compound semiconductors, MEMS, photonics, and R&D — highly comparable in product line and customer base to Plasma-Therm's VERSALINE and Singulator offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Lam Research: Lam Research is the dominant global supplier of plasma etch and deposition equipment for advanced logic, memory, and specialty semiconductors. While much larger and focused on leading-edge silicon, Lam overlaps Plasma-Therm in dielectric etch, ALE, and advanced packaging process steps.
- Applied Materials: Applied Materials is the broadest incumbent in semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment, with leading positions in PVD, CVD, etch, and advanced packaging. Plasma-Therm competes with AMAT's PVD (Endeavor/Eclipse category) and selective etch products in compound semi and advanced packaging applications.
- Tokyo Electron (TEL): Tokyo Electron is one of the top three global semiconductor equipment makers, with strong etch, deposition, and advanced packaging portfolios. TEL competes with Plasma-Therm in plasma etch for power devices, compound semiconductors, and advanced packaging through its broader product lines.
- Ulvac: Ulvac is a Japanese vacuum and plasma processing equipment manufacturer with strong positions in PVD, sputter, and dry etch systems for FPDs, electronics, and semiconductors — overlapping with Plasma-Therm in sputter deposition and plasma etch for specialty applications.
- NAURA Technology Group: NAURA is the largest China-based semiconductor equipment supplier, providing etch, PVD, CVD, and RTP systems for domestic Chinese fabs. It competes with Plasma-Therm for Asia-based compound semi and advanced packaging customers, particularly in China.
Emerging players
- Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC): AMEC is a China-based semiconductor equipment company specializing in plasma etch and CVD systems. It overlaps with Plasma-Therm in dielectric etch and ALE-adjacent process steps, particularly for Chinese foundry and OSAT customers.
Regional players
- DISCO Corporation: DISCO is the global leader in wafer dicing and grinding equipment and Plasma-Therm's global distribution partner for plasma dicing since 2016. It is both a partner and the dominant blade-dicing incumbent that Plasma-Therm's Singulator plasma dicing platform competes against in advanced packaging.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Plasma-Therm social profiles
Digital presencePlasma-Therm compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Plasma-Therm financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plasma-Therm leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Plasma-Therm subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Plasma-Therm funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plasma-Therm M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plasma-Therm
What does Plasma-Therm do?
Plasma-Therm manufactures and sells configurable plasma-based wafer processing systems and related software for semiconductor R&D and high-volume manufacturing. Its flagship VERSALINE® modular platform integrates plasma etch (ICP, RIE, DSE™, IBE, ALE, HDRF™), thin-film deposition (PECVD, HDPCVD, PVD with S-Gun™, IBD, F.A.S.T.® ALD-CVD hybrid), rapid thermal processing, and Singulator® plasma dicing, supported by Cortex® control software and EndpointWorks® endpoint detection. More than 1,300 systems have been installed globally across specialty semiconductor and advanced packaging fabs.
Is Plasma-Therm a public or private company?
Plasma-Therm is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Plasma-Therm founded?
Plasma-Therm was founded in 1974. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Plasma-Therm based?
Plasma-Therm is headquartered in St. Petersburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Plasma-Therm make money?
One revenue line is on record: semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Sales.
Who are Plasma-Therm's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oxford Instruments (Plasma Technology), SPTS Technologies (KLA) and Samco Inc.. Broad incumbents are Lam Research, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron (TEL), Ulvac and NAURA Technology Group. Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) is listed as an emerging player. DISCO Corporation is listed as a regional player.
Does Plasma-Therm have an API?
No public API is recorded for Plasma-Therm.
What industry is Plasma-Therm in?
Plasma-Therm's product category is Semiconductor Wafer Processing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAEAC, Etch & Strip Equipment (Dry/Wet/Ashing), with a secondary code of HDAHAEAE, Thermal Processing Equipment (Furnaces/RTP/Anneal). Its NAICS code is 333242 and its SIC code is 3823.