TOKYO, JAPAN - Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL; Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; C.E.O., President: Tetsuro Higashi) has begun sales of the SE-1200 plasma etch and ash system, a system used in the manufacturing of 5th-generation TFT-LCD substrates (standard substrate size: 1,000 x 1,200 mm).

To meet the needs of today's flat panel market, TFT-LCD manufacturing equipment must be able to mass produce 5th-generation glass substrates to improve the productivity of notebook PCs and PC monitors, as well as handle the larger substrates used in TVs.

The SE-1200 offers the same etching rate and etching uniformity as the ME and HT series of plasma etch and ash equipment for the mass production of 5th-generation substrates. These successful forerunners to SE-1200 sold over 380 units.

Guided by a wealth of accumulated experience in LCD process parameters, TEL manufactures equipment for a wide variety of etching processes, ranging from silicon film to metal film processes.