Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc (AMEC) of Shanghai, China has been granted Validated End-User (VEU) status by the US Department of Commerce. AMEC makes dielectric and through-silicon via (TSV) etch systems, and at March's SEMICON China show in Shanghai it launched the Prismo D-Blue multi-reactor metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) cluster tool for nitride-based high-brightness LED production.
The VEU program aims to enhance high-tech civilian trade between the US and VEU-eligible businesses in China, reducing the licensing burden on industry by allowing US exporters to ship designated items to pre-approved entities under a general authorization instead of individual export licenses. These entities now include AMEC.
The qualification process is lengthy and rigorous, says AMEC, with only those that have shown rigid standards of conduct and accountability relevant to the use of the designated products being approved. Fewer than 20 China-based companies are VEU-approved, and most are large enterprises with extensive teams to implement the necessary internal controls.
AMEC says that critical parts used to build its micro-fabrication equipment are sourced from tier-one US suppliers, which are often the sole viable and/or highest-quality vendor of such parts. As a VEU-approved company, AMEC can now purchase parts with reduced licensing-related delays, while its US suppliers can expedite sales to a trusted China-based customer.
"Although we are headquartered in Shanghai, our customers are to be found worldwide," says VP & general counsel Matthew P. Ruby. "They are accustomed to buying advanced equipment made with highest-quality parts and materials," he notes. "Today's development removes certain export licensing burdens and helps us deliver the exceptional technology they require by broadening our sourcing options."
