Wafer metrology tool offers atomic layer accuracy

A new nondestructive nanotechnology weight metrology tool handles high-volume production of 300mm semiconductor wafers.

A new nondestructive, nanotechnology weight metrology tool has been introduced by Metryx to handle high-volume production of 300mm semiconductor wafers.

The Metryx Mentor DF3 has also been designed to easily adapt to handling a mixed wafer fab environment where 200 and 300mm wafers are continually interchanged.

The versatile system offers atomic layer measurement accuracy using innovative nanotechnology weight metrology methods pioneered by Metryx.

The tool is capable of measuring down to resolutions as low as 10ug (approximately 0.1nm of material thickness).

The new metrology tool is equipped with a standard equipment front end module (EFEM) housing an atmospheric robot within a mini-environment.

The wafer handling capabilities of the tool rely on two 300mm front opening unified pods (FOUPs) located side by side at the front of the system.

For use as a bridge tool, one of the tool's load ports can be configured for 200mm (either open cassette or SMIF) operation while the other remains at 300mm.

If more measurement capacity is required then an additional measurement station can be mounted on the system.

The tool is able to pre-identify the FOUP adapters to achieve seamless handling.

Capable of throughputs in excess of 60 wafers per hour the new Metryx Mentor DF3 tool has a small-footprint of only 2m2 and provides nanotechnology weight measurement of product, test and blanket wafers independent of substrate size or material.

Designed to monitor changes in process performance and quickly determine whether device manufacture process steps are operating correctly the tool enables process changes to be reliably and accurately determined after deposition, wet or dry etch or CMP processing.

"Worldwide, Metryx has now successfully completed a number of installations in 300mm volume production fabs which highlights the rapid acceptance by some of the leading multinational semiconductor manufacturers that weight metrology solves problems that no other metrology equipment is able to achieve", explained Dr Adrian Kiermasz, Vice President, Business Development of Metryx.

The Metryx Mentor DF3 is the latest in a series of nanotechnology weight metrology products specifically designed by Metryx for monitoring critical IC process steps in a variety of device applications, including memory and logic components.

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