Microtronic, maker of superior macro defect inspection techniques and software program, has introduced a handy and extremely exact strategy to monitor the weights of semiconductor wafers concurrently defects are being inspected – all on a single instrument. This patented functionality is named WaferWeight and it integrates totally into Microtronic’s EAGLEview™ line of high-speed macro defect inspection techniques. It may be added to the newest EAGLEview 6 and likewise to earlier fashions of the instrument.
Picture Credit score: Microtronic
“Wafer mass metrology has turn into more and more vital as semiconductor processes have turn into extra advanced and delicate,” mentioned Microtronic CEO Reiner Fenske in making the announcement. “At the moment’s fabs would really like to have the ability to measure the wafer mass adjustments that happen throughout processing, particularly in deposition, etch, plating, backgrinding, bonding, TSV, and related steps. Nevertheless, earlier wafer weight measurement strategies have been gradual and costly, requiring a separate instrument. Now, WaferWeight permits fabs to trace wafer mass shortly, precisely, and economically – concurrently with macro defect inspection. Our EAGLEview can do defect inspection and wafer weighing each on the similar time, on a single system.”
“And throughput pace performs an important function on this course of,” Fenske added. “In an effort to monitor adjustments in wafer weight, fabs actually need to acquire information from each single wafer in each single lot. It’s the distinctive pace of the EAGLEview that makes this potential. Which is why many top-tier fabs around the globe have already chosen to include our WaferWeight functionality.”
The brand new WaferWeight measurements might have a decision as little as 0.1mg. This enables exact monitoring of adjustments in wafer mass between course of steps – and likewise between completely different wafers in rather a lot. Monitoring wafer weight at numerous factors all through processing may be invaluable for locating sure course of issues that can not be detected visually. A wafer weight change that exceeds allowable ranges can instantly flag a difficulty that wants additional inspection or correction. Complete wafer weight info will also be included in SPC techniques to boost the precision and high quality of a fab’s course of monitoring total.
WaferWeight info can all be saved in EAGLEview’s highly effective ProcessGuard™ software program. This technique maintains a database of knowledge on each wafer run via the instrument – by lot, date and time. It may robotically randomize wafers and monitor incoming and outgoing slot positions of each wafer. ProcessGuard’s built-in Slot-Positional Evaluation Device can plot and evaluate a spread of wafer info, together with wafer weight. It may present wafer weights and pre/submit course of weight deltas for each slot place.
