Sub-0.25µm track system serves both production and R&D
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The Tractrix XP spin track system is a cassette-fed, fully automated, SMIF-compliant wafer track system with a Windows-based GUI for recipe creation and system control. For geometries sub-0.25µm and above, the system features easy substrate-size changes and embedded maintenance procedures and network connectivity. It has an optional environmental control for temperature, humidity, and particle/chemical filtration. The small-footprint track system can be used for full production or R&D applications. Modules and configurations are available for many processes including coat/bake/chill, PEB/chill/develop, plasma polymer removal, dual-jet high-pressure scrub, and more. SITE Services, Santa Clara, CA; ph 408/980-1155, www.site.com.
S/TEM provides <1.0Å resolution for nano applications
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The Titan 80-300 scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) is dedicated to corrected microscopy. The S/TEM system yields atomic-scale imaging with TEM information limits below 0.7Å and S/TEM resolution <1.0Å without the aberration-corrector upgrades. The Titan’s upgradeability will enable corrector and monochromator technology to be used in nanotechnology research and industrial markets. Corrector upgrades can be added for higher resolution, extending the point resolution down to the information limit for accurate interpretation of atomic structures, and allowing end users to expand the system’s resolution limits as their requirements change. FEI Co., Hillsboro, OR; ph 503/726-2695, e-mail dzenka@feico.com, www.feicompany.com.
System delivers low-energy implants for transistor scaling to 90nm and beyond
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The VIISta HC single-wafer ion implanter is designed for low-energy implant applications in sub-90nm processing. Its interlocked incident-angle control provides beam steering repeatability; the patented dual-magnet ribbon beam architecture implants the entire width of the wafer, allows for a simple one-dimensional wafer scan, and achieves low particle performance compared to single-magnet systems. The beamline transmission and on-wafer beam utilization have been increased for high-current driver applications, and a decel mode configuration reportedly increases throughput. Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Gloucester, MA; ph 978/282-2410, fax 978/283-5391, e-mail susan.torbitt@vsea.com, www.vsea.com.
Chemical monitoring for electroless deposition
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The Quali-Line QLC-8500 is an online chemical-monitoring system for electroless baths used in VLSI damascene cobalt capping applications. Based on cyclic voltammetric stripping, involving the effect that additives have on the electroplating rate, titration, and spectroscopic techniques, the system offers comprehensive online analysis. It accurately reports detailed information on all key chemical components including cobalt, copper, tungsten, palladium, reducing/complexing/buffering agents, pH adjuster, and background ions. ECI Technology Inc., East Rutherford, NJ; ph 973/773-8686, fax 973/773-8797, e-mail info@ecitechnology.com, www.ecitechnology.com.
Laser writers pattern reticles at 130nm and 250nm design nodes
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The Omega6800 and Omega6080 are high-productivity raster-scan laser writers for semiconductor reticles down to the 130nm and 250nm design nodes, respectively. The 6080 can produce 15-20 reticles/day. The 6800 reduces microscopic systematic deviations in CCD/CMOS image-sensor masks. New optics improve CD linearity and clearfield/darkfield deviation, and a bias method enhances CD accuracy for all angles, important for X-design interconnects and other designs with angled features. The platform is suitable for volume manufacturing of advanced photomasks, and provides laser pattern-generation capability for advanced semiconductor, image sensor, and display photomasks. Micronic Laser Systems AB, Taby, Sweden; ph 46/8-638-52-00, e-mail sven.lofquist@micronic.se, www.micronic.se.
Two-in-one inspection tool automatically classifies and responds to defects
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The LDS3300 C system combines simultaneous micro-and macrodefect detection for 200-300mm wafer applications. The system performs automated defect detection, classification, and inline review of the entire wafer surface. Variations considered defects are compared to an image library of known classified defect groups; then the system individually decides further steps. The microscope module has a multiwavelength design for 80nm resolution. Leica Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany; ph 49/6441-29-2229, fax 49/6441-29-2325, e-mail Thomas.Breser@leica-microsystems.com, www.semiconation.com.
Bonder offers 87% faster bumping at 60µm pitch
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The ATPremier stud-bumping machine offers greater stud-bumping speed, lower impact force, and finer pitch capability for the flip-chip market. The bumper bonds 36 standard bumps/sec at 60µm pitch - an 87% speed improvement over the previous platform. Because stud bumping does not require under-bump metallurgy, bonding can be performed in a single step. The new wafer-mapping interface bonds only known good die instead of the entire wafer, decreasing materials consumption and processing time. Step-and-repeat teaching keeps the bonder producing product, rather than teaching programs. Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc., Willow Grove, PA; ph 215/784-6000, fax 215/659-7588, e-mail msullivan@kns.com, www.kns.com.
Stepper allows patterning down to sub-20nm resolution
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The NPS300 nanopatterning stepper is available as a manually loaded machine or as a fully automated system, with up to 300mm wafer handling and automated template pickup that allows different templates to be printed on the same wafer. It achieves sub-20nm imprinting resolution for cold and hot embossing applications. When equipped with automatic alignment, the NPS300 shows 250nm overlay accuracy and accepts stamps with sizes up to 100mm and thicknesses up to 6.5mm. Applications include integrated optical devices; smart materials for microelectronics; and sensors for various electronic devices, all on the micro- or nanoscale. Süss MicroTec, Saint-Jeoire, France; ph 33/4-50-35-38-09, e-mail ebercier@sussmicrotec.fr, www.suss.com.
Portable wafer prober
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The EG6000 portable 300mm production-wafer prober is designed for high-volume manufacturing, achieving accuracy of ±2.5µm with the base system and ±1.5µm with the S model. One-button automation lets the prober complete all necessary tasks to set up and align the probe card and wafers. An embedded statistical modeling engine determines prober changes needed due to temperature variations. Electroglas Inc., San Jose, CA; ph 408/528-3167, e-mail clynch@ electroglas.com, www.electroglas.com.
FDC system for chipmakers
Imprint MX2 is a scalable fault detection and classification (FDC) system for semiconductor manufacturing. Its user-configurable features allow customers to implement the most appropriate FDC controls for individual tools and processes, across entire toolsets. The MX2 provides real-time, knowledge-based data and analysis that helps fabs intercept problems before they affect yields. Straatum Processware Ltd., Dublin, Ireland; ph 35/3-1-816-7528, e-mail bcoyle@straatum.com, www.straatum.com.
Die bonder for sensor assembly
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The EasyLine 8088 die bonder is suited for assembly applications such as pressure sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other components. The tool offers high-speed air bearing pick-and-place capability, a closed-loop linear motor pick tool, and a fully automatic wafer-handling system. The system can handle substrates up to 4.5×4.5 in. Alphasem AG, Berg, Switzerland; ph 41/71-637-63-63, e-mail contact@alphasem.com, www.alphasem.com.
Modeling software
CIMPortal Beta 3 software is suitable for supplier evaluation and OEM development of production Semi Interface A solutions. New features include the third-generation equipment model developer that uses wizards to develop models. Flexible architecture enables customers to collect data from five different sources, providing time synchronization of different data. Cimetrix Inc., Salt Lake City, UT; ph 801/256-6500, e-mail sales@cimetrix.com, www.cimetrix.com.
Enhanced mask-design software
With Prolith version 9.0, customers can predict the manufacturability of extreme resolution enhancement techniques (xRET) and other critical features using multialgorithm simulations that take minutes to complete vs. days or weeks for experiments. A new mask-defect option determines the printability of mask defects and their impact on process windows. Other new capabilities allow users to simultaneously move or resize each feature or group of features. KLA-Tencor, San Jose, CA; ph 408/87-5473, e-mail uma.subramaniam@kla-tencor.com, www.kla-tencor.com.
300mm wafer bonder
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The EVG520IS semiautomated wafer-bonding system handles wafers up to 300mm and can be configured for pilot-line or volume production. It is designed for wafer-level and advanced packaging, 3D interconnects, and MEMS fabrication. Upgrades from the previous generation are new software controls, a minimized footprint, and improved operator interface and ergonomics, as well as a modular bond-chamber design for 150, 200, and 300mm wafers. EV Group, Schärding, Austria; ph 33/1-58-18-59-30, e-mail rodriguezl@loomisgroup.com, www.evgroup.com.
Backside aligner
The manual backside alignment system (MBA) has four-camera ultraprecise optical backside alignment with 1-2µm accuracy, compared to 3-5µm in IR systems. Other features include a PLC-controlled touchscreen interface and the ability to handle a wide range of substrates in a variety of shapes. The tabletop model comes with an optional vibration isolation table. OAI, San Jose, CA; ph 408/232-0600, e-mail sales @oainet.com, www.oainet.com.
Yield management software
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YieldManager Real Time enables real-time process control and rapid response to process excursions. It integrates data from design, process, inspection, and test equipment horizontally across all aspects of the manufacturing process, allowing managers and engineers to quickly extract relevant information on critical yield decisions. The software also provides a custom application development environment to allow customer-specific code. Knights Technology, Sunnyvale, CA; ph 408/732-7111, e-mail sales@knights.com, www.knights.com.
200-300mm optical flatness system
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The WaferSight wafer-flatness metrology tool maps wafer shape, flatness, and thickness variations. Built for in-line metrology during wafer production, the tool is available for both 300mm and advanced 200mm wafers, and supports ITRS requirements at the 90, 65, and 45nm technology nodes. In addition to industry-standard wafer thickness, flatness, bow, and warp measurements, the system simultaneously measures wafer edge rolloff, a critical component of lithography yield and CMP uniformity and process control. ADE Corp., Westwood, MA; ph 781/467-3867, e-mail jblack@ade.com, www.ade.com.
CD metrology system
The NovaScan 3090 series, starting with the 3090CD installed on Lam Research Corp.’s 2300 Exelan etch system, is designed to operate both as an integrated metrology and stand-alone platform for 200-300mm systems at the 65nm node and beyond. Based on the previous 3060CD system, the new model is configured in the same way, offering an easy upgrade path. Equipped with a single polarized channel, from deep-ultraviolet to near-infrared, the system measures 2D structures and enables 3D shape characterization, along with real-time measurement of CD, trench depth, photoresist height, thickness, and shape of complex layer stacks. Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd., Rehovoth, Israel; ph 972/8-938-7505, e-mail info@nova.co.il, www.nova.co.il.
Compact rotation stages
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The URS Series rotation stages feature top-down mounting and a stiff, compact design for metrology, inspection, tomography, and other precision indexing applications. The stages are available in both closed-loop DC servo motor (URS-CC) and open-loop stepper motor (URS-PP) versions. The URS-CC version is suited to bidirectional positioning. The URS-PP is more economical and intended for less demanding applications. Both versions feature a proprietary four-contact point ball bearing and two-piece design. Newport Corp., Irvine, CA; ph 949/253-1692, e-mail james.fisher@newport.com, www.newport.com.
Depth, CD metrology system
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The Innova-D system for automated depth and CD measurement uses confocal optics to measure step heights and linewidths on semiconductor, optoelectronic, and MEMS devices. Depth measurement repeatability is 0.03µm (3σ) and linewidth repeatability is 0.006µm (3σ). The system operates with ultrahigh precision and accuracy with laser interferometry for precise x-y stage positioning. Vision-based autofocus provides repeatable focusing necessary for nanometer-level accuracy in point-to-point and field-of-view applications. Micro-Metric Inc., San Jose, CA; ph 408/452-8505, e-mail info@micro-metric.com, www.micro-metric.com.
Wafer thinning materials
Wafer thinning materials are available for thinning the wafer substrate upon which ICs are built, providing increased flexibility (such as for those used in “smart cards”), allowing smaller chip packages or multiple chips in the same package, and increasing heat dissipation. Wafer thinning materials allow chips to function at higher speeds because the insulating silicon between the device and thermal management material is reduced. Honeywell Specialty Materials, Morristown, NJ; ph 781/684-6227, e-mail rskinner@schwartz-pr.com, www.honeywell.com.
Post-CMP brushes
Planarcore PVA brushes offer post-CMP wafer cleaning and polishing, with brush molding technology that reduces tool downtime, reportedly improving throughput and decreasing on-wafer defectivity. The integral core construction allows for more efficient cleaning of PVA during manufacture. Planarcore combines dimensional consistency and flow equalization to deliver consistent wafer-to-wafer performance. Mykrolis, Billerica, MA; ph 978/436-6500, e-mail Craig_Lazinsky@mykrolis.com, www.mykrolis.com.
Test system for CMOS
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The S510 semiconductor reliability test system is a high channel-count, turnkey solution for reliability testing and lifetime modeling of ULSI CMOS processes at the 65nm node and beyond. It can also be used for production wafer-level reliability monitoring or as a lab parametric test system, and features scalable channel counts from 20 to 72 channels, an independent stress/measure channel for each structure, and simultaneous measurement across all channels. Keithley Instruments Inc., Cleveland, OH; ph 800/688-9951, e-mail emodock@keithley.com, www.keithley.com.
MEMS workstation
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A MEMS workstation, produced with The Micromanipulator Co., is designed for proof-of-design and prototype testing, providing MEMS assembly, micromotion analysis, electronic test, repair, and packaging for applications in RF/wireless, optical, chemical, and other markets. The workstation comes equipped with the MSA-400 micro system analyzer for optical imaging and complete characterization of in-plane and out-of-plane motion including deflection shapes, frequency response, and Bode plots. The probe station can be equipped for manual or semiautomatic measurements in atmospheric or vacuum environments. Polytec Inc., Tustin, CA; ph 714/850-1835, e-mail p.mitchell@polytec.com, www.polytec.com.
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