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KLA-Tencor Offers Production-Ready 300 mm Thin-Film Metrology Tool with Wafer Bow And Wafer Stress Measurement Capabilities
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SAN JOSE, Calif., June 7, 2001 - KLA-Tencor Corp. (Nasdaq: KLAC) today unveiled a new option for its ASET-F5x thin-film measurement tool that provides wafer bow and wafer stress measurements on 300 mm wafers. With these capabilities integrated into a single platform, customers no longer need to purchase two separate tools for each process module to take these critical measurements. As a result, chipmakers can reduce their overall capital expenditures and free up valuable floor space in the fab, while at the same time accelerating their 300 mm yields by utilizing the advanced capabilities of KLA-Tencor's latest-generation thin-film metrology system.

Wafer stress is a key concern for chipmakers as they transition to 300 mm production since 300 mm wafers can bow, or bend, more than twice as much as 200 mm wafers given the same film thickness and material properties. This bowing creates stress on the wafer, and increases the wafer's susceptibility to film cracking and de-lamination, which can negatively impact yields. Wafer stress can also impact future processes if left unchecked-resulting in additional yield loss.

"KLA-Tencor's ASET-F5x system with new wafer bow and wafer stress measurement capability provides the superior measurement stability and tool-to-tool matching that enables us to meet our 300 mm production requirements," stated Phil Hecker, thin film section manager for Texas Instruments' DMOS 6 300 mm line. "The combination of thin-film and stress metrology on one platform also improves overall equipment effectiveness and system flexibility." The new Wafer Bow Wafer Stress option allows customers to use the same recipe for film thickness and stress measurements during setup-significantly improving system utilization and reducing time to results. The new option is especially useful in controlling the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, where wafer stress can cause such defects as aluminum stress-induced voids, nitride and oxide passivation cracking, stress-induced dislocations in silicon, electrical test yield degradation, tungsten silicide cracking, film cracking, film de-lamination, wafer warpage, hillock formation, electrical effects, and die cracking.

"The new Wafer Bow Wafer Stress option on our ASET-F5x system is designed to help our customers ensure that each one of their process modules remains within its specified tolerance," stated Sergio Edelstein, vice president and general manager of KLA-Tencor's Film and Surface Technology Division. "The experience we've gained from providing stress metrology solutions for more than 20 years puts us in a unique position to integrate this capability into our widely-adopted thin-film measurement tool-resulting in a production-ready stress and thin-film metrology solution that provides the greatest precision and tool-to-tool matching in the industry."

The ASET-F5x is KLA-Tencor's most advanced ultraviolet spectroscopic ellipsometry (UV-SE) thin-film measurement tool qualified for use in 300 mm integrated circuit production down to the 0.13-micron node. It delivers the needed multi-variable thickness process control required for all transparent films, including the most complex film stacks that incorporate anti-reflective layers (ARLs) and low-k dielectric films. KLA-Tencor currently leads the UV-SE market with systems in use by 18 of the top 20 global semiconductor manufacturers.

ASET-F5x systems with KLA-Tencor's new Wafer Bow Wafer Stress option have already been installed in three 300 mm pilot lines. The new option is currently available for delivery to customers.

Visit KLA-Tencor's booth, #426, at SEMICON West 2001 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, July 16-18, to learn more about this new option.


About KLA-Tencor: KLA-Tencor is the world leader in yield management and process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company has sales and service offices around the world. An S&P 500 company, KLA-Tencor is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol KLAC.

Contact:
Meggan Powers
Director Corporate Communications

 

 

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