Next-Generation KLA-Tencor Wafer Inspection Tool Achieves Sensitivity And Throughput Breakthrough for 100 NM Devices
AIT XP, With Innovative NexTek(TM) Technology, Revolutionizes Inspection Productivity by Achieving Maximum Sensitivity in All Die Regions Without Compromising Throughput
SAN JOSE, Calif., June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- KLA-Tencor Corp. (Nasdaq: KLAC - news) today introduced the AIT XP, the first wafer inspection system to combine both high speed and high sensitivity in all die regions. Dubbed NexTek(TM), this single-pass capability leverages multiple optics and intelligent control to dynamically adjust and optimize both inspection speed and sensitivity for each region of the device. As the first commercially available system to combine the extreme sensitivity needed to find killer defects in today's most advanced devices with high-speed, single-pass intelligent inspection, the AIT XP is ideally suited for global chipmakers that produce multiple types of advanced devices incorporating 100 nm and smaller design rules.
``Historically, chipmakers were forced to compromise either defect sensitivity or inspection throughput in their quest for production-worthy inspection solutions for new and emerging device types,'' explained Rick Wallace, executive vice president of KLA-Tencor's Wafer Inspection Group. ``Although advances in wafer inspection in recent years have incrementally improved the speed/sensitivity equation, until now chipmakers could only achieve maximum sensitivity on all die regions by conducting multiple passes and multiple masking steps to adjust for variances in pattern density. This, in turn, adversely impacted both overall inspection throughput and cost of ownership.''
KLA-Tencor's proprietary NexTek technology eliminates this need in the AIT XP by enabling the tool to dynamically adjust to changes in wafer pattern density during inspection, allowing users to maintain optimal sensitivity in all regions on the die. As a result, the AIT XP can inspect an entire patterned wafer in as little as 80 seconds with a high rate of defect capture, providing an effective increase in throughput of up to 75 percent compared to current systems. The AIT XP also incorporates advanced noise suppression and filtering capabilities, which minimize the capture of nuisance defects and automatically sort nuisance defects from killer defects.
According to Peter Nunan, vice president of yield technology solutions at KLA-Tencor, the powerful combination of increased sensitivity, improved cost of ownership, and single-pass intelligent inspection is being extremely well received by chipmakers producing sub-0.13-micron copper devices. ``Now, more than ever, time to market and manufacturing productivity are critical to success, yet our customers are facing unprecedented challenges as they move to full-scale copper and sub-0.13-micron production. This is especially true in copper CMP, where up to eight separate process steps may be required. If the rapidly evolving copper CMP process is not controlled properly, it can have a tremendous impact on yield. With the AIT XP, our customers are able to detect copper CMP-related defects as they monitor the process-bringing cost-effective copper CMP inspection onto the production floor. This enables them to more rapidly optimize control of the entire copper interconnect process, thereby speeding their copper production ramps and maximizing copper yields.''
In addition to its enhanced sensitivity, the AIT XP minimizes operator interaction by requiring fewer recipe setup parameters and by incorporating the ability to transfer parameters from recipe to recipe using templates across multiple devices. As a result, recipe setup time is reduced by up to 30 percent-lowering total recipe setup time to as little as eight minutes and simplifying the overall setup process. This enhanced automated recipe setup saves engineering time, ensures greater consistency over multiple devices, and provides simultaneous defect trending of multiple devices-all of which are key benefits to foundries and other high-volume integrated circuit manufacturers.
The AIT XP is based on KLA-Tencor's production-proven AIT inspection platform, which has a worldwide installed base of more than 550 tools. The AIT XP is currently being used at several customer beta sites, and production shipments are expected to begin by the end of 2001. Both the AIT II and AIT III can be upgraded to the AIT XP.
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. Additional information about the company is available on the Internet at kla-tencor.com .
NOTE: NexTek is a trademark of KLA-Tencor.
SOURCE: KLA Tencor Corp. |
