KLA-Tencor Adds In-Line Defect Classification to Latest-Generation E-Beam Wafer Inspection Systems
New Capabilities Accelerate Advanced Process Development While Lowering Overall Cost of Ownership by Up to 50 Percent
SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- KLA-Tencor Corp. (Nasdaq: KLAC - news) today announced that its latest-generation e-beam wafer inspection system, the eS20XP, now includes in-line automatic defect classification (iADC). This new option speeds time to results for defect classification and review by up to a factor of three when compared to manual review and classification, while simultaneously classifying up to ten times more defects for a given inspection. iADC reduces the cost of ownership (CoO) of e-beam inspection by up to 50 percent by enabling chipmakers to quickly classify and separate physical and electrical defects in real time during inspection. This allows chipmakers to achieve more sensitive inspections, as well as focus their efforts on detecting yield-killing defects and accelerating yield learning on advanced processes.
``Process development is a critical and time consuming phase in the yield-learning cycle,'' stated David Kolar, yield enhancement staff manager at Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector. ``Voltage-contrast defects have a very high correlation to yield, which means that it is essential for us -- especially in advanced process development -- to accurately and reliably classify and review each defect in order to separate the real yield killers from the nuisance defects. KLA-Tencor's eS20XP system with iADC dramatically reduces the time needed to complete this necessary task. iADC's performance to date has been accurate and consistent enough for us to institute iADC at critical back-end inspections.''
Faster yield-learning cycles are key to helping chipmakers identify, analyze and fix the process problems that ultimately limit their yields and profitability. E-beam wafer inspection, in particular, is critical to accelerating yield learning by providing chipmakers with the capability to pinpoint electrical failures within the device at each step in the manufacturing process instead of waiting until final test. This sensitivity is also critical in qualifying advanced processes, which require chipmakers to capture all defect types and then separate the relevant yield-killing defects from the rest of the defect population.
With iADC, the eS20XP enables users to classify and separate physical and electrical defects in real time during inspection with negligible impact to throughput. Another key advantage of iADC is its ability to create a more intelligent, or representative, defect sample for manual review either on the eS20XP or on an offline review scanning electron microscope (SEM). This frees up the eS20XP to inspect more wafers, thereby improving the tool's CoO and enhancing time to corrective action. For extremely aggressive inspections, iADC can also function as a highly effective nuisance defect filter.
``iADC's intelligent classification technology firmly places the eS20XP on the production floor for in-line wafer monitoring, as well as for process development and ramp-to-volume production applications,'' stated Rick Wallace, executive vice president of KLA-Tencor's Wafer Inspection Group. ``The ability to reliably and accurately perform more sensitive inspections as a result of iADC significantly enhances the eS20XP's performance as a powerful tool in helping our customers accelerate their yield learning.''
The iADC option is now available both as a field upgrade and with new eS20XP factory shipments. iADC is currently installed at seven customer sites.
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 .
SOURCE: KLA-Tencor Corp. |
