New SpectraFx 100 System From KLA-Tencor Accelerates Adoption of Advanced Thin Films For 90-nm Volume Production
Fifth-Generation Thin-Film Metrology Tool Enables Product Wafer Monitoring For 193-nm DUV Lithography and Copper Interconnect Processes
SAN JOSE, Calif., June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- KLA-Tencor Corp. (Nasdaq: KLAC - News) today introduced SpectraFx 100, its fifth- generation optical thin-film metrology system, which delivers the precision, matching and stability required for advanced film-measurement applications for 90-nm device production, including 193-nm deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography processes. Incorporating KLA-Tencor's patented Resolution optics with a small resolution spot, SpectraFx 100 further enables product wafer monitoring to significantly lower chip-manufacturing costs. Designed to fully support next- generation and "operator free" 300-mm fabs with advanced automation and tool- to-tool matching capabilities, SpectraFx 100 enables foundries and other multi-product high-volume chip manufacturers to reduce the process development time for advanced materials and accelerate their adoption into volume production. These materials include 193-nm photoresists, complex copper dual- damascene film stacks, and low-k and high-k dielectrics.
"DMOS 4 has been able to successfully qualify and ramp advanced CMOS technologies with the support of the ASET-F5 and ASET-F5x thin-film measurement tools from KLA-Tencor," stated Jeff Roubik, process engineering manager at Texas Instruments DMOS 4. "The capabilities of these tools, including the use of spectroscopic ellipsometry and single wavelength ellipsometry, have enabled improved control at the most challenging process operations. We look forward to evaluating the improved capabilities on the latest-generation tool, the SpectraFx 100, to enable further advancements in TI's process technology."
Due to their complexity and immaturity, advanced semiconductor films, such as single- and multi-layer anti-reflective coatings, silicon on insulator (SOI) and silicon germanium (SiGe), require extensive monitoring and characterization before they can be incorporated into the production line. The thin nature of these films (less than 100 angstroms thick) makes it extremely difficult to measure them accurately, especially on product wafers, where multiple film layers are involved.
In addition, monitoring these thin-film processes using test wafers becomes cost-prohibitive at 300 mm, thus requiring increased adoption of product wafer monitoring. For product wafer monitoring to occur on 90-nm devices, optical thin-film metrology tools must be capable of accurately measuring within extremely small wafer scribe lines, which are typically smaller than 50x50 microns.
Based on KLA-Tencor's industry-leading spectroscopic ellipsometry technology, SpectraFx 100 incorporates the company's new Resolution optics, which have been field-proven in more than 20 KLA-Tencor thin-film metrology systems installed worldwide. The Resolution optics use a unique and patented reflective design that eliminates spectral noise and distortion across a continuous wavelength spectrum from 190 nm to 900 nm. This enables SpectraFx 100 to achieve exceptional tool-to-tool matching (0.001-0.003 refractive index), which is critical in meeting the stringent film-thickness and index- measurement requirements for 90-nm and smaller design rules. With their reflective design, Resolution optics also enables the use of a small spot size on product wafers (down to 40x40-micron features) to provide more extensive process monitoring and higher-rate sampling, eliminating the use of monitor wafers.
"With the increasing globalization of semiconductor manufacturing, we have seen our customers moving toward a virtual fab concept where leading-edge process development takes place in one fab and actual production is fanned out to foundries or fabs in other geographic locations. SpectraFx 100's exceptional tool-to-tool matching accelerates the 'fan out' of advanced film processes to production fabs," stated Sergio Edelstein, general manager of KLA-Tencor's Film and Surface Technology Division. "It also provides the added benefit of enabling fab engineers to quickly diagnose excursions that occur during process development. For process monitoring applications on the production floor, tight metrology tool matching significantly reduces production cycle times and lowers tool cost of ownership."
SpectraFx 100 also incorporates an enhanced pattern recognition library that accelerates and facilitates recipe generation and setup -- both of which are important advantages to foundries and other high-volume chip manufacturers that implement multiple chip designs into production. Built upon proven 300-mm automation standards, this second-generation 300-mm tool fully supports SEMI E84, E87, E40, E90 and E94 requirements for communication to automation tracks and materials process flow.
KLA-Tencor is currently shipping SpectraFx 100 systems to customer beta sites. KLA-Tencor will showcase SpectraFx 100 at the SEMICON West 2002 exhibition in San Francisco, Calif., July 22-24, at the Moscone Convention Center. KLA-Tencor's booth is located in the South Hall, #426.
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., with over $2 billion in revenues and operations around the world, KLA-Tencor ranked #6 on S&P's 2002 index of the top 500 companies in the U.S. 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. |
