KLA-Tencor Extends Industry-Benchmark Optical Wafer Inspection Technology To the 90-nm node and Below
Wednesday June 18, 5:00 pm ET
Multiple-Bandwidth Brightfield Illumination Enables Capture Of the Widest Array of Yield-Limiting Defects
SAN JOSE, Calif., June 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Establishing a new benchmark for brightfield patterned wafer inspection, KLA-Tencor (Nasdaq: KLAC - News) today introduced its latest-generation, high-resolution imaging inspection system, the 2360. Building on KLA-Tencor's proven track record with brightfield inspection -- with a global installed base of more than one thousand 2000-series tools -- the 2360 incorporates new optics and illumination enhancements, as well as advanced signal processing algorithms. This provides chipmakers with an inspection system that has the sensitivity, flexibility, and production-worthy performance needed for inline monitoring of product wafers at the 90-nm node and below.
"At the 90-nm node, we not only face the prospect of encountering smaller yield-limiting defects, but we also have to integrate an increasing number of new materials into our manufacturing processes. Both of these pose significant challenges for defect control," stated Piero Pansana, device engineering and industrialization director at ST Microelectronics' R2 Technology center. "With its unique combination of smaller pixel sizes, shorter wavelength and selectable illumination bands, the 2360 provides us with the flexibility we need to find very small defects across the widest array of process steps and film types."
New defect challenges are emerging at the 90-nm node that require wafer inspection systems with increased levels of sophistication, sensitivity and production worthiness, as well as lower cost of ownership. As advanced processes are developed, new process materials are being introduced -- such as 193-nm photoresists and low-k dielectrics -- that require extensive characterization with high-resolution imaging inspection before they can be made manufacturable. At the front-end-of-line (FEOL), defects as small as 50 nm can impair device yield and reliability. For back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers, such as copper chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and metal etch, background noise sources, such as metal grain and color variation, make it more challenging for an inspection system to distinguish yield-critical defects from nuisance defects. KLA-Tencor's 2360 system provides the sensitivity, flexibility and intelligence needed to capture yield-relevant defects, while ignoring nuisance defects -- all on a cost-effective platform that has been proven in production.
Zeroing in on the defects of interest
Based on KLA-Tencor's benchmark 235x platform, the 2360 incorporates a shorter wavelength light source and smaller pixel size to provide the improved inspection sensitivity needed for the 90-nm node and below. In addition, the 2360's ultra-broadband illumination provides superior color noise suppression, making it an ideal inspection monitor for BEOL metal etch and copper CMP layers. Offering multiple wavelength bands for inspection, the 2360 gives customers the flexibility to enhance the image contrast of different material combinations to improve the capture of hard-to-find defect types such as stringers at gate etch and voids at shallow trench isolation (STI) CMP and copper CMP. Signal processing algorithms, including KLA-Tencor's IMPACT(TM) iADC inline automatic defect classification technology and nuisance filtering, also improve yield correlation by providing the ability to distinguish yield-impacting defects from background noise and nuisance defects. The 2360 allows chipmakers to quickly isolate the root cause of yield-relevant defects to improve yield learning and monitoring.
"Our customers need to find ways to develop and ramp advanced technology nodes cost-effectively in order to meet their yield and profitability goals," stated Bob Perlmutter, vice president and general manager of KLA-Tencor's Wafer Inspection Division. "Offering industry-leading sensitivity and production worthiness, the 2360 system provides customers with cost-effective inspection capability for the 90-nm node and below."
KLA-Tencor is currently accepting orders for the 2360. An upgrade path to the 2360 is also available from 2351 inspection systems.
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 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
NOTE: IMPACT is a trademark of KLA-Tencor.
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Source: KLA-Tencor |
