Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (37157)	9/6/2000 5:23:49 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 70976

Yield Management Framing the In-line Metrology Debate for 0.13-0.10 µm Devices This year's SEMICON West show debuted several in-line metrology solutions aimed at increasing the rate of yield ramping for 0.13 and 0.10 µm technologies. Such solutions are designed to help device manufacturers reduce the risk associated with processing 300 mm substrates while speeding process development. Still, the actual need for in-line inspection, especially at the tool level, once high yields have been attained remains in question — perhaps causing companies such as Applied Materials (Santa Clara, Calif.) to cover their bets by offering both off-line and in-line solutions. Interestingly, this dual-pronged strategy allows a simultaneous market push for in-line metrology with the existing market pull for off-line process control, which dominates control approaches in today's fabs. In the midst of this in-line versus off-line debate, companies are offering tools with increased inspection precision, defect detection sensitivity and classification capability. KLA-Tencor (San Jose, Calif.) introduced a complete suite of defect inspection tools for faster production yield ramping at the show. Though both KLA-Tencor and Applied are characterizing the new tools as offering "breakthrough" technology, perhaps the breakthrough has more to do with production-ready throughputs and better data management than anything else. For instance, KLA-Tencor's new eS20XP e-beam inspection tool reportedly is 100X faster than competing e-beam tools and has advanced charge control capability that allows it to better inspect insulating layers (silicon-on-insulator, low-k dielectrics and nitrides/oxides). The tool's greatest claim to fame, however, is tied to its (and its predecessor's) ability to detect defects electrically, while also accommodating today's high-aspect-ratio damascene structures. In addition, the company has expanded its brightfield and darkfield optical inspection tools. The 2350 is the only inspection tool on the market to combine UV capability (0.20 and 0.16 µm pixels) with broadband illumination (on previous 21xx models) for improved defect capture. An Edge Contrast feature allows the tool to detect up to 30% smaller defects than conventional optics. The company's AIT III darkfield inspection tool offers user-selectable optical noise filtering, and the suppression of color variation and grain noise to achieve better defect capture. Existing AIT II tools can be field upgraded. Just prior to SEMICON, KLA-Tencor introduced two CD-SEMs, Models 8200 (for 200 mm wafers) and 8400 (for 300 mm wafers), with 50% faster system setup and shorter time between measurements than previous systems. Foundry or ASIC fabs can create and automatically modify recipes remotely. The CD-SEMs' pattern quality confirmation feature gives feature shape and multi-dimensional profile information. The company finally offers customizable, layer-specific automatic defect classification (ADC) on its eV300 SEM. Applied Materials is offering four 300 mm platforms: VeraSEM 3D, SEMVision, Compass and Excite systems for advanced in-line metrology. The SEMVision automated defect review SEM for in-line production features ADC and Multi-Perspective SEM Imaging to re-detect different defect types. The VeraSEM 3D, introduced at the beginning of this year, measures CDs and feature slope. It features stereoscopic sidewall imaging of high-aspect-ratio contact holes and trenches with 10X greater resolution of the slope than existing SEMs. Electronic beam tilt allows the system to achieve the required speed for in-line monitoring. In the optical arena, Applied's Compass system, introduced in June, incorporates multi-perspective laser scanning technology and On-The-Fly defect grouping to separate critical from nuisance defects. Even closer in-line, the Excite system's throughput (45-60 wph) allows it to alert operators of chamber problems as they occur. The system uses dedicated algorithms for CVD films, PVD films, post-etch or post-CMP for high-sensitivity, high-speed defect detection on a variety of films. Finally, Applied's optional Integrated Particle Monitor (IPM) monitors wafers as they exit the process tool loadlock to reduce non-value-added operating time. •