Nova's Materials Metrology Solution Selected for 5nm Technology Node
Nova has announced that a major foundry recently placed an order for its VeraFlex advanced X-Ray metrology solution for 5nm technology node.
Nova's solution utilizes X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to simultaneously measure composition and thickness of complex film stacks through the fabrication process. The integration of these film stacks is significantly more complicated than previous nodes both in terms of the materials used and their multi-layer composition, requiring sophisticated process control to minimize device variation. The VeraFlex product portfolio provides the requisite sensitivity and precision needed for these challenging measurements.
As a result of this selection, Nova expects more than $12 million in aggregate business from this customer across 2018 and 2019.
"We are excited about this selection which confirms the applicability of our technology for 5nm and emphasizes the growing need for advanced materials metrology solutions in advanced nodes," said Adrian Wilson, General Manager of Nova's Materials Metrology Division. "In order to achieve better performance in smaller devices, our Logic customers are required to modify their materials strategy beyond the traditional architectural changes. These innovative developments increase the need for Materials control and our available market accordingly. We look forward to additional orders as 5nm moves into volume production and further applications are qualified."