New tool geared for 3D metrology applications in semiconductor manufacturing
Hyphenated Systems has announced the development of a combined advanced confocal/atomic force microscope (ACM/AFM) on one platform. The system is being developed jointly with atomic force microscope (AFM) provider, KARMA Technology.
It will be geared for three-dimensional (3D) metrology applications in semiconductor manufacturing and laboratory environments. The combined ACM/AFM tool will provide users with the speed and 3D imaging advantages of ACM, combined with atomic-level resolution measurement capabilities of an AFM—all on one single platform, preventing the need to move the sample. Geared for the semiconductor industry, the system will be built to accommodate wafers up to 12-inches in diameter. It will also feature a patented probe module that is easily replaceable—eliminating the need for time-intensive probe tip changes of the AFM.
"This hybrid confocal-AFM tool is thought to be the first real, fab-friendly AFM. We are building every possible feature into it to accommodate the needs of the manufacturing environment. The probe module eliminates tool downtime due to tip changes of the AFM; a special vibration isolation platform will enable the AFM to operate with high accuracy in a manufacturing environment; and the system will combine high-speed confocal imaging of larger features with detailed atomic-resolution imaging of targeted features?without having to move the sample from one tool to another," said Terence Lundy, vice president and managing director, Hyphenated Systems.
Lundy adds, "The combination of microscopy techniques, ‘Hyphenation,' is in great demand in both research and manufacturing. This combined confocal-AFM system is something the industry has needed for a long time; the system will be ideally suited for the high-speed, accurate, and repeatable 3D metrology requirements needed in the semiconductor industry."
