Bosch Selects Rudolph for Semiconductor Inspection Solutions
F30 inspection systems selected for their flexibility to be used as a single base inspection tool for a variety of MEMS applications in both front- and back-end processes
Rudolph Technologies, Inc has announced that the leading MEMS company, Robert Bosch GmbH, has selected Rudolph to supply several different configurations of its F30 Inspection System for various steps in the front- and back-end fabrication processes of micro electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) devices. This win represents increasing business with tools beginning to ship in the second quarter 2015.
"We are thrilled that Bosch selected Rudolph's inspection solutions for a variety of critical consumer goods and automotive applications," said Mike Goodrich, vice president and general manager of Rudolph's Inspection Business Unit. "The configurability of one base tool paired with a variety of high volume manufacturing (HVM)-proven handling options provides Bosch with the flexibility to apply these tools across numerous applications, improving overall tool utilization. Bosch's challenge was handling the wide variety of substrates used in complex MEMS processes and we were able to meet their needs, providing handling solutions for frameless, ultrathin, film-frame and thicker non-traditional substrates."
The MEMS industry is expanding, according to Yole Développement, and Bosch has experienced noteworthy growth in the past years. Zero defects is critical for the MEMS application of automotive sensors. The F30 system's high speed and high sensitivity give the ability to free up expensive micro tools and focus on throughput and sampling inspection.
"A critical deciding factor for Bosch was the fact that Rudolph goes beyond traditional inspection by not only detecting defects but automatically classifying data so customers can quickly eliminate the source of the defect," Goodrich added. "Our integrated software solutions will help Bosch meet the stringent automotive quality standards by enabling full characterization of the inspection data, resulting in high productivity and demonstrable quality."
"It is rewarding to see that our customers value the R&D investments we made to elevate the value of our inspection solutions," said Mike Plisinski, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Rudolph. "We see an increased demand for more intelligent process control solutions as pressure on quality and time-to-market continue to increase for our customers."
