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Inspection, Measurement & Test

The latest news and information on semiconductor inspection, measurement and test, including metrology, microscopy, spectroscopy, spectrometry, CD measurement, defect detection/inspection, overlay and wafer inspection.

Memory Test Platform Handles Multiple Device Types
Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor - 11/25/2008
Verigy’s newest memory test family handles flash, DRAM and multichip packages (MCPs) — at the price of a flash tester. More

Samsung Electronics Orders Zeiss Mask Metrology System
Staff - 01/08/2009
Samsung Electronics ordered a mask metrology tool from Carl Zeiss SMT, the second company to order the PROVE system following an order last month from NuFlare Technology, the leading mask writer vendor. The tool uses 193 nm imaging optics to measure masks used in immersion and EUV scanners. More
Foundries, High-k on Program at International Reliability Physics Symposium
David Lammers, News Editor - 01/06/2009
The International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS), planned for April 26-30 in Montreal, will take up the reliability challenges fabless semiconductor companies face when chips are fabricated at foundries. Other hot topics on the program include high-k dielectric breakdown mechanisms, leakage in compound semiconductors, interconnect failure modes, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. More
IEDM Panel: Processing Costs Headed Up
David Lammers, News Editor - 12/17/2008
With more expensive tools and new process modules coming, IC manufacturers will struggle to maintain the cost-per-function reductions that have broadened the market for semiconductors. The likely introduction of 3-D interconnects, vertical transistors and EUV lithography all will add pressure on wafer processing costs, experts said at an evening panel discussion at the International Electron Devices Meeting going on in San Francisco this week. More
Multitest to Merge with Everett Charles Technologies
Staff - 12/12/2008
Multitest Elektronische Systeme GmbH, which makes test handlers and test sockets, said it will merge with the Semiconductor Test Group of Everett Charles Technologies. More
Rudolph NSX Selected for Inspection of TSV Process
Staff - 12/03/2008
Rudolph Technologies Inc. said that it has installed an NSX 115 Macro Inspection System at a major European fab. The NSX tool performs 2-D and 3-D metrology and inspection of defects during the same production cycle. More
NuFlare Orders Zeiss Mask Metrology Tool
Staff - 12/03/2008
Carl Zeiss SMT disclosed one of the first orders for its next-generation mask metrology system from NuFlare Technology Inc. Developed by Zeiss with support from Sematech, the PROVE metrology system is considered a key building block for masks used in both 193 nm double patterning and EUV lithography. More
Applied Announces TSV Etcher, In-Fab Mask Inspection Capability
David Lammers, News Editor - 12/01/2008
Applied Materials Inc. announced its Silvia deep silicon etcher for creation of the smooth sidewalls required for 3-D interconnects. Also, the company said it is offering a new version of its Aera2 mask inspection tool for use within a fab’s lithography cell, rather than at an external mask shop, needed for double patterning. More
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News from the Web

NANOSCALE METROLOGY: Scatterfield optical imaging enables sub-10 nm dimensional metrology
Source: www.laserfocusworld.com
Date: Jan 6, 2009
ACE Adds New X-Ray System
Source: www.pcb007.com
Date: Jan 5, 2009
Revolutionary MEMS System for in situ Electron Microscope Thermal Studies
Source: www.nanowerk.com
Date: Dec 22, 2008
Test of Time Finalists, 2009
Source: Test & Measurement World
Date: Dec 22, 2008
Blundell sells Dage digital X-ray inspection system to M-TEK
Source: www.emsnow.com
Date: Dec 16, 2008

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News from Lexis Nexis

Aehr Test Systems Reports Profit for Second Quarter

Aehr Test Systems Receives Order for Burn-in and Test System

Peking University Selects Cascade Microtech for RF Measurements

Blogs
Talkback
Podcast
Video

The Measure of All Things
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, Semiconductor International
August 26, 2008
He Saw It All First
A few days ago, while emptying an old filing cabinet my wife came across a thick ...
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The Measure of All Things
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, Semiconductor International
August 11, 2008
Considering Beyond-CMOS Metrology
Metrology has become one of the main pillars upon which the semiconductor industry ba...
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The Measure of All Things
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, Semiconductor International
July 14, 2008
Standalone Pushes Optical CD Boundaries
Semiconductor manufacturers face tough process and business challenges. On one hand t...
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The Measure of All Things
Alexander E. Braun, Senior Editor, Semiconductor International
July 6, 2008
SEM Enables Rapid Subnanometer 3-D Surface Imaging
As critical dimensions shrink and new materials are introduced, traditional SEMs are ...
More

» VIEW ALL BLOGS

I doubt EUV or maskless will be ready since there are still too many unsatisfied requ...
looking at big picture - 12/18/2008 2:12:46 AM PT
in response to IEDM Panel: Processing Costs Headed Up

This year's IEDM looks pretty lame. Glad not to have gone....
lol - 12/18/2008 2:00:36 AM PT
in response to IEDM Panel: Processing Costs Headed Up

Changing to 450 mm Wafer substrate is really quite expensive now, with all the variou...
doubtful - 10/28/2008 9:08:59 AM PT
in response to ISMI Outlines 450 mm Wafer, NGF Roadmaps

"Where are the OEM's?"...
"Where are the OEM's?" - 10/27/2008 2:01:46 PM PT
in response to ISMI Outlines 450 mm Wafer, NGF Roadmaps

» VIEW ALL TALKBACK THREADS

EDA Supports Mask Development and Continuing Shrinks
Aart de Geus, Synopsys

Professor Describes Unipolar CMOS Proposal
T.P Ma, Yale University

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Technical Articles

Measuring Material, Dopant Loss From Post-Implant Wafer Cleans
Nikki Edleman, IBM Microelectronics, Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Yong-Siang Tan, Chartered Semiconductor Mfg. Ltd., Singapore; Tom Tillery, Stephen Savas, Andreas Kadavanich and Allan Wiesnoski, Mattson Technology, Fremont, Calif., 11/01/2008
Maintaining the integrity of ultrashallow junctions (USJs) after exposure to an increasingnumber of high-dose implant resist cleaning steps is critical for logic device manufacturing at the 45 nm node and beyond. Use of SiGe in the PMOS regions adds an additional material challenge. A new short loop method provides accurate relative measurements of amorphized silicon or SiGe loss caused by different types of strip/clean processes....

Inline Monitoring Detects CMOS Image Sensor Colorization Problems
Jean-Charles Mattlin, STMicroelectronics, Rousset, France; Andreas Draeger, Vistec Semiconductor Systems, Weilburg, Germany, 10/01/2008
An optical non-destructive inspection method has been developed to detect colorization effects on CMOS image sensors. It can inspect 100% of the wafer surface, and is highly repeatable and reliable....

Concentration Sensors Curb Rising CoO
Ron Chiarello, Jetalon Solutions Inc., Pleasant Hill, Calif., www.jetalon.com, Noritsugu Ishida, Swagelok Co., Solon, Ohio, 09/01/2008
In situ, real-time concentration monitoring will be vital to the industry's move to 65 nm CDs and below to address the need for increased yield and reduced waste....

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