The system is also inspecting advanced R&D wafers that incorporate novel materials, processes and device structures.
Qcept’s ChemetriQ system is being evaluated for a number of applications, such as inline yield learningto accelerate rampupof nextgeneration processes, excursion monitoring, and prescanning prior to sending wafers to the analytical lab to enable faster rootcause analysis of NVDs. These evaluations are being performed at a number of process steps, including postetch cleans, postchemical mechanical planarization (CMP) cleans, prediffusion cleans, and incoming wafer inspection.
“Despite the current downturn in the semiconductor industry, leading IC manufacturers continue to invest in new technologies that help them to transition to the next node and quickly ramp up their yields on their nextgeneration products,” stated Erik Smith, president of Qcept Technologies. “As the percentage of nonvisual defects found in advanced IC manufacturing continues to rise due to tighter process tolerances, as well as the growing number of process steps and new materials, the gap between what defects are seen by optical inspection tools and what actually correlates to yield is growing. Leading manufacturers recognize this trend and its potential impact to their bottom line, and are turning to NVD inspection solutions, like our ChemetriQ technology, to enhance their total yield management strategy.”
Qcept’s ChemetriQ platform provides rapid, fullwafer, inline detection of NVDs, such as organic and inorganic residues, metallic contaminants, processinduced charging, and watermarks, which are undetectable by optical inspection systems. It accomplishes this by employing an innovative, nondestructive technology that detects work function variations on the surface of semiconductor wafers. The ChemetriQ platform is sensitive to 5E9 atoms/cm 2 , which exceeds the requirements outlined in the international technology roadmap for semiconductors (ITRS) for metallic contamination detection down to the 22nm node.
