Semiconductor Wafer Inspection System

Introduction of new surfscan SP2XP, a new monitor for wafer inspection system for the integrated circuit has built a success upon its predecessor tool with the same name. The new wafer inspection system features improved sensitivity to defects on silicone, poly and metal films. It also has the ability to sort defects by the type and size. This new semiconductor wafer inspection system also features vacuum handling and best-in-class throughput.

This system is designed and manufactured to enable facilitate chipmakers to bring in their devices to the market with superior quality and in minimal amount of time. This system has an integrated ultra high sensitivity operating mode to speed up the process of development of next generation devices.

This SP2 system is designed for 65 and 45 nm nodes and below. This slip in new UV laser technology, dark field optics and advanced algorithms. This tool is developed to continuously provide reliable and accurate defects in engineered substrates. This tool is designed to detect defect patterns of 6 nm or higher in a multilayered wafer patterns at a relatively higher speed. The false alarm rate is designed to be less than 0.5 occurrences per chip. The performance is achieved by using the optical set up and the digital design pattern data. The main function of the digital design pattern data is to isolate the defective areas into different layers, so as to facilitate the isolation of the defects. The image is processed in one pass by an image processer that has high speed pipeline structured and which can detect for defects at a video rate of 7 mega hertz.

This semiconductor wafer inspection system technology is designed to address the needs to quickly detect the defective materials so that the problem can be rectified sooner. To sooner lesser is the wafer scrap, yield loss and market delay. This technology is believed to actually improve the production of leading edge devices with minimal defects at a lesser period of time.

The advantages of the surfscan SP2XP monitor wafer inspection system include thirty six percent increases in the throughput resulting from changes in opto-mechanics, electronics and software. The multi channel architecture enables the wafer inspection system to automatically separate particles from micro scratches, voids, water marks etc. Ultra high sensitivity mode enables the system to be used for development of next generation chips. The introduction of Opto-mechanics has proved to be effective in detecting defects even over rough films. The new differential interference contrast channel enables capture of shallow, flat and faint defects which can result in failure of devices at advanced devices. The defect sizing capability enables detecting defects at higher speed with greater accuracy.

To Learn more about Semiconductor Wafer Inspection and link semiconductor wafer inspection system in the body of the article link to http://www.semisystemservices.com

The Many Processes of Silicon Wafer Processing

Most people have heard the term silicon wafer, but unless you are a science or Information Technology professional, you will be forgiven for not knowing what a silicon wafer is. This type of device is most common in the fields of IT, physics and chemistry and known to professionals such as physicists and chemists. The silicon wafer processing is an interesting one.

Technically, this device is a thin, circular disc used in the manufacture of integrated circuits and semiconductors. There are other types such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and SOI, which is silicon on insulator. These types are used in electronics, which require careful manufacturing to ensure high levels of efficiency.

Although the device is tiny, the manufacturing process is tedious and complicated. It is comprised of several sequential processes that are repeated in order to complete photonic or electrical circuits. Examples of their use include the production of central processing units for computers, optical components of computers, LEDs, and radio frequency amplifiers. During fabrication, the appropriate electrical structures are placed within the wafers.

Extensive work precedes the production and several important steps are to be followed preceding the manufacture. In itself, silicon is a unique element, due to its capacity to conduct both electricity and heat in a way that is very controlled. It is otherwise known as a semiconductor. These wafers can become efficient materials in the electronic sphere when they undergo processes such as photolithography and fabrication.

In microelectronics, these wafers are used in creating microchips or integrated circuits. The manufacturer of chips takes great care of many processes such as selecting the most reliable supplier to ensure efficient devices. Top consumer electronics and information technology companies have used SOI wafers to produce their microprocessors. Solar energy technology also uses GaAs, silicon and SOI wafers to create solar cells.

Electrical engineers start the process by designing the circuits and defining the essential functions. Signals, voltages, outputs and inputs are specified. Special software is used to determine these specifications. It is then exported to programs that lay out the designs of the circuits. These programs are similar to those for computer-aided design. During this process, the layers of the wavers are defined.

Firstly, a perfect crystal should be produced from silicon. It must be submerged slowly into a vessel with molten sand. Afterwards, the ingot (cylinder shaped pure silicon) is carefully withdrawn. The ingot is then thinly sliced, using a diamond saw and the sliced sorted, according the thickness of each wafer.

The manufacturers see to defects that occur during the slicing process. If the silicon surface is damaged or cracked after slicing, this is removed using a process known as lapping. If crystal damage is removed, they use etching to do so.

The wafers are checked for flatness and thickness. During this step, they are checked for defects that occurred during the etching and lapping. An automated machine checks the thickness of each disk.

A layer of damage is created in the back by grinding it to approximately thirty-five microns. The wafer is then heated to a temperature of up to more than one thousand degrees Celsius for up to three hours. It is then cooled to below six hundred degrees Celsius.

Uneven surfaces of the wafers need to be polished to create a flat and smooth surface. A final qualification check is done during which the manufacturer ensures the smoothness and thickness. During this check, specifications of the consumer will also be ensured before the products will be ready to produce. The price of wafers is determined based on the thickness and quality.

The wafers are blank when started and then built up in clean rooms. Photosensitive resistance patters are photo masked onto the surface. They are measured in micrometers or fractions right at the beginning of the process; therefore, the density is increased during each step.

It is then exposed to UVB (short-wave) light. The areas that are unexposed are cleaned and etched away. Heated chemical vapors are then deposited onto the required areas and they are baked. The high heat permeates the vapors into the necessary areas. RF-driven sources of ions deposit 0+ or 02+ onto the zones in particular patterns.

The process is repeated several hundreds of times. During each step, the resolution of the circuits is greatly increased. The technology is constantly changing and with new technology comes denser packing of the features.

The semiconductor waves or chips are manufactured at foundry for companies, which sell the chips. The system of silicon wafer processing is an interesting one and when we think about all the ways in which it affects our lives, it is truly amazing.

Jessica entered the Semiconductor Manufacturing field in 1998 and is now the founder of Rogue Valley Microdevices in 2003. As Founder and CEO, Jessica has established the company as a world-class silicon wafer supplier and MEMS Foundry Services.