Jan 21 2005
Veeco Instruments today introduced a new, high-performance optical profiler to address metrology challenges in the rapidly growing printed electronics industry, which includes organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, radio frequency identification tags (RFID), biosensors, and other flexible circuit devices. The Wyko(R) NT4800 combines high-speed, high-resolution optical profiling with large format staging, and is ideal for critical R&D and production metrology applications in flexible printed electronics, such as surface shape and texture measurement.
"The printed electronics industry, also known as 'semiconductors-on-plastic', is beginning to deliver new exciting growth products, from printed batteries to biosensors, with many more products still in the development stage," said Lloyd LaComb, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and General Manager of Veeco's Optical and Industrial Metrology group. "Extremely low power and rollable flexible display technologies such as OLEDs and electronic ink (E-ink) are being developed using novel printed electronics. Many other innovative devices will emerge as well. For example, radio frequency identification tags that can be printed directly into packaging materials are expected to revolutionize product tracking and inventory control." Industry forecaster Intertech Corp. estimates that the total available market for printed electronics will reach over $15 billion in 2005 and will double by 2010.
"Our new high performance Wyko NT4800 addresses R&D and production metrology requirements to measure these novel device features," continued Dr. LaComb. "The feature sizes of typical semiconductor-on-plastic devices are on the order of tens and hundreds of microns - an excellent fit for optical and stylus profiling. The NT4800's combination of speed, repeatability, resolution and range enables customers to move new products quickly from development to full-scale production using a single metrology platform."
The automated Wyko NT4800 utilizes Veeco's patented Vertical Scanning Interferometry (VSI) and Phase Shifting Interferometry (PSI) to obtain accurate 3D data of surface features from nanometer-scale roughness through step heights up to 2mm. An ergonomic operator interface and automated controls enable rapid production measurement and minimize operator-to-operator variability. The NT4800 also includes industry-leading Vision software for advanced 2D and 3D data analysis and visualization. Vision provides over 200 analysis tools, as well as automated measurement sequences and data logging for real-time process feedback and statistical process control.
Further information on the Wyko NT 4800 can be found at www.veeco.com/nt4800.