Flexible Combination of Metrology and Inspection in One Fully Automated Measurement Tool
Packaging technologies are fast evolving in the semiconductor industry to achieve the functionality, speed and form factor required for the mobile market with its state-of-the-art electronics products. Wafer Level Packaging (WLP) is leading the way in High Volume Manufacturing (HVM), with 3D IC stack devices directly behind it. The numerous process steps mean a high level of stress on the wafers which often results in quality problems. The cost and complexity of these new packaging technologies require cost-effective inspection and metrology solutions during the entire process to ensure product quality and high yield.
MicroProf® DI
The optical inspection tool MicroProf® DI now makes it possible to inspect structured and unstructured wafers during the entire manufacturing process. This increases yield and saves costs by preventing the further processing of defective wafers. With the MicroProf® DI, high quality can be ensured during the entire wafer production process. In this way, MicroProf® DI finds, identifies and classifies defects at the earliest possible stage and thus provides the basis for high-quality wafers and later chips.
Innovative Lighting Concept & Modular Construction Convince
The innovative illumination concept of the MicroProf® DI makes a variety of defect types visible and detects local failures, inclusions and other defects regardless of their position. The MicroProf® DI includes several modules that can be flexibly combined on the same tool platform, covering all wafer surfaces at high throughput for efficient process control. The modules include: optical inspection and classification of defects via single-shot and step module, review of defects via a high-precision microscope and comprehensive multi-sensor metrology with different topography and layer thickness sensors. For the optical, non-contact and non-destructive 2D analysis of hidden structures and inclusions in the wafer, interferometric layer thickness sensors with infrared light source and an IR microscope are also available.
Designed to merge the boundaries between dark field micro inspection and bright field macro inspection, the MicroProf® DI provides automated inspection of defects for quality control in the front, mid and back end in various illumination methods. The 2D imaging technology enables fast and reliable inspection of defects down to the micrometer range. Optionally, the setup can be extended with a high-precision review microscope. This offers a motorized turret with 5 objective positions, fast autofocus, bright and dark field inspection, differential interference contrast (DIC) and fluorescence microscopy (FL). An inspection of defects down to the sub-µm range is thus possible. By combining 2D inspection and metrology, the MicroProf® DI provides measurement solutions for a variety of applications, including defect inspection on structured and unstructured wafers and wafer-level metrology for micro-bumps, RDL, overlay and through silicon via (TSV) in a single measuring tool.
Perfect for Every HVM Wafer Fab
With a wafer handling system within an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) and almost maintenance free hardware components, the MicroProf® DI provides high throughput and perfectly fit in any HVM wafer fab. The system can be configured for 12'', 8'' and 6'' wafers, both exclusively or as a bridge tool that allows the handling of two wafer sizes in one system. It can also be configured to handle non-SEMI standard wafers, such as highly warped wafers (e.g. eLWB), bonded wafers, wafers on tape, TAIKO, bare and thinned wafers and also panels. The handling unit features a single-arm robot with end effector, two load ports including mapper and RFID reader, pre-aligner and, if required, OCR reader stations. The MicroProf® DI is equipped with Filter Fan Units (FFU), which ensure ISO class 3 clean room conditions in the tool. For integration into the shop floor automation, the tool is equipped with a SECS/GEM data interface. Measurement tasks are then triggered by the host and the measurement results are transferred automatically to the fab control system.
MicroProf® DI - The Benefit
The MicroProf® DI offers a reliable platform technology, including highly flexible software with an unprecedented level of usability. The powerful software quickly turns defect data into feasible process control, improves classification and reduces process times. It enables our customers to reliably develop and analyze new processes and simultaneously reduce the delivery time of their new products until market launch.
The modular configuration of the MicroProf® DI covers the entire range of different applications in chip and wafer manufacturing including incoming process qualification, wafer qualification, research and development and process monitoring. By combining 2D and 3D technologies to detect defects and measure features critical to today's advanced packaging technology, the MicroProf® DI meets industry demands for throughput, accuracy and reliability. With maximum quality, reduced space needed in manufacturing and reduced processing times, the MicroProf® DI reaches highest customer satisfaction.
Source: https://www.formfactor.com/products/metrology/