| LED manufacturers are increasing using patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) to significantly enhance the light extraction coefficients of blue and green LEDs. However, wafer suppliers and LED manufacturers need production-worthy metrology methods to improve the manufacturing productivity of these PSS layers.
The new Dimension Edge PSS atomic force microscope (AFM) from Santa Barbara, CA-based Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq:BRKR) delivers precise 3D profile information to control the most advanced PSS processes.
AFMs are microscopes that use tiny probes mounted on a cantilever to scan the surface of the wafer, whose interactive forces are measured by a piezoelectric transducer. The result is exceptionally precise (sub-nanometer) distance measurements laterally (x and y directions) and even better resolution vertically (z direction).
The Dimension Edge PSS AFM system’s AutoMET software enables automated data collection, data analysis and report generation to provide a pass/fail output for technicians inspecting 2- to 6-inch wafers. The software can be configured to measure between one to nine wafers at multiple points per wafer, including automated data analysis and reporting. The software also allows two different parties, such as the engineer and operator, to access and process the data at once.
"The Dimension Edge PSS provides rapid process feedback with its speed of measurement and unmatched precision and resolution," said Mark Munch, President of the Bruker Nano Surfaces Division. The AFM offers closed-loop x and y position noise of less than 0.5 nm RMS and z position sensor noise of less than 0.2 nm RMS.
With the release of the Dimension Edge PSS, Bruker continues to demonstrate its commitment to superior AFM performance and usability for both researchers and production environments," added David Rossi, Vice President and General Manager of Bruker's AFM Business. Bruker acquired the metrology business of Veeco Instruments Inc. (Nasdaq:VECO) for $229 million at the end of 2010.
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