KLA-Tencor Corporation (NASDAQ: KLAC), a supplier of process control and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related microelectronics industries, has announced installation of the Surfscan SP3 450, its first process control systems capable of handling and inspecting 450mm wafers.
 
Fully automated, these unpatterned wafer inspection systems are designed to meet the demanding defect and surface quality characterization requirements of the 20nm node and beyond, enabling control of the manufacturing process for 450mm polished silicon and epitaxial silicon substrates. The Surfscan SP3 450 also delivers critical capability for manufacturers of 450mm process equipment, such as wet clean tools, CMP pads, slurries and polishers, film deposition tools and annealing systems.
 
“Optimization of wafer quality and cleaning performance are important first steps toward demonstrating the potential economic benefits of the wafer size migration,” said Hans Lebon, fab manager at imec, a leading nanoelectronics research center in Leuven, Belgium. “Wafer manufacturers need to deliver substrates with pristine surfaces to meet chipmakers’ tight specifications. Equipment manufacturers need to ensure that they are not adding defects; that cleaning processes are effective; and that film quality is carefully controlled over a larger wafer area. The new Surfscan SP3 450 inspection system will help imec characterize the defectivity and surface quality of the wafer, map film thickness and roughness uniformity, and even identify annealing issues. We feel that it’s a critical enabling tool for the transition to 450mm.”