Nanometrics announces multi-system integrated metrology order from leading foundry

MILPITAS, USA: Nanometrics Inc., a leading supplier of advanced process control metrology systems used primarily in the manufacturing and packaging of semiconductors, solar photovoltaics and high-brightness LEDs, announced a multi-system order from a leading semiconductor foundry for its Integrated Metrology (IM) and NanoCD™ suite solutions.

The systems will be delivered in the fourth quarter of this year for optical critical dimension (OCD) metrology on 22nm gate etch applications.

“Nanometrics’ IM systems and our industry leading NanoCD suite were chosen by a leading foundry partner to support advanced 22nm gate patterning process control,” commented Steve Bradley, Director of Nanometrics’ Integrated Metrology Business Unit.

“The IM systems will be fully integrated onto advanced etch process systems from two leading etch equipment suppliers at multiple steps in the gate formation loop. The customer will deploy our 9010T IM systems combined with our NanoDiffract™ OCD software and NanoGen™ cluster computing hardware, enabling complex 3D gate metrology and rigorous real-time analysis to allow rapid information turns in a dynamic technology development factory.”

Beyond etch integrations, Nanometrics’ IM solutions are available in configurations to support control of other key fab processes, including CMP, lithography and CVD for both thin film and OCD applications.

Nanometrics’ IM can also be combined with Nanometrics’ Lynx platform to provide superior measurement capability at a low cost of ownership. Nanometrics’ customers can deploy integrated metrology in conjunction with standalone systems, the Lynx Cluster Metrology Platform and the NanoCD suite for a complete fab-wide metrology process control solution.