Nova unveils Nova i500 next generation integrated metrology

REHOVOT, ISRAEL: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd, a provider of leading edge stand-alone metrology and the market leader of integrated metrology solutions to the semiconductor process control market, has uncovered its next generation Integrated Metrology platform targeted at advanced technology nodes of 22nm and below.

The Nova i500 went through rigorous testing and is now qualified on an industry leading CMP (chemical-mechanical polishing) platform. The company also reported it is already in the process of receiving initial tool orders.

The Nova i500 sets a new benchmark in Optical CD Integrated Metrology. In furtherance of Nova's strategy to have identical fully matched integrated and stand-alone metrology tool generations, the Nova i500 offers the same metrology as the successful Nova T500 stand-alone platform, which was selected for 22nm design rule by a leading foundry.

The Nova i500 provides unprecedented throughput with optical CD Move Acquire Measure (MAM) time of less than 1 second and optical CD performance that until now was only available on the Nova T500 system. Its unmatched reliability and long life consumables add to a lower cost of ownership (CoO) than any available Integrated Metrology system.

Noam Shintel, director of Corporate Marketing said: "As semiconductor manufacturers continue to move to advanced technology nodes, the need for complex Optical CD measurements using integrated metrology increases. In Copper interconnect optical CD is now becoming an enabler for control of interconnect resistivity through control of metal line thickness.

"Nova achieved a market leading position and set the Integrated Metrology standard with the successful NovaScan 3090Next IM and now sets a new standard with the Nova i500. I see the performance and the lower CoO of the Nova i500 as enablers to not only maintain but also to grow our Integrated Metrology market share."

Deploying the same metrology as the Nova T500 stand-alone system the Nova i500 provides optical CD metrology performance that answers the requirements of advanced technology nodes of 22nm and below in both CMP and Etch. With less than 1 second MAM time on measurement pad sizes as small as 25X25 microns, the throughput of the Nova i500 enables 100% pre & post polishing optical CD measurements.

Having more than 4,500 hours Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) the Nova i500 features the highest reliability of any Integrated Metrology system. Longer life lamps reduce consumables consumption and reduce the frequency of scheduled Preventive Maintenance (PM) thus further contributing to low CoO. A modern SEMI E95 compatible user interface coupled with a touch screen provides easy operation, independent of the host equipment's user interface.