Qcept Technologies intros next-gen NVD inspection solution for patterned wafers

ATLANTA, USA: Qcept Technologies Inc. has introduced its latest non-visual defect (NVD) inspection system—the ChemetriQ 5000.

Providing NVD inspection on both patterned and unpatterned wafers, the ChemetriQ 5000 can be used for a wide range of tool and line monitoring applications to increase yield learning rates and enable higher sustainable yields. Qcept has already received an order for the ChemetriQ 5000 from a leading device manufacturer.

The ChemetriQ 5000 platform provides rapid, full-wafer, inline detection of NVDs—such as organic and inorganic residues, metallic contaminants and process-induced charging, which can lead to significant yield loss and are undetectable by optical inspection systems.

It accomplishes this by employing an innovative, non-destructive technology that detects work function variations on the wafer's surface. Enhanced detection algorithms and tighter positional accuracy further augment the performance of the ChemetriQ 5000 to capture a variety of NVDs on both patterned and unpatterned wafers.

Bret Bergman, CEO of Qcept Technologies, said: "The introduction of patterned inspection capability to our ChemetriQ platform represents an exciting milestone for Qcept as we can now detect NVDs across a wide number of points in the production line. This allows us to continue to find new sources of NVDs that can impact our customers' yields and opens up a variety of new market opportunities to us.

"This order for the ChemetriQ 5000, which we received from one of the world's leading device manufacturers, is the latest testament to the industry's increasing recognition of the value of NVD inspection to improve yields and optimize advanced manufacturing processes across a growing array of applications."

The ChemetriQ platform is sensitive to 5E9 atoms/cm2, which exceeds the requirements outlined in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) for metallic contamination detection down to the 22-nm node. Qcept has systems in use worldwide across the semiconductor ecosystem, including leading-edge device manufacturers, wafer manufacturers and process equipment suppliers.