AMAT’s FullVision, Lam’s Coronus, Debut
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 11/29/2007 7:16:00 AM
Two Silicon Valley-based equipment companies announced new capabilities applicable to 45 nm processing.
Applied Materials Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) announced its FullVision system, which employs multiple-wavelength spectroscopy for improved end-point control during dielectric chemical mechanical planarization (CMP).
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| Applied's FullVision adds multiple-wavelength spectroscopy for more precise control of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) steps. |
FullVision enables real-time, in situ end-point control for a variety of dielectric materials, including oxide, shallow trench isolation (STI), and poly CMP applications.
The FullVision system “demonstrates high repeatability across all applications,” with better than 150 Å, 3σ end-point accuracy on patterned wafers, Applied said. The company claimed 50% higher reliability for dielectric applications.
Hichem M'Saad, general manager of Applied's dielectric systems and CMP business group, said that as films become thinner, the CMP steps require more precise wafer-to-wafer process control. The broadband spectral analysis monitors individual polishing zones across the wafer. The result, M'Saad said, is “twice the accuracy and repeatability of competitive systems on a wide variety of process steps — without compromising throughput.”
According to Applied, early users of the FullVision system have reported higher yields and reduced wafer scrap caused by drifts in consumable sets and incoming wafer profile variations.
Applied said it has an installed base of >900 300 mm CMP systems worldwide.
Lam improves edge cleaning
Lam Research Corp. (Fremont, Calif.) announced the production release of its Coronus plasma-based bevel cleaning system, which the company said reduces yield loss caused by defects at the edge of the wafer.
The Coronus system combines plasma cleaning with a confinement technology that protects the die area. It is built on the company's 2300 platform, and available in both 200 and 300 mm configurations. The system uses “dynamic alignment,” which provides a repeatable target cleaning area that can be defined precisely on the top and bottom edges of the wafer independently, the company said.
Several major semiconductor customers are now moving into production with the Coronus bevel clean system.
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| Lam Research's Coronus uses plasma cleaning system to reduce edge-level defects. |
Jeff Marks, vice president of new businesses, said the introduction of the Coronus system means that “edge defects can now be managed throughout the wafer flow with a single system,” resulting in improved yields at the customer sites that have tested the bevel clean system. Those initial evaluations, Lam said, have focused on edge defects in front-end-of-line (FEOL) processes for STI and contact formation.
Immersion lithography presents another challenge, as liquid can move materials from the edge to the active area. At the back-end-of-line (BEOL) where dual damascene processes are used, the Coronus system can help reduce edge defects, according to the company.
Lam claims an installed base of more than 1000 2300 plasma etch platforms.
Lam’s attention to the wafer edge, where deposited films terminate and overlap with underlying materials, comes as chip manufacturers seek to reduce edge exclusion to increase the number of die on the wafer.
