Surface Profiler Tackles Solar Market

KLA-Tencor’s (Milpitas, Calif.) latest stylus surface profiling system, unveiled this week at Intersolar North America, offers advanced features for scientific research and production environments, such as solar cell manufacturing.

Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media -- Semiconductor International, 7/16/2008 10:00:00 AM

KLA-Tencor’s (Milpitas, Calif.) latest stylus surface profiling system, unveiled this week at Intersolar North America, offers advanced features for scientific research and production environments, such as solar cell manufacturing. The P-6 system incorporates measurement technologies developed on advanced semiconductor profiler systems, but comes in a smaller, more economical benchtop unit for samples up to 150 mm.

“For the solar market, the P-6 has the resolution, scan quality and automation needed to improve solar cell efficiencies in the development stage, as well as monitor process quality in production,” said Jeff Donnelly, group vice president of Growth and Emerging Markets at KLA-Tencor.

The P-6 stylus profiler incorporates several features from the company’s automated P-16+ stylus profiler:

• Low noise floor improves measurement sensitivity to characterize small topography
• Less than 6 Å step height repeatability ensures stringent process control
• A 150 mm X-Y sample stage enables a single measurement to cover a full substrate
• 2-D stress measurement and analysis minimizes defects and improves yield
• Powerful yet easy-to-use analysis software offers flexibility for advanced applications

The P-6 profiler has been qualified at BP Solar, a major photovoltaic manufacturer. “Our evaluation of KLA-Tencor’s P-6 system demonstrated high sensitivity to a range of process conditions for multiple surface metrology applications, including ARC films, emitter contacts and front surface texture,” said Eric Daniels, vice president of technology at BP Solar.