The Story
Market
MarketsandMarkets reports that in 2015 the semiconductor‘s thin wafer market was valued at USD 6.76 Billion and is projected to reach USD 9.17 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 3.7% between 2016 and 2022. This market affects MEMS, CMOS Image Sensors, Memory, RF Devices, LEDs, as well as power devices for e-mobility applications.
Problem
While this market is growing, problems have increased because wafers are getting thinner and thus more likely to break. This breakage is caused by broken and chipped wafer edges which may result in functional failure or total wafer breakage. Production processes as well as production equipment responsible for these kinds of defects have to be identified and improved.
Solution
We developed a contactless screening laser micrometer, called Wafer Edge Screener, which inspects wafer edges during common pre-alignment processes and simultaneously keeps throughput high. Therefore, Wafer Edge Screeners profile the wafer edge thickness and quantify upper and lower edge defects as well as broken edges automatically.
Integration
As our technology also determines wafer alignment parameters and wafer bow, we fusion inspection with pre-alignment functionalities and efficiently make wafer edge inspection inline. Therefore, Wafer Edge Screeners can be integrated in three different integration scenarios as stand-alone, partially or fully integrated systems.
Stand-alone Screeners connect directly to your Manufacturing Execution System (MES) using SECS/GEM for retrofit integration in existing production equipment.
Partially integrated Screeners provide edge inspection data only to production equipment using RS232 or Ethernet WebSockets.
Fully integrated Screeners provide pre-alignment as well as edge inspection data and replace conventional pre-alignment sensors.
Benefit
Wafer Edge Screeners help semiconductor manufacturers to save precious inspection time, maximise equipment uptime and increase yield.
