tag: KLA-Tencor

The Most Expensive Defect
By KLA - 22 Jul, 2015 - Comments: 0

Defect inspection tools can be expensive. But regardless of the cost of the inspection tool needed to find a defect, the fab is almost always better off financially if it can find and fix that defect inline versus at the end of line (e.g., electrical test and failure analysis). Here, we are referring to the term defect in a general sense—the same concepts also apply to metrology measurement... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing
By Mark LaPedus - 17 Jul, 2015 - Comments: 0

Semicon West is always a busy week. Typically, there are a plethora of events going on during the week. It’s also a good week to get a pulse on the industry. The good news: Innovation is alive and well. Bad news: Intel cut its CapEx. And tool makers are in the midst of a lull right now, with a cloudy outlook projected for 2016. Some even see a dreaded downturn next year. Pacific Crest Secu... » read more

Getting Over Overlay
By Mark LaPedus - 18 Jun, 2015 - Comments: 0

Chipmakers continue to migrate to the next node, but there are signs that traditional IC scaling is slowing down. So what’s causing the slowdown? Or for that matter, what could ultimately undo [getkc id="74" comment="Moore's Law"]? It could be a combination of factors. To be sure, IC design costs and complexity are soaring at each node. Scaling challenges are also playing a role. And ov... » read more

In-Die Registration Measurement Using Novel Model-Based Approach For Advanced Technology Masks
By KLA - 18 Jun, 2015 - Comments: 0

In recent years, 193nm immersion lithography has been extended instead of adopting EUV lithography. And multi-patterning technology is now widely applied, which requires tighter specification as the pattern size gets smaller on advanced semiconductor devices. Regarding the mask registration metrology, it is necessary to consider some difficult challenges like tight repeatability and complex In-... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing
By Mark LaPedus - 05 Jun, 2015 - Comments: 1

In what was called a defensive measure by some, Intel has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Altera for $54 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $16.7 billion. Here’s what one analyst said about the deal. “We continue to believe Intel’s pursuit of Altera–at a significant premium–was based on a defensive position, rather than the purely accretive str... » read more

10nm Fab Challenges
By Mark LaPedus - 21 May, 2015 - Comments: 1

After a promising start in 2015, the semiconductor equipment industry is currently experiencing a slight lull. The pause is expected to be short-lived, however. Suppliers of [getkc id="208" comment="3D NAND"] devices are expected to add more fab capacity later this year. And about the same time, foundries are expected to order the first wave of high-volume production tools for 10nm. At 10nm... » read more

Addressing Thin Film Thickness Metrology Challenges Of 14nm BEOL Layers
By KLA - 21 May, 2015 - Comments: 0

This paper describes a method to effectively monitor the film stack at different metal CMP process steps using a spectroscopic ellipsometer metrology tool. By proper modeling of the Cu dispersion and simulating the underlayer film information underneath the Cu pad, a single measurement recipe was developed which can be used to monitor each process step in the metal CMP process with stable and r... » read more

Reticle Inspection And Metrology
By Zain Saidin - 21 May, 2015 - Comments: 0

Pattern defects and contamination on a reticle can cause yield issues in every die of every wafer printed. We take it for granted today, but it started out with people looking through a microscope and manually scrolling back and forth looking for defects on photomasks that originally were hand cut, and later on made by machines. Fast forward to the present and we're able to find the equivale... » read more

Analysis: Applied-TEL Scrap Merger
By Mark LaPedus - 27 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

After several delays due to a myriad of complex regulatory issues, Applied Materials’ proposed deal to buy Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL) has been scrapped. It appears that the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) stepped in and blocked the deal. Now that the deal has been terminated, Applied Materials and TEL are separately re-grouping, and are back to where they originally started as fierce compe... » read more

The Week In Review: Manufacturing
By Mark LaPedus - 24 Apr, 2015 - Comments: 0

For years, Altera’s sole foundry was TSMC. Then, not long ago, Altera selected Intel as its foundry partner for 14nm. TSMC still handles 20nm and above work for Altera. This quarter, Altera was supposed to select a foundry partner for 10nm. This week, Altera posted lackluster results in the quarter. Altera did not elaborate on its 10nm plans, nor did it discuss the Intel rumors. "Altera did n... » read more

← Older posts Newer posts →

  • Sponsors

About

Navigation

Connect With Us

Copyright ©2013-2024 SMG   |  Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy