The Human Hand: Curating Good Data And Creating An Effective Deep-Learning R2R Strategy For High-Volume Manufacturing


Currently, the semiconductor manufacturing industry uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to take data and autonomously learn from that data. With the additional data, AI and ML can be used to quickly discover patterns and determine correlations in various applications, most notably those applications involving metrology and inspection, whether in the front-end of the manufacturing ... » read more

FEOL Nanosheet Process Flow & Challenges Requiring Metrology Solutions (IBM Watson)


New technical paper titled "Review of nanosheet metrology opportunities for technology readiness," from researchers at IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Ctr. (United States). Abstract (partial): "More than previous technologies, then, nanosheet technology may be when some offline techniques transition from the lab to the fab, as certain critical measurements need to be monitored in real time. T... » read more

The Race To Zero Defects In Auto ICs


Assembly houses are fine-tuning their methodologies and processes for automotive ICs, optimizing everything from inspection and metrology to data management in order to prevent escapes and reduce the number of costly returns. Today, assembly defects account for between 12% and 15% of semiconductor customer returns in the automotive chip market. As component counts in vehicles climb from the ... » read more

High-throughput LHSI Reflectometry Technique For ICU and IWU Measurements of Semiconductor Devices


New technical paper titled "Toward realization of high-throughput hyperspectral imaging technique for semiconductor device metrology," from researchers at Samsung Electronics Co. Abstract "Background: High-throughput three-dimensional metrology techniques for monitoring in-wafer uniformity (IWU) and in-cell uniformity (ICU) are critical for enhancing the yield of modern semiconductor manu... » read more

Paving The Way For 5G: RF Filter Process Monitoring And Control Using Picosecond Ultrasonic Metrology


A recent study shows the radio frequency (RF) filter market growing steadily by nearly $16 billion from 2019 to 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 20%, according to Technavio. The strong growth in the RF filter market is driven by the increased adoption of 5G technology, the surge in smartphones using 5G, and commercial and consumer devices dependent on internet of th... » read more

How AI/ML Improves Fab Operations


Chip shortages are forcing fabs and OSATs to maximize capacity and assess how much benefit AI and machine learning can provide. This is particularly important in light of the growth projections by market analysts. The chip manufacturing industry is expected to double in size over the next five years, and collective improvements in factories, AI databases, and tools will be essential for doub... » read more

Mask And Metrology Technology Trends


Aselta Nanographics of Grenoble, France, which produces software for wafer and mask patterning based on e-beam technology for IC manufacturing, along with advanced metrology solutions for scanning electron microscopes, recently became an ESD Alliance member. Adding to its impressive credentials, Aselta is a spin-off of CEA-Leti, the electronics and information technologies research institut... » read more

Case Study — 3D Wire Bond Inspection and Metrology


The growing amount of electronics within modern vehicles has made the inspection process for wire bonds increasingly challenging, as active devices shrink and bonds are arranged in complex ways. CyberOptics addressed the need for an automated solution to replace labor-intensive and imprecise manual inspection methods for wire bonds and loop heights. After consideration of competitive products, ... » read more

Extracting Intrinsic Mechanical Properties Of Thin Low-Dielectric Constant Materials With iTF Analysis


This white paper focuses on the optimization and use of Bruker’s iTF software package for the extraction of intrinsic (substrate independent) mechanical properties, particularly for thin, low-k materials. These considerations are split into two main parts: Measurement procedure (Section II) and iTF execution (Section III). The former outlines important aspects of acquiring proper experimental... » read more

NIST Modifies & Improves Technique For Detecting Transistor Defects


Abstract "We utilize a frequency-modulated charge pumping methodology to measure quickly and conveniently single “charge per cycle” in highly scaled Si/SiO2 metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistors. This is indicative of detection and manipulation of a single interface trap spin species located at the boundary between the SiO2 gate dielectric and Si substrate (almost certainl... » read more

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