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A memory manufacturer based in Asia has selected Rudoph Technologies’ MetaPULSE-III opaque film metrology system for all aspects of copper metrology requirements at a fab transitioning from aluminum to copper interconnects. A system has been already been shipped to the customer, Rudolph said.

“This customer has a long history of using the MetaPULSE on other metal films,” said Ardy Johnson, Vice President of Marketing at Rudolph. “That experience, coupled with success in development and first-production copper programs, led to this sale. The MetaPULSE system has the ability to cover the entire copper interconnect process with one metrology technology.”

“Several Rudolph customers first used the MetaPULSE for barrier/seed layer metrology applications. It met full production requirements, and is now being used during electroplate and post-CMP stages.” Johnson added. “The small spot size of the MetaPULSE system enables fabs to use this tool directly on the product wafer, and the ability to measure line array thickness across the device gives them control of variation in CMP. Mapping the copper interconnect thickness at electroplate provides insight into the variation that we subsequently see at CMP, enhancing control of the overall copper interconnect process.”