A Taiwan DRAM manufacturer has ordered the Explorer ‘total solution package’ from Rudolph Technologies that includes the AXi940 front side inspection module, B30 backside inspection module, E30 edge inspection module and its Discover software package for inline defect analysis and data management. Also included in the deal is Rudolph’s TrueADC software for inline automatic defect classification.
“Edge bevel inspection, in particular, is becoming more important as we move through 45nm and beyond, and especially as immersion lithography has been introduced into advanced manufacturing processes,” commented Scott Balak, Rudolph’s All-Surface Inspection Product Manager. “Defects originating in non-exposure areas, including streets, partial devices and the edge of the wafer, all have the potential to create problems within the immersion environment. Edge-related processes, such as edge bead removal, need to be monitored closely to control performance and defectivity.”