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Product Briefing Outline: Applied Materials has introduced the Applied ‘Producer' ‘APF-e' system for depositing advanced patterning films in less than or equal to 70nm Flash and DRAM memory devices and less than or equal to 45nm Logic applications. According to the company this is a key enhancement to its first-generation APF film providing for greater optical transparency to deliver precise lithographic alignment in thicker (greater than 2,000A) hardmask layers. The APF-e film's are intended to be seen as a cost-effective hardmask technology featuring high selectivity to polysilicon and oxide to enable the key etch patterning steps required for continued geometric scaling Read more >>

Product briefing outline: ISIS sentronics has launched the SemDex 300 series wafer metrology system, that is designed to provide user defined thickness maps of substrates or other (multiple-) layers (for e.g. SOI) at repeatable rates down to 50nm. A wide range of materials including silicon, GaN, GaAs, SiC, Glass, Potoresist etc...can be evaluated, ranging from minimum 3-5µm up to about 1000µm. Other features such as bow/ warp, flatness, and wafer stress are also performed as well as surfacing profiling for mini-bumps can be achieved by exchanging the sensor head. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Nova Measuring Instruments has launched the next generation of its NovaScan metrology systems, the ‘NovaScan 3090Next' series. The stand-alone metrology system provides improved topography modeling, faster throughput and excellent matching between tools and fabs, according to the company. This is done through implementation of polarized normal-incidence spectroscopic scatterometry, with an extended ultraviolet and infrared spectral range, for measuring the thickness and topography of thin films widely used in semiconductor manufacturing. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Ferrotec Corporation has made improvements to the standard ferrofluid magnetic liquids which provide the core sealing function in Ferrotec's ‘Ferrofluidic' vacuum rotary feedthroughs. Ferrotec vacuum feedthroughs are used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, vacuum chambers, and other clean and controlled process environments. Ferrotec claims the new liquid improvements have reduced operating torque, reduced vapor pressure, and provided better thermal stability in demanding process environments. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Blaze DFM, has announced the Release 1.1 update to ‘Blaze MO' optimization software, the company's "Electrical DFM" solution. In electrical DFM, "design requirements" explicitly refers to timing and power (electrical) requirements, not just geometric information. Bringing design requirements forward into manufacturing means using the actual timing and power constraints supplied by the design team to drive what happens in manufacturing. Typically, this is done by interfacing with the resolution enhancement technology (RET) process in manufacturing. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: BlueShift Technologies has announced the release of ‘QuickLink', a novel, linkable and adaptable wafer handling system. The system architecture is targeted at small-lot manufacturing and is currently configured for wafers up to 300mm but is easily scalable to 450mm, BlueShift have stated. QuickLink is designed to provide improved vacuum-process isolation, reduced wafer-to-wafer cross-contamination, minimal risk of wafer thermal stressing, and excellent low-particulate performance, according to the company. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Litel Instruments, has released of two new products designed to increase silicon chip performance and yield in leading edge semiconductor factories. The new products, dubbed ‘Distortion Mapper' (DMAP) and ‘Transmission Mapper' (TMAP), are used for analyzing and optimizing lens and illumination performance of photolithography tools. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: ULVAC Technologies has launched the Enviro ‘Optima' Resist Strip System that the company claims has the smallest 300mm resist strip system footprint and thus provides the highest throughput per square meter of cleanroom space at the lowest cost. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: MKS Instruments has developed the ‘LIQUOZON' LoopO3 fully integrated ozonated water delivery system. The system is designed to be an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to existing semiconductor cleaning technologies, especially in low flow applications. The system is compact and stand-alone and features fast cycle times and up to 12 L/min of DIO3 at ozone concentrations to 40/75 ppm, ideal specifications for single wafer applications, according to the company. Read more >>

Product Briefing Outline: Synopsys has launched its PrimeYield tool suite that is designed to integrate design with manufacturing by accurately predicting design-induced mechanisms that threaten manufacturing tolerances and by providing automated correction guidance to upstream design implementation tools. PrimeYield provides predictive and corrective actions for manufacturing-sensitive design patterns before tapeout, according to the company. This is due to using production-baseline technology and manufacturing models by the leading foundries and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs). Synopsys reports that PrimeYield can reduce time to yield by 4 to 6 weeks at advanced nodes. Read more >>