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New Product: Bevel-edge tool from Lam Research offers complete wafer flow single system cleaning
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Product Briefing Outline: Lam Research has
officially launched its new Coronus plasma-based bevel cleaning system.
Designed to reduce yield loss caused by defects that originate near the
wafer’s edge, the Coronus system combines the multiple material
cleaning capability of plasma with a proprietary confinement technology
that protects the die area. Several major semiconductor customers are
now moving into production with the Coronus bevel clean system, the
company said.
Problem: The wafer edge, where deposited films
terminate and overlap with underlying materials, has been identified as
a primary source of defects. The problem is exacerbated as
manufacturers seek to reduce edge exclusion in order to increase the
die number on the wafer. Although the greatest impact of edge defects
is on adjacent die, material from edge defects can damage die at any
point on the wafer. Mechanical-, chemical-, and laser-based cleaning
methods lack the precise control and universal applicability of plasma
cleaning. Initial evaluations of the Coronus system have focused on
edge defects in FEOL (front-end of line) processes for STI (shallow
trench isolation) and contact formation. Immersion lithography, with
its potential for transporting materials from the edge to the active
area, and multiple strategies in dual damascene processes in BEOL
(back-end of line), are also candidates for significant yield gains
from reduced edge defectivity.
Solution: With
introduction of the Coronus system, edge defects can now be managed
throughout the wafer flow with a single system. The company claims that
customers have attributed significant defect reductions to employing
the Coronus system for wafer edge cleaning, and that controlling the
wafer edge throughout processing will lead to lower defects and higher
overall yield, according to the company.
Applications: Wafer edge cleaning in FEOL and BEOL.
Platform:
Available in both 200mm and 300mm configurations, the system is built
on the production-proven 2300 platform with Dynamic Alignment, which
provides a repeatable target cleaning area – wafer-to-wafer and
lot-to-lot.
Availability: November 2007 onwards.
