Metryx Receives Mass Metrology Production Tool Order from Key US GaAs Manufacturer.

BRISTOL, U.K. -- Metryx, Limited, a supplier of mass metrology equipment to the semiconductor manufacturing industry, today announced that a leading US-based GaAs volume manufacturer of SAW and BAW devices for the communications industry has placed an order for the company's Mentor OC23 Mass Metrology system. The GaAs manufacturer plans to use the OC23 in a volume production, measuring both deposition and etch processes on product wafers.

The order highlights the broad range of applications where mass metrology can be implemented to monitor and characterize processes. Metryx technology can be used to monitor product wafers in volume production environments for dielectric and conducting materials in etch, deposition and CMP process applications.

"We continue to see increasing interest in our unique mass metrology systems from a wide variety of manufacturers," stated Dr. Adrian Kiermasz, President and CEO of Metryx. "Because the Mentor offers a non-interfering in-line approach and is not dependant on the substrate, it can be implemented across the full spectrum of manufacturing technologies. By allowing manufacturers to identify changes in process performance on a wafer-to-wafer basis, any potential issues can be quickly addressed to save considerable time and money."

Capable of measuring in the microgram range (approximately one Angstrom of material thickness), the in-line Mentor OC23 tool monitors the mass change of any wafer following a process step, to quickly determine whether device manufacture process steps are operating consistently and in the expected manner. The mass change response for the process step is managed like other SPC parameters in the process flow.

The small-footprint Mentor OC23 tool is capable of throughputs of 60 wafers per hour to enable nanotechnology mass measurement of product, test and blanket wafers independent of substrate size or material. In this configuration, dual open cassettes utilizing wafers up to 200mm may be used. After measurements have been completed on one cassette the tool can immediately start to measure the other one without waiting for operator intervention. Alternatively, a single 13 wafer 300mm Open Cassette may be placed centrally on the top plate. Metryx also offers 300 mm FOUP configurations within the Mentor line of products.

About Metryx

Metryx is a semiconductor equipment manufacturer specializing in unique nanotechnology mass measurement techniques. Based in Bristol, England, Metryx's non-destructive 200mm and 300mm metrology tools offer atomic layer accuracy, making them ideal for material characterization and device manufacture process control. For more information on the company and its products please visit www.metryx.net.