Olympus-ITA System Inspects Wafer Bevel, Top, Side, and Bottom.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Olympus Integrated Technologies America's (Olympus-ITA) new AL Series optical inspection and defect review system delivers wafer edge and bevel inspection. Olympus' full bevel inspection will allow the user to see the top, side, and bottom of the wafer from various angles using a continuous angle adjustment for best imaging and defect detection. This will maximize the user's ability to detect particles, pits and residues that lead to hot spots on the front side, chips, cracks, and scratches that cause wafer breakage, and edge bead removal issues that not only harm the individual wafer, but can result in equipment and wafer cross contamination. Defect information and images are stored in a common defect format for tracking and yield analysis.

"A 300mm wafer has 942mm of edge, giving you nearly one meter of edge die on every wafer," said Greg Baker, chief operating officer of Olympus-ITA. "Edge die yield remains one of the big challenges in IC manufacturing with a variety of edge defects contributing to loss. If edge defects are reduced, wafer yield improves. Olympus's new edge and bevel inspection technology enables semiconductor manufacturers to detect these defects early in the manufacturing process and track them through the process."

Olympus' AL series systems perform a broad range of inspection and defect review tasks, including macro and micro inspection, automated image capture, operator or automated defect review, and automated defect classification. These tasks help the user identify and eliminate defect sources, maximizing yields. The systems include a variety of visible light imaging methods using Olympus Universal Infinity Systems (UIS) infinity corrected optics for superior imaging and resolution. The systems can also integrate Olympus' 248 nanometer patented Deep-UV Air Gap optics to increase the optical resolution limit to 80 nanometers.

Macro inspection includes both front side and back side (back center and edge) in a single wafer pass. Micro inspection allows the operator to view the wafer under a range of magnifications and imaging techniques that include bright field, dark field, Nomarski DIC, confocal, and high resolution DUV and DUV confocal. Defect review can be added to the systems in a manual mode where the operator classifies on or off-line, or in a fully automated mode using automatic defect classification (ADC) with high throughput and accuracy. Defects are imaged, stored, and classified; the defect data is stored in a common format and can be uploaded to the user's yield management database. Adding edge and bevel inspection to this system provides the complete wafer inspection system.

The systems are available with complete GEM and GEM300 factory automation software for seamless integration into the user's automated factory. A variety of SEMI compliant load ports (FOUP, FOSB, SMIF, open cassette) can be attached to the systems in various configurations (front, rear, or side load) to allow the system to meet any manufacturing floor layout requirement.

About Olympus-Integrated Technologies America

Olympus Integrated Technologies America, Inc. (Olympus-ITA) was founded in March 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. Specializing in semiconductor products and systems for wafer inspection and defect review, Olympus-ITA is the application software development R&D center for Olympus semiconductor products. Its location in San Jose, California, enables the company to respond quickly to provide sales, service, and support to semiconductor companies throughout the United States. For more information contact Greg Baker at 408-514-3918, email [e-mail], or visit our website at www.olympus-ita.com.

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