Schlumberger Introduces Innovative FIB Tool to Advance Productivity, Convenience, Efficiency and Success.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 2002

The IDS OptiFIB(TM) is the Industry's First Focused Ion Beam 

Instrument with Simultaneous Ion and Photon Optical Capabilities

Schlumberger Semiconductor Solutions, a business unit of a subsidiary of Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB), introduced today the IDS OptiFIB instrument, the newest generation focused ion beam (FIB) system for analyzing and editing integrated circuits (ICs). The IDS OptiFIB tool features the industry's first in situ alignment, combining ion and photon optical microscopes in a single coaxial photon ion microscope. This advanced technical achievement dramatically increases productivity, eliminating the blind navigation problems that traditional tools must address by shuttling devices back and forth between photon and ion microscopes. Providing a new standard for accuracy, efficiency and versatility, the IDS OptiFIB is ideally suited for front-side or back-side editing on current and future generations of ICs that are manufactured with complex processes using shrinking geometries, copper, low-k dielectric, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and an increasing number of metal layers.

Process technology has advanced beyond the practical reach of a conventional FIB system. The use of seven or more metal layers and copper has plagued the FIB market, leaving FIB engineers asking for new edit technologies. The Probe Systems group of Schlumberger Semiconductor Solutions integrated over 10 years of FIB and optical probe product experience into one system, the IDS OptiFIB. The new tool's proprietary column design and accurate navigation alignment combine to revive the FIB edit market and provide a platform that will extend across several technology nodes.

"With mask sets crossing the $1M mark, our customers demand increased confidence in design changes before committing them to the fab," stated Michel Villemain, vice president and general manager, Probe Systems, Schlumberger Semiconductor Solutions. "However, most of them gave up on circuit edits, as previous solutions considerably extended the time it took to produce working prototypes, especially when access and visibility became major issues. The IDS OptiFIB brings the productivity and accuracy that allows our customers to validate changes quickly on today's most challenging processes -- sub-0.13-micron, fully planarized -- and from the back side. This tool will bring new life to circuit-editing and make it a central part of the product development flow."

"The IDS OptiFIB deals with the industry's problems in moving leading-edge designs to first working silicon," stated Risto Puhakka, vice president, VLSI Research Inc. "This tool addresses an important step in the engineering cycle and can enable diagnostic engineers to quickly edit circuits and verify results before committing to second silicon.

The tool also has the potential of reducing the number of mask revisions, thus significantly reducing the time and cost of getting new designs to market."

IDS OptiFIB coaxial microscope offers real-time imaging, increasing edit success

The IDS OptiFIB supports both front-side and back-side milling since through-silicon imaging is possible by combining the optical and ion beams into one coaxial microscope. Front-side milling is becoming more difficult as the number of metal layers grows. In addition, front-side passivation is now planarized, leaving topographical navigational aids insufficient to align a traditional FIB tool. Through-silicon editing is often more convenient, more efficient and more successful since every circuit node is available on Metal 1. Viewing the real-time optical image during the ion beam editing process through silicon ensures accurate end pointing to stop milling. This versatility underscores the system's capability to perform edits on any manufacturing process technology, including SOI, low-k, and copper.

The IDS OptiFIB includes a variety of features that sets new standards in flexibility and accuracy. Its outstanding optics and innovative architecture enable users to navigate edit placement to less than 0.1-micron accuracy. Precise FIB edit placement enhances edit success. The IDS OptiFIB system also provides a selective copper etch solution that leaves no redeposition or signs of corrosion. A variety of options -- including a motorized wafer stage, mechanical micro-probes, and tilt stage -- provides multiple configurations for a flexible but comprehensive instrument.

The IDS OptiFIB instrument joins a lineage of innovative diagnostic tools from the market leader, Schlumberger Probe Systems. The IDS OptiFIB tool extends this distinguished IDS family of e-beam and optical probe instruments that includes the IDS PICA light-emission optical system, the IDS 2500 laser voltage probe instrument and the IDS 10000 series of e-beam tools.

About Schlumberger Semiconductor Solutions

Schlumberger Semiconductor Solutions is a leading supplier of comprehensive systems and services for testing and diagnosing semiconductor devices. Additional information is available at http://www.slb.com/semiconductors.

Note to Editors: IDS and IDS OptiFIB are marks of Schlumberger.