Wafer inspection equipment can be divided into two main categories: metrology tools and defect inspection tools. Each type serves a specific role in controlling process quality and yield.
Metrology Equipment
Optical metrology systems: include optical microscopy, diffraction-based systems, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), primarily used for overlay accuracy measurement.
Thin-film thickness measurement tools: employ techniques such as four-point probe, eddy current, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. These non-optical methods complement optical measurement systems.
Optical scatterometry systems: include angle-resolved and spectral scatterometry, used for critical dimension (CD) monitoring. They can build scattering models and extract three-dimensional feature information.
AFM and SEM: AFM provides three-dimensional surface imaging, while SEM is known for large depth of field in two-dimensional imaging, particularly CD-SEM for semiconductor linewidth monitoring.
Defect Inspection Equipment
E-beam pattern wafer inspection tools: such as those from ASML and Applied Materials, offer high resolution and the ability to detect buried or invisible defects.
Unpatterned wafer inspection systems: use dark-field detection technology, providing high sensitivity and high throughput for bare wafer monitoring.
Key Characteristics
High precision: both metrology and defect inspection tools must achieve extremely high accuracy to meet stringent semiconductor manufacturing requirements.
Fast response: as process nodes shrink, inspection equipment must respond quickly to support higher productivity and shorter cycle times.
Diverse technologies: due to the complexity of semiconductor manufacturing, inspection systems combine optical, e-beam, and other methods to suit different materials and process steps.
Automation and intelligence: modern wafer inspection equipment typically includes automated measurement and optimization algorithms to improve efficiency and accuracy.
High sensitivity: for defect inspection tools, sensitivity is critical to detect microscopic defects and prevent quality issues.
For precision stages, wafer chucks, optical sensor mounts, and other non-standard components used in wafer metrology and inspection platforms, Hansheng Automation provides custom machining services based on customer drawings, supporting single-piece or small-batch delivery.
