CyberOptics Introduces Auto Gapping System That Wirelessly Measures Gaps

Beaverton, OR and San Francisco, CA - CyberOptics Semiconductor, a producer of precision products used for measuring critical parameters in semiconductor processes and equipment and a subsidiary of CyberOptics Corp., introduced its new 300mm WaferSense Auto Gapping System (AGS300), a wireless wafer-like device and software package that measures gaps (i.e., distance) between the shower heads and pedestals or heaters that are critical to the outcome of semiconductor processes such as thin-film deposition, sputtering and etch. Whether the gaps need to be perfectly parallel or slightly tilted to achieve the best uniformity, the AGS300 enables technicians to efficiently achieve accurate and reproducible machine setup and maintenance within exact tolerances resulting in increased wafer yield.

During the wafer manufacturing process, gas is distributed onto the wafer from holes in the shower head. Then plasma helps deposit a film onto the wafer that sits on a pedestal or heater. Because the gap between the shower head and the wafer needs to be precisely controlled for even gas distribution, equipment is continually monitored to ensure optimal alignment during extended use and following maintenance. Current gap measurement methods are time consuming, cumbersome, often inaccurate, and waste hundreds of hours of machine productivity. The AGS300, however, enables process and equipment engineers to do gap checking and setting at process pressure/vacuum conditions and to move the sensor directly into the chambers while they are closed to speed setup.

The patent-pending WaferSense AGS300 can go where a wafer goes; and because it is wireless, there are no wires to break and no vacuum leaks. The WaferSense AGS300 uses contactless distance sensors to measure gaps at three places between shower heads and the pedestals or heaters, and returns live gap measurements - via the system's GapView application software - that can be displayed on a laptop or PC in numerical and graphical form. Each graphic is color-coded to make it easier to see when the gap is above, below or within the user defined target gap range, allowing fab engineers to make adjustments quickly. The data can also be time-stamped and logged for documentation and later analysis. Gap settings can be easily reproduced, speeding up setup, maintenance and troubleshooting, and reducing equipment downtime to minutes instead of hours.

The WaferSense AGS300 comes in a 300mm anodized aluminum form factor, measures gaps from 9mm to 20mm, and is accurate to +0.025mm. It uses Bluetooth technology to wirelessly send data to the GapView software for logging and analysis, and can operate for up to 4 hours between recharging.

"As chipmakers deposit thinner films on larger wafers, uniformity becomes increasingly important," said Craig Ramsey, General Manager of CyberOptics Semiconductor. "Our WaferSense AGS provides engineers reliable and convenient measurements so they can maximize the productivity of their process equipment to achieve greater yield and throughput."

WaferSense AGS300 Key Specifications

• Form factor - Diameter 300mm. Height 7.5mm (0.295 inches). Weight 400 grams.
• Packaging - Anodized aluminum.
• Working distance - Measures gaps from 9mm to 20mm (0.35 inches to 0.79 inches).
• Gap accuracy - ¡¾0.025mm (0.001 inches) with gap of 15mm (0.6 inches) within 4 hours of field calibration
• Operating temperatures – 20^°C to 70^°C
• Operating pressure - 760 to less than 10-6 Torr
• Battery operation - Operates for 4 hours between recharging.
• Bluetooth wireless communications - Uses the 2.4 GHz radio frequency band to communicate with communications link that connects to host computer USB port.
• GapView application software - Displays numerical and graphical gap information. Each graphic is color-coded to make it easy to see whether it is above, below, or within the selected target gap range.
• Data logging - GapView can log time-stamped measurements to a CSV (comma separated values) file for documentation and/or analysis.
• Operating systems - For use with Windows 2000, XP and Vista.

The WaferSense AGS300 product kit is available now and includes gapping wafer, charging clean box, USB communications link and GapView application software. A 200mm device is planned for Q4 2007 availability.

The Auto Gapping System joins the expanding family of WaferSense products that include: the Auto Teaching System (ATS) and the Auto Leveling System (ALS). Each of these precise, wireless, wafer-like devices enables quick and accurate set-up and maintenance of semiconductor wafer processing and wafer handling equipment. WaferSense helps the industry reduce the total cost of tool ownership and increase yield.

SOURCE: CyberOptics Semiconductor