Thin Film Analyzer

N/A0 Thin Film Analyzer is a metrology tool that provides non-destructive, simultaneous measurement of thickness and nitrogen concentration of hard-disk carbon overcoats with a throughput of more than 10 disks per hour. It is extendible for measuring next-generation ultra-thin coatings. This Class 10 compliant tool is designed to be operated by fab technicians and is fully contained in a footprint of less than 7 ft.2 (0.65 m2).

Incorporating a patented thickness measurement technique, N/A0 provides rapid, recipe-controlled metrology of the thickness and nitrogen concentration parameters on disks from 64 to 95 mm in diameter. This application-specific measurement protocol is based on proven electron spectroscopy techniques using a 500-micron diameter electron beam.

Accurate measurement of carbon overcoat thickness and nitrogen concentration is critical to the quality and information density of magnetic media. The carbon overcoat layer protects the magnetic material, which stores information on the hard disk, from oxidation and abrasion. To obtain the desired material properties in the overcoat, the nitrogen concentration is normally between 10 and 15 atomic percent with a desired control of less than 1.0 atomic percent, 1s.

N/A0 is not limited to the measurement of carbon-based hard disk overcoats and can be used to analyze many other thin films with applications in both the hard disk market and the semiconductor market, such as the thickness and silicon and nitrogen concentrations in silicon nitride.

<%=company%>, 260 Santa Ana Court, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-4512, Tel: 408-732-7111, Fax: 408-732-7191