Product/Service

Waferless Pattern Recognition Software

Source: Rudolph Technologies
The company offers Waferless Pattern Recognition (WPR) software for its FOCUS SL, SpectraLASER, S200/300, and MetaPULSE transparent and opaque thin-film metrology product lines.
Rudolph Technologies offers Waferless Pattern Recognition (WPR) software for its FOCUS SL, SpectraLASER, S200/300, and MetaPULSE transparent and opaque thin-film metrology product lines. WPR uses coordinate information, which can be electronically transferred from the lithography system and a stored pattern image. This eliminates the need to load an actual wafer, which saves significant time in several areas.

The software also cuts time lost to recipe setup during product changes and for analysis of lead lots. The software has been shown to significantly reduce recipe development time- now recipes can take only 2 to 5 minutes to create instead of the typical 10-30 minutes it takes to create a pattern recognition recipe using a sample wafer. The reduction in recipe development time is especially significant for ASIC fabs, which change recipes many times per day and develop new ones daily to weekly.

How It Works
The software is intuitive. Recipe creation requires only a basic understanding of the metrology tool, the ability to text edit, and the ability to copy and paste. Typically, the user downloads die pitch and die size information or creates one master recipe by simply editing the die pitch and die size of a standardized grid. The operator then selects a standard recognition feature from a list or library. The recipe is then ready to run. To create a "waferless" recipe for a different mask, the user simply copies the master recipe and enters new die pitch values and measurement fields. The software calculates coordinates for fine alignment, test site models, and measurement locations, and the recipe is ready for use.

Cutting Recipe Change and Development Time
The software can significantly reduce the time it takes to create and change recipes by 80% or more. The reduced development time cuts inefficiency and time spent doing tedious recipe creation from a physical wafer. Recipes can be developed before wafers arrive in the metrology area, so lead lots achieve faster throughput. Eliminating the need to lead and analyze a patterned wafer sample saves both time and money.

<%=company%>, One Rudolph Rd., Flanders, NJ 07836. Tel: 973-691-1300. Fax: 973-691-5480.