The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) and South Korean semiconductor equipment manufacturer NextIn have entered into an agreement to evaluate a new wafer defect inspection system. The metrology tool from NextIn is designed for wafer inspection for the 2x nanometre technology node.
The one-year cooperative effort will see the two organisations evaluating the inspection system in the clean room of Center Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT), a business unit of Fraunhofer IPMS. The tool allows for the visual detection, automatic classification and characterisation of different defect types on structured wafers (200mm and 300mm).
The NextIn Aegis I wafer inspection system makes it possible to combine bright field and dark field imaging in one tool, which significantly increases the number of different applications in semiconductor research and development.
‘As a research institution, this project creates synergy effects because this type of equipment is very important for the research and development of FEoL, MoL and BEoL processes. Additionally, this collaboration serves to expand our business relationships into Asia,’ said Dr Benjamin Uhlig, head of the Interconnects group at IPMS-CNT.
The Center Nanoelectronic Technologies is continuing the successful collaboration between the semiconductor industry and applied science in the segment of 300mm wafer technology, which allows manufacturers to implement new developments at the industrial level.
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