Fifth-generation transparent thin-film metrology system offers significant performance improvements in measurement accuracy, long-term reproducibility, and tool-to-tool matching required for process control measurements
Flanders, N.J., August 13, 2003 - Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:RTEC) today introduced the ultra-II™, its fifth generation Focused Beam™ ellipsometry system. With more than two-thirds of its performance specifications improved over the previous model, the ultra-II delivers the measurement accuracy, long-term reproducibility, and tool-to-tool matching required for process control measurements in semiconductor manufacturing at the 90 and 65 nm processing nodes. For 193 nm lithography, the enhanced DUV reflectometer with photomultiplier detector (PMT-DUVR) enables more accurate and reproducible results down to 190 nm, where competing systems often are light starved. The ultra-II also offers many new features including the optional wafer-bow/film stress module that enables high-throughput, fully automated, single pass measurements of film thickness and stress.
"The technology advances in the ultra-II have been field-tested in multiple high-volume fab installations around the world," said George Collins, Vice President of Marketing. "The ultra-II is proven to provide the higher level of metrology performance and tool-to-tool matching results that manufacturers will need to develop, ramp, and maintain high-yield processes."
"The 90, 65, and 45 nm technology nodes will have dramatically tighter process control limits which require a quantum leap in metrology performance," added Collins. "To control these advanced processes, manufacturers need measurement repeatability and long-term reproducibility to be up to an order of magnitude better than was required at the 180 and 130 nm nodes. With its unique combination of laser ellipsometry and PMT-DUVR, the ultra-II meets or exceeds manufacturers' requirements for advanced applications including nitrided gates, high-κ gates, SiGe process control, 248 and 193 nm ARC optimization and control, and low-κ integration."
The ultra-II provides a unique solution for the low-κ integration challenges facing the industry. The thickness and material properties of low-κ and ultralow-κ materials required for high-performance copper interconnect can be optimized and monitored in production. In addition, successful low-κ integration requires advanced capabilities for measuring the thickness and stoichiometry of the silicon nitride and silicon carbide films used for interconnect etch stops, copper diffusion barriers, hard masks, and CMP polish stops. The combination of laser ellipsometry and PMT-DUVR provides highly repeatable, demonstrably superior, process control metrology for these process optimization and control applications.
The ultra-II's improved PMT-DUVR also delivers excellent accuracy when characterizing, and outstanding repeatability when monitoring, the new antireflective coating (ARC) materials required for sub-130 nm lines and for 193 nm lithography. The optical properties and thickness of these materials must be precisely tuned for each specific application. As a result, process control measurements for matching the CVD equipment are critical. ultra-II's unique technology provides exceptional reproducibility and tool-to-tool matching when measuring the minute variations in the parameters that can lead to significant yield loss.
Gate stack processes are changing rapidly. Thin silicon dioxide gate dielectrics are being replaced by nitrided gate oxides and high-κ materials, which may also be nitrided, will soon follow. The ultra-II's sub 20 Å gate film thickness and nitrogen concentration measurements have been compared to XPS and electrical measurements with excellent results, so manufacturers can rely on ultra-II for high-throughput production monitoring of these critical parameters. The ultra-II also provides process control measurements for next-generation high-κ gate films, including the ability to simultaneously measure the thickness of both an ultrathin sub-10 Å nitrided oxide interfacial layer and an overlying thin high-κ dielectric.
The ultra-II is designed to characterize and control the processing of SiGe and strained Si. The ultra-II delivers faster, more accurate and repeatable measurements than can be made using production SE. SiGe thickness, Ge concentration, and Ge profile in graded layers are made possible with the patented simultaneous multiple angle of incidence ellipsometry technique.
For the optional wafer-bow/film stress measurement, the ultra-II uses a sophisticated laser-based technology to measure the curvature of the wafer. The laser beam is broken into an array of multiple parallel beams and the system measures the relative spacing of the reflected beams. This system is far less sensitive to vibration and other sources of error than simple beam deflection and height measurements, so it provides greater sensitivity, resolution, and repeatability. The wafer-bow/stress module can be integrated into the ultra-II with no change in footprint and provides one-pass measurement of both wafer-bow and film thickness.
About Rudolph Technologies
Rudolph Technologies is a worldwide leader in the design, development manufacture and support of high-performance process control metrology systems used by semiconductor device manufacturers. The Company provides a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary systems for metrology applications used throughout the device manufacturing process. Rudolph's product development has successfully anticipated and addressed many emerging trends that are driving the semiconductor industry's growth. The Company's success in creating complementary metrology applications through aggressive research and development is key to Rudolph's strategy for continued technological and market leadership.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding our revenue and earnings expectations for the third quarter of 2003. Actual results may differ materially from those projected due to a number of risks, including, but not limited to, the impact of the slowdown in the overall economy and the uncertainty of the current global political environment and the potential for terrorist attacks, the potential business disruptions due to infectious diseases such as SARS, changes in customer demands for our existing and new products, the timing, cancellation or delay of customer orders and shipments, the timing of revenue recognition of shipments, new product offerings from our competitors, changes in or an inability to execute Rudolph Technologies' business strategy, unanticipated manufacturing or supply problems, and changes in tax rules. Rudolph Technologies cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties summarized under the heading "Risk Factors" in Rudolph Technologies' Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2002. These factors are updated from time to time through the filing of reports and registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Rudolph Technologies does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.