i-MOD AFP measures film thickness and particle defect counts in one platform to improve down time, cycle time and yield
San Francisco, Calif., July 14, 2004 ― Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: RTEC), a leading provider of process control equipment for thin film measurement and macrodefect inspection during integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, announced at the SEMICON® West show today that its new i-MOD AFP™ will be fully integrated into the Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) industry-leading TELFORMULA™ thermal processing system without any impact to system footprint.
Rudolph's i-MOD AFP is the first integrated module that enables control of the thermally processed films required for current and next-generation semiconductor processing technologies. It incorporates both Rudolph's fab-proven thin-film measurement technology and Topcon Corporation's advanced particle detection into the TEL system, virtually eliminating metrology and surface particle measurement delays that can reduce cycle time by 25% or more when processing 300 mm wafers. In addition, the metrology and particle distribution information is directly fed to TELFORMULA's advanced process control (APC) system, which utilizes this information to perform FDC (Fault Detection and Classification) to reduce downtime and thus significantly improve overall furnace yield.
"We are very excited about bringing advanced process control technology inside our TELFORMULA", said Moyuru Yasuhara, senior manager, Thermal Processing Systems Business Unit, TEL. "After evaluating many different solutions, we realized that the integrated metrology must have the same level of accuracy and repeatability as the standalone metrology tools already employed in the fab to provide significant benefits to our customers. Rudolph's i-MOD AFP meets or exceeds the sensitivity requirements to enable superior process control. The results also feed directly into our unique APC system that checks for equipment health and automatically flags engineers to take corrective action. This immediate feedback of metrology information significantly improves uptime, cycle time and yield."
TEL chose Rudolph's i-MOD AFP because it provides the best capability for handling the wide range of product films that will be processed in the TELFORMULA. Unlike competing integrated solutions based on reflectometry, the i-MOD AFP is a true integrated ellipsometry solution that has the accuracy and repeatability to provide process control measurements for both thick films and the ultrathin films that are critical to high-yield manufacturing at the 90, 65, and 45 nm technology nodes.
Film thickness and particle counts must be monitored after processing every wafer lot for many yield-critical thermally processed films, as thickness fluctuations of only an angstrom or two can result in significant performance degradation. But delays inherent in transporting 300 mm wafers to the metrology tools and the associated queuing times while awaiting measurement typically take twenty minutes or more. During this time, either the furnace is idle or the new batch of wafers being processed in the same equipment is at risk.
Moving the metrology and particle measurement directly onto the furnace using the i-MOD AFP eliminates these delays, improving furnace availability or reducing the number of wafers at risk. The benefit is even more pronounced during process ramp, when virtually every wafer requires extensive characterization. The i-MOD AFP provides process engineers with film thickness and particle distribution information immediately after processing is complete, thereby dramatically accelerating the detection and resolution of process issues.
"The i-MOD AFP incorporates Rudolph's advanced ellipsometry technology which has been developed by years of experience working with major fabs around the world", said Robert Loiterman, senior vice president of technology, Rudolph Technologies. "This experience has enabled us to develop a small-footprint, highly-reliable integrated thin-film metrology tool. In addition, we are delighted to be working with Topcon and incorporating advanced particle detection into our integrated module. This unique combination of technologies is ideal for monitoring thermal-processing equipment and will provide rapid return-on-investment for TEL's customers."
About Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
Rudolph Technologies is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of high-performance process control metrology and defect inspection systems used by semiconductor device manufacturers. The Company's products provide a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary systems, which are 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 in order to enhance the competitiveness of its products in the marketplace. The Company's success in creating complementary metrology and inspection applications through aggressive research and development is key to Rudolph's strategy for continued technological and market leadership.
About TEL
TEL, established in 1963, is a leading supplier of innovative semiconductor and FPD production equipment worldwide. In Japan, TEL also distributes computer network related products and electronic components of global leading suppliers. To support this diverse product base, TEL has strategically located around the world. TEL is a publicly held company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. www.tel.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. 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, the uncertainty of the current global political environment, the potential for terrorist attacks, the potential for business disruptions due to infectious diseases, 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 "Factors that May Affect Future Results" in Rudolph Technologies' Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2003. 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.