News

31 March 2010

 

LED maker Seoul Optodevice buys Candela CS20 to optimize epi productivity

Process control and yield management solutions provider KLA-Tencor Corp of Milpitas, CA, USA says that South Korea’s Seoul Optodevice Company Ltd is the latest LED maker to adopt its Candela CS20 platform.

KLA-Tencor says that the sale marks the growing importance of defect inspection for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and reinforces the firm's continued focus on LED inspection.

Defects from epitaxial and substrate processes can impact yield and field reliability. Critical epi defects include pits, cracks, topographic anomalies and surface non-uniformity, while substrate defects can include particles, scratches and stains. KLA-Tencor says that its Candela CS20 system is uniquely designed for the inspection of transparent materials (gallium nitride and sapphire) with the simultaneous detection of surface reflectivity, topography, scatter and phase signatures. The automated inspection system, with real-time classification, provides actionable data for effective process control, adds the firm.

“Inspection results from the Candela CS20 will enable us to optimize epi processes and improve productivity,” says Seoul Optodevice, which reckons that adoption of this process control strategy will provide improved product quality and consistent performance.

“LED market growth is slated to be greater than 35% year-over-year,” notes Jeff Donnelly, group VP of KLA-Tencor’s Growth and Emerging Markets division. “We are making significant investments in products that specifically address LED manufacturing needs,” he adds. “This investment, combined with our extensive experience in process control solutions, enables us to bring superior products to market rapidly to address the industry’s cost and technology roadmaps.”

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Visit: www.kla-tencor.com