2 December 2014

Soitec's Altatech division launches inspection system for substrates in LED and semiconductor applications

Altatech of Montbonnot, near Grenoble, France (a division of Soitec) has launched the Orion Lightspeed inspection system, which is capable of pinpointing the size and location of nano-scale defects inside compound semiconductor materials and transparent substrates. The new system helps to ensure the quality control of high-value engineered substrates used in several markets including high-brightness LEDs, power semiconductors and 3D ICs.

“Our technology solution provides customers with the most advanced, fully automated substrate inspection to predict and improve final wafer yields at an optimized cost,” claims Altatech’s general manager Jean-Luc Delcarri.

The Orion Lightspeed system improves the performance and cost efficiency of identifying defects within III-V materials, transparent substrates and thin circuit layers on top of transparent substrates. Inspection is performed using Altatech’s patented synchronous Doppler detection technology, which determines the exact size and position of defects by making direct physical measurements with resolution below 100nm. This methodology provides true defect sizing, claims the firm, whereas other types of inspection equipment on the market make indirect measurements using diffracted light to calculate approximate defect sizes.

The system can handle substrates up to 300mm in diameter. Throughput is more than 85 wafers per hour for 200mm substrates and more than 80 wafers per hour for 300mm substrates, contributing to the system’s high productivity and cost efficiency.

Beta systems have already been installed at customers’ facilities. Shipments of production units are scheduled to begin in April.

In booth #3423, hall 3, at the SEMICON Japan trade show in Tokyo (3-5 December), Altatech is showcasing the new system as well as its full line of metrology and inspection products. These include the Orion series for inspecting LEDs on patterned and unpatterned substrates; the Eclipse series for front-side, back-side and edge inspection of bare substrates, epitaxial layers, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and glass substrates; and the Comet series for quality inspection of wafers mounted on film-frame or Taiko rings before and after dicing.

See related items:

Soitec completes acquisition of Altatech

Tags: Soitec Altatech Inspection

Visit: www.soitec.com

Visit: www.altatech-sc.com