8 July 2014

Jordan Valley's metrology tools selected for in-line GaN-on-Si process control

X-ray metrology and defect detection tool maker Jordan Valley Semiconductors Ltd (JVS) of Migdal Haemek Israel has recently delivered and commissioned its JVX7300L in-line x-ray metrology tool at multiple customers. The systems have been purchased for in-fab process development and automated production monitoring of gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) wafers.

“Jordan Valley is well positioned to support this and other emerging applications, with our comprehensive portfolio of x-ray based technologies and tools,” believes CEO Isaac Mazor.

“GaN-on-Si technology presents new metrology challenges and requirements that only high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) can adequately address,” says Dr Paul Ryan, corporate VP and JV-UK manager. “We have been supporting the manufacturing needs of both the compound and silicon semiconductor industries for many years. Bringing together these technologies, Jordan Valley can provide solutions for the characterization of these advanced material systems, while meeting the customers’ stringent process and automation requirements in a short period of development time,” he adds. “The JVX7300L provides the highest level of automation, flexibility and robustness for such emerging applications. In choosing the JVX7300L platform, the customers' acknowledged the significant contribution of the product in shortening their process development cycle, together with the ability to use the same tool for production monitoring to help drive yield enhancement.”

The JVX7300L is a production-worthy x-ray metrology system for GaN-on-Si and other ‘More-than-Moore’ applications and can be used for both in-fab process development and production monitoring. It supports various x-ray metrology modes, scanning HR-XRD, XRR and (GI)XRD, to provide solutions for a wide range of materials and structures. HR-XRD can measure the composition, thickness strain/relaxation of single and multiple epilayer stacks. Additionally, with XRR and (GI)XRD channels, the tool can provide information on the thickness and density of a wide range of thin films as well as providing unique microstructure information (crystallinity, grain-size and phase) of polycrystalline thin films. Unlike optical or spectroscopic tools, HR-XRD and XRR are first-principles techniques that deliver accurate and precise results without calibration, says the firm.

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