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Comparison of Semiconductor Particle Counting Technologies

By atesmeh | May 7, 2012


Reducing or eliminating the presence of particle contaminants is an important step in tool qualification.  While surface scanning is currently the industry standard for particle detection, bench top and hand held airborne particle counters are also used because of their relatively low cost and easy operations.  However, these technologies offer limited reach inside equipment and provide little or no information about the location of contamination in the tool.  Also, these traditional particle counting technologies offer no or limited real-time output or the capability to record data for future comparisons.


Addressing these issues, CyberOptics Semiconductor developed the WaferSense® Airborne Particle Sensor (APS) that can detect particles down to 0.1 Micron without opening the tool and automatically report the presence of airborne particles.  With real-time views of particle conditions, process engineers can address specific trouble spots and be better prepared to prequalify tools for final particle qualifications on the very first attempt. 


Below is a quick comparison of the most popular particle counting technologies available on the market today:




















































 


Monitor Wafers &


Surface Scanning


Bench Top


Hand Held


WaferSense® Airborne Particle Sensor


Particle detection


0.05 Micron


 


0.1 Micron


 


0.3 Micron


 


0.1 Micron and larger


 


Set up


Requires partitioning


Requires long hoses  to reach into the tool


Only accessible by hand


Wafer like shape compatible to existing automation


Follows wafer path


 


Monitor wafers follow the path of the wafer but provide little information about the location of contamination in the tool


Only easily accessible by hand locations


 


Only easily accessible by hand locations


Moves through equipment and automated material handling systems to monitor airborne particles inside the systems and provide real-time feedback


Records data


No


?


?


Particle data can be recorded to compare past to present as well as tool to tool


Real-time surface scanning


No


Yes but only in easily accessible areas


Yes but only in easily accessible areas


Yes


Operations


Sometimes long delays waiting for results; Partitioning with multiple monitor wafers is often required to locate the source of particle contamination


Engineers sometimes must crawl through equipment to make measurements; measurements not possible under production conditions


Difficult to reach all places in equipment; measurements not possible under production conditions


Moves through semiconductor process equipment and automated material handling systems to monitor airborne particles inside the systems under actual production conditions (limited by same conditions)


Software


No


No


No


Companion software collects and display particle data wirelessly to see the effect of adjustments in real time, speeding equipment qualification and setup 


For more about WaferSense Airborne Particle Sensor, please refer to http://www.cyberopticssemi.com/products/wafersense/aps.

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Filed Under: Industrial automation

 

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