ISRA VISION launches EdgeScan wafer edge inspection system

ISRA VISION of Darmstadt, Germany has launched an inspection system that allows wafer edges to be monitored during the entire manufacturing process – both increasing yield and lowering costs, it is claimed, as the system prevents the processing of defective material. Moreover, because the sensor can be optionally integrated in existing process tools, it can be used in every production step.

Currently, the quality of wafers is often only checked at the start of production. However, the many processing steps put the material under great stress, particularly at the edge, and often cause quality issues. An efficient solution to this problem is high-speed surface inspection of the front, back and wafer edge. This is necessary as chips are becoming ever thinner for use in modern IT and consumer electronics products, making them more vulnerable. Devices such as smartphones are gaining ever more functions, yet the amount of space for the hardware is limited. To meet the simultaneously increasing quality requirements, continuous inspection is required as early as the wafer manufacturing process.

Compatible with all common process tools and available as a retrofit solution for existing machines, the EdgeScan can be used as an OEM product throughout the entire process and for every type of wafer. Moreover, its connection and results output comply with the SEMI standard. The sensor unit can be deployed in an individual manner, depending on where in the process the components are under the most stress. During preadjustment, a line scan camera checks the edge of the wafer simultaneously from three sides. Its multi-view technology, in which a prism deflects the image by 45° and creates three views, making it possible to view the component from 360° even at cycle times of just a few seconds.

ISRA says that this kind of inspection is a result of the new awareness that problems often begin at the edge, where defects can cause cracks and breaks. EdgeScan now allows the edge to be monitored throughout the entire production process. ISRA’s solution complements conventional automated optical inspection (AOI) systems that use a matrix camera (which have a limited field of vision and only inspect the surface), enabling a complete inspection.

Tags: Automated wafer inspection system Defect inspection

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