Predicting technology advances for wafer surface inspection systems

As wafer sizes increase to 200 mm, device geometries shrink, and cleanliness specifications become increasingly stringent, the systems used for surface inspection must also continue to evolve. Advances must be made in detection capabilities, accuracy and repeatability, and instrument-to-instrument and system-to-system correlation, among other technological areas. This article presents an overview of the enhancements that are becoming available and will be required features on the next generation of automated laser scanners.