This technical information has been contributed by
Owens Design, Inc.

Standard Automation Platform Unveiled for Semiconductor Metrology OEMs

FREMONT, Calif.--Owens Design Inc. recently announced its introduction of "Atlas," a standard automation platform for semiconductor metrology OEMs that is said to substantially reduce the overall development cost and time to market for new metrology and inspection tools.

According to the company, the Atlas platform uses a well-established and industry-standard, 300mm/200mm-capable EFEM to reliably align and transfer wafers from the load ports to the inspection station. Overall airflow and pressure balance between the process stage and the EFEM has been optimized through CFD modeling to ensure clean wafer transfer.

"Transitioning a new metrology process from a bench top R&D lab tool into a fully-capable process production tool is a difficult and time-consuming task," said Mark Danna, senior business director for Owens Design, in a statement released by the company. "Equipment developers face a tight market window, limited resources, and a core competency focused on metrology, not 300mm factory-capable tool development. Owens Design has years of experience solving these problems. Now we are introducing a standard metrology automation platform that further reduces the overall time to market and allows the OEM to focus on their core metrology competency."

The standard metrology automation platform has been designed to allow for wafer-level thermal and vibration isolation to ensure a controlled environment for tool-to-tool matching. A standard power distribution and control system with a GUI interface has been integrated into the system and, when combined with the required connectivity software, the platform reportedly meets all of the 300mm factory software interface requirements. The company also stated that the Atlas tool platform has been designed to meet Semi S2 (operator safety) and Semi S8 (operator ergonomics) requirements.

The Atlas standard metrology automation platform is customized to allow for the integration of customer-specific wafer staging, metrology modules, optics, wafer alignment mechanisms, and other components. Owens Design reports that it will customize the automation platform frame, skins, airflow, handling, and service access to meet specific customer needs.

Owens Design provides design and manufacturing services to the semiconductor, data storage, and solar capital equipment markets. The company combines specialized skills in complex electro-mechanical design, motion control, and program management to create innovative systems that are said to meet the demanding expectations of its customers.

For more information, visit www.owensdesign.com.