EpiX®
Comprehensive 2D analysis of optical wafer properties by non-contact measurements.
EpiX® mapping stations combine an XY-mapping stage with LayTec’s UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopic reflectance and photoluminescence metrology systems for a comprehensive 2D analysis of optical wafer properties by non-contact measurements. By optimizing the interplay of the individual mechanical and optomechanical components, the LayTec EpiX® mapping stations have reached a superior measurement performance that stands out in absolute accuracy, signal-to-noise level and 2D-homogeneity over the wafer while maintaining short measurement times. The quality of the provided spectra enables advanced analysis capabilities.
Integrated software provides full automated data analysis, including detection of VCSEL optical parameters (cavity dip, stop-band position), single layer, multiple layer and substrate thickness fits, film composition and multiple-peak analysis. Moreover, customers benefit from sample’s statistics and pass/fail classification on wafer-level and die-level.
The fully automated version (EpiX® C2C) with cassette-to-cassette loading provides a high-throughput solution for industrial production lines. It can support all relevant wafer sizes and cassette types. It is typically equipped with a pre-aligner, a wafer-ID reader and fan-filter-units suitable for industrial clean room requirements. EpiX® C2C is the ideal tool for the industrial process control of Epi-wafers in VCSEL and laser, LED and µLED as well as GaN-on-Si power applications.
The manual version provides the same high level of precision for academic and lower throughput applications.
Post-process quality control of entire wafer area
Measurement of:
AlGaN barrier composition and thickness of E-Mode and D-Mode GaN-on-Si power device wafers
peak wavelengths and compositions in InP-based photonic device wafers
cavity dip and stop band properties of VCSEL device wafers
peak, centroid and dominant wavelength of (µ-)LED and Laser device wafers as well as other luminescence properties
layer thicknesses, compositions, total stack thickness and other parameters on many different layer structures
wafer bow
Fully automated wafer mapper with wafer handler and cassette-to-cassette feature
Combined white light reflectance and photoluminescence mapping
Wavelength range and PL-laser wavelength customizable
PL laser controller with up to 4 wavelengths
Automated yield analysis
Further metrology methods and components upon request
Integrated analysis features such as:
VCSEL stop band and Cavity dop position/width/height
AlGaN barrier composition and thickness of E-Mode and D-Mode GaN-on-Si power device wafers
Single layer, multiple layer and substrate thickness and composition fits
Multiple-peak analysis
Total thickness variation
C2C features:
Wafer size 3” – 200mm (300mm option available)
Open cassette, SMIF and FOUP load ports
Pre-aligner
Wafer ID reader
Fan-Filter-Units
Features
Connected Metrology®
The LayTec Connected Metrology® ecosystem enables improved process control characterizing complex layer stacks along the manufacturing chain. In a typical frontend production line, wafers are measured 3 or more times by LayTec products. During epitaxy, EpiCurve® TT can determine the thicknesses and composition of many individual layers as well as their radial distribution in-situ. In the ex-situ wafer mapping with EpiX® C2C, full 2D wafer maps are acquired characterizing the 2D homogeneity of critical layer thickness, layer composition and other sample properties. During sub-sequent plasma-etching processes, the thickness monitoring and end-point detection is again performed in-situ by LayTec's Etchpoint. As the wafer is advancing through the frontend production line, the amount of information on the particular wafer increases and is combined for improved analysis in downstream processes. By connecting in-situ and ex-situ metrology, we can determine the critical layer parameters of increasingly complex layer structures at die-level.
Modular Design
The basic design feature of EpiX® mapping stations is modularity and customizability in hardware and software. This is key for industrial customers introducing new processes and requiring extended measurement capabilities as well as academic customers regularly adjusting their research projects to new materials and latest nano-science concepts. Hence, EpiX is designed as a long-lasting workhorse with multiple upgrade options: more optical heads (wafer bow, reflectance-anisotropy, sheet-resistance, wafer thickness, optical transmission), extended wavelength range, software interfaces (e.g. for user-owned spectral analysis libraries) and for using in-situ data measured during epitaxy in center of wafer as starting point for post-epi 2D mapping analysis.
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