AMS

CASE STUDY 1: QIMONDA
AMS at the CUTTING EDGE

AMS developed its reputation for metrology excellence with SurfaceWave™, its proprietary acoustic wave laser technology designed to measure the physical properties of copper and low-k materials.

When Qimonda, one of the world’s most experienced DRAM fabs, asked AMS whether SurfaceWave™ could provide metrology for the mechanical properties of DRAM bottle trench structures, AMS was quick to take up the challenge. However, even with positive test results, AMS was not convinced that the SurfaceWave™ algorithm was the right solution for Qimonda.

The AMS investigations team, along with Qimonda, identified another technology not yet fully adapted for high speed wafer inspection, that would provide a more accurate and meaningful solution for these complex structures.

An interesting proposal emerged: AMS would license model based infrared reflectance technology, integrate it into its automated wafer handling platform, and create, test and prove a comprehensive set of metrology solutions to fit Qimonda’s needs. If these solutions met agreed technical specifications, Qimonda would purchase a number of AMS tools.

As the parties worked together to develop the initial technical specifications, Qimonda learned that the fundamental working principles of AMS – honesty, communication, keeping promises – extended across the business. It included the executives and sales team who could authorize such a large-scale customer-oriented project as well as the engineering team, which worked collaboratively with Qimonda to create an exciting metrology paradigm using a brand new technology.

Within a few short months, AMS had proven, developed and perfected – for this customer – a solution that has now become the dominant methodology for DRAM trench structures.

CASE STUDY 2: INOTERA
AMS in the PRODUCTION FAB

When AMS installed its model-based infrared reflectometry technology- based metrology tool at the Inotera production facility in Taiwan, there were still many challenges to be met. Inotera and AMS had not worked together previously, nor with Scientech, the AMS sales and service organization in Taiwan. Integration of the new metrology tool would take much collaboration and cooperation.

As the engineers were beginning to develop trust and confidence in each other with activities on the 90 nm line, an unusual question was put to AMS: Even though the tool was ordered to help us ramp up in the 90 nm environment, would AMS be able to perform a trench measurement on the 110 nm line?

Because the 110 nm line metrology was still using a scanning electron microscope, trench characterization time delays and the costs associated were affecting yield.

Immediately, AMS and its engineering team went right into a full court press. It evaluated Inotera data, created models, produced a recipe, put it in pilot, and tested and proved the concept. At the same time, Inotera’s process engineers made their own investments in a solution as it developed data sets, diverted wafers for destructive testing, and modified its own process recipe book.

Within nine months of the request, AMS technologists had worked closely with their Inotera counterparts to create, prove, install and extend six major metrology applications. These applications were up and running within a fully automated production environment on account of both parties’ constant communication, technical creativity, allocation of resources, and attention to the special needs of a full production line.

It was this unexpected challenge which demonstrated how quickly AMS could ramp up a mutually beneficial relationship with a customer with advanced metrology requirements.

CASE STUDY 3: AMD
THE ART OF PERSEVERANCE

When AMS began discussions with the world reknowned chip maker AMD about copper plating metrology, there was no history of any collaboration. AMD was interested in the possibility of using the AMS SurfaceWave™ technology to increase the accuracy of its online measurements of copper and low k materials. At the same time, AMS was seeking to prove SurfaceWave™ technology beyond the claims in the academic and scientific journals.

The parties agreed that by investing time and resources, one in the measurement technology and automation parameters, and the other within the production fab itself, a mutually beneficial relationship might emerge.

And that is exactly what happened. Two generations of SurfaceWave™ –powered metrology tools have emerged as a direct result of the companies’ willingness to listen, collaborate, and perfect a process.

The first generation emerged from a six-month testing and evaluation period, where AMS was able to meet a host of technical specifications. AMD process engineers and AMS metrology technologists worked through applications and automation challenges to create a metrology solution that had far more promise than anything AMD had considered previously. The installation of this metrology solution at AMD was directly responsible for an improved wafer product.

The second generation of SurfaceWave™ technology would result from continuous improvement, which AMS recognized as mandatory. AMS sent multiple teams of applications engineers to AMD for two-week stints over the three years. And, listening to the customer, AMS agreed that accuracy should be increased once again. Again, it improved the automation and metrology software, and created the new SW3300A, a multilayer, multiparameter tool that has increased accuracy and has the potential for large gains in yield.

With SurfaceWave™ , AMS understood that its investment in what appeared to be a unique solution for a unique problem would actually result in a solution applicable to a host of metrology applications. And AMD, its partner in this venture, was a direct beneficiary of that effort.