Nanometrics, a provider of sophisticated process control systems and solutions, has reached an important milestone signifying the implementation of its optical critical dimension (OCD) technology. There are over 1000 algorithms available for modeling and analysis of critical structures at data storage manufacturing plants worldwide.
Using OCD technology it is possible to determine the film thickness, height, width, depth, length and pitch of structural features on both the layer surface as well as layers beneath the surface in a non-destructive manner. OCD tool flexibility enables performing this range of measurements concurrently, which ensures that this technology is very significant in process control metrology. As manufacturers are making devices smaller and smaller and at the same time adding a number of new steps and process layers, the demand for this technology has drastically increased.
Over the previous two years, the number of algorithms for fabrication of semiconductor chips at the 2X and 3X nm nodes has increased at two times the rate of other technology nodes.
As three-dimensional transistors are being widely used, OCD technology is also being rapidly adopted. For tinier architectures and for improved performance, novel vertical parts are essential in the three-dimensional transistor.
According to Avadhany, with three-dimensional transistors, one is not measuring only film thickness or lateral width but undercut, pitch and height. He added that similar technologies do not have the capability to obtain the data with the accuracy and speed needed for measurement of these devices.