Vantage Technology today announced it has received a purchase order for multiple SlurryScope™ Systems from a major IC production fab based in Asia. The order came after Vantage’s real-time metrology tool was evaluated on various lines that continuously piped undiluted slurry into the wafer fab’s chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) systems. The evaluation, which took place over several months, confirmed correlation of the large particle count (LPC) in undiluted slurry with the level of micro-scratches on production wafers.

“Our real-time metrology tool has been designed to instantly detect and profile oversized particles in the 1.0-to-12.0+ micron ranges,” confirmed Paul Magliocco, Vantage CEO. “By continuously measuring the size and distribution of particles in undiluted slurry, our metrology can be used to minimize wafer micro-scratches while optimizing slurry and filter life cycles.” He noted that the SlurryScope also eliminates the waste associated with the conventional practice of diluting slurries before analyzing their particulate compositions.

“As leading IC fabs march to ever smaller geometries, with the 28nm node in production, the need to monitor LPC becomes increasingly critical,” asserted Magliocco. “Even more crucial to the customer is having a real-time metrology tool that is consistent in charting accurate data for the particle distribution.” Today’s announcement is a leading indicator that major fabs will be inclined to install multiple SlurryScope Systems to manage multiple slurry lines piped to the CMP stage.

About Vantage Technology

Operating from headquarters in Campbell, California, Vantage Technology Corporation was founded in 2010 by a cadre of Silicon Valley veterans with extensive semiconductor test experience. Focused on developing real-time micro-analytical metrology tools using advanced laser technology, proprietary algorithms and multicore image processing techniques, the company has targeted its first product at the semiconductor industry. Called the SlurryScope™ System, this initial real-time tool continuously detects large particle counts in undiluted slurry. Early detection of oversized slurry particles enables timely corrective action that can minimize defects and wafer micro-scratches caused by particulate agglomeration at the chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) stage. For more information, visit www.VantageTechCorp.com.