Filmetrics^® F20 – The world’s first compact, easy-to-use thin-film measurement instrument

The F20 is the first of its kind: an instrument using a miniature fiber-optic spectrometer to measure thin-film thickness. White light reflecting from a surface coated with a thin film is analyzed to measure the film thickness, utilizing the characteristic signature created by coherent interference. Leveraging the rapidly growing computational power of desktop personal computers and modern graphical user interface software, the F20 is easy-to-use, compact, and offered at a price point that makes it accessible for users in applications that previously could not afford to accurately measure their films.

We introduce the Filmetrics F30, a reflectance-based deposition-rate monitoring instrument built to monitor the growth of epitaxial semiconductor crystals.

Filmetrics F30 wins R&D 100 award

The Filmetrics F30 performs in situ, real-time deposition-rate monitoring during MOCVD or MBE growth of epitaxial semiconductor layers. Using the virtual interface technique developed at Sandia National Labs¹, the F30 continuously measures light reflected from the sample surface to monitor crystal growth rate. Because the Virtual Interface technique is independent of the underlying layer structure, alloys of different compositions can be deposited in sequence on a single wafer to rapidly calibrate growth rate and composition of several different materials.

¹Breiland, W. & Killeen, Kevin. (1996). A virtual interface method for extracting growth rates and high temperature optical constants from thin semiconductor films using in situ normal incidence reflectance. Journal of Applied Physics. 78. 6726 – 6736. 10.1063/1.360496.

Filmetrics adds the capability to measure refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) on the F20 and F30.

Filmetrics F20 and F30 systems can now measure thickness and optical constants for each film in a multi-layer stack.

Filmetrics F20 and F30 systems now use a standard parallel-port interface, eliminating the need for an analog interface card and facilitating use with a customer-supplied PC.

Photonics Spectra gives the Filmetrics F20 the Circle of Excellence award, recognizing it as one of the world’s top 25 technically innovative photonics products.

The Filmetrics F40 small-spot measurement instrument attaches to a standard microscope to enable film thickness measurement with a spot size as small as 10µm.

The Filmetrics F20 and F30 can now be configured with a UV spectrometer, covering wavelengths from 215nm to 670nm and reducing the minimum film thickness that can be accurately measured from 10nm to 3nm.

The R-Theta stage on the Filmetrics F50 motorized mapping instrument accepts up to 200mm diameter wafers, allowing the system to measure and display the film thickness at user-defined locations.

By continuously monitoring the reflected light spectrum during chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) the Filmetrics F76 in situ CMP endpoint detection system enables precise determination of process endpoint.

Using a hyperspectral imaging system, the Filmetrics STMapper whole-wafer imaging instrument maps film thickness data across wafers as large as 200mm diameter with a 50µm spot size in less than 5 seconds.

R&D magazine gives the Filmetrics STMapper an R&D 100 award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most significant new products of the year.

1000^th Filmetrics thin film measurement instrument is shipped

Filmetrics now sells more thin-film measurement instruments than any other manufacturer. This high adoption is due to the rapid, high-quality support of the Filmetrics application team combined with the ease-of-use and affordability of the instrument. The instrument software, FILMeasure^® for instruments with a manual stage and FILMapper^™ for motorized stages, has been continuously enhanced, adding a significant number of new features and improved performance.

The parallel port interface is replaced with a USB interface in all Filmetrics instruments, facilitating use with newer computers.

An improved Vis-NIR spectrometer becomes the standard-configuration spectrometer on all Filmetrics thin-film measurement instruments, covering a wavelength range of 400nm to 1000nm and enabling measurement of films from 15nm to 50µm thick.

All instruments can now be configured with an NIR spectrometer that covers a wavelength range of 950 to 1700nm and can measure films from 100nm to 100µm thick.

Filmetrics introduces the F20-EXR, which includes both a visible and NIR spectrometer, enabling Filmetrics instruments to measure films from 15nm to 100µm thick.

Filmetrics F80 – High-speed patterned wafer film thickness measurement system

The Filmetrics F80 is a high-speed, small-spot, hyperspectral-imaging film thickness measurement instrument. It performs measurements on patterned wafers up to 200mm in diameter. The hyperspectral imaging system utilizes a revolutionary pattern recognition technique that can distinguish regions in the field of view based on their film stack, composition, and thickness.

Using a hyperspectral imaging system, the Filmetrics F42 micro-spot mapping instrument produces a thickness map image with a pixel size as small as 3µm.

The USB interface on all Filmetrics instruments is updated to USB2.0 High Speed, enabling communications at 480Mbps.

Filmetrics thin-film measurement instruments can now be configured with an improved UV-Vis spectrometer that covers 200-1100nm, facilitating measurement of films from 1nm to 40µm.

The Filmetrics F20-CP now includes a new Filmetrics technology called AutoBaseline^™, which continuously compensates for changes in the optical system as the probe is moved into contact with the sample, resulting in significantly improved accuracy and stability.

The Filmetrics F80-c is a high throughput, fully automated cassette-to-cassette patterned wafer measurement tool with pattern recognition for up to 300mm diameter wafers.

Filmetrics introduces the F60-t table-top and F60-c cassette-to-cassette instruments for blanket wafer film measurement on up to 300mm diameter wafers.

Simultaneous normal-incidence reflectance and transmittance measurement capability is introduced with the Filmetrics F10-VC, which can also be used to accurately measure absorption.

The Filmetrics F10-RTA reflectance/transmittance/angled reflectance instrument adds an additional optical subsystem to the F10-VC to measure reflectance at an angle. Results can be combined with the normal incidence reflectance and transmittance data to measure n and k of a thin film without requiring an n and k model.

The Filmetrics F50-XY-510 motorized thin-film mapping instrument features an X-Y translation system for measuring samples up to 510mm by 510mm.

Using a color-coding optical design, the new Filmetrics F70 can measure films from 50µm to 15mm thick.

The new Filmetrics aRTie instrument simultaneously measures reflectance and transmittance spectra, includes a 40,000-hour light source, and is powered through the USB interface cable.

Filmetrics F10-ARc – compact, portable instrument for plastic lens coatings

The Filmetrics F10-ARc is built for measuring coatings on ophthalmic lenses. The instrument quickly and accurately measures antireflection coatings and hardcoat coatings on plastic lenses used in eyeglasses and other eyewear. The patented, low-power light source used in the F10-ARc enables the system to be compact and portable, drawing power through the USB interface cable.

Automatic wavelength calibration is now offered on some Filmetrics instruments, using an integrated gas-discharge lamp to facilitate dramatically improved accuracy and stability.

Using a motorized R-Theta stage, the Filmetrics F54 microscopic-spot mapping instrument offers automated sample mapping with a measurement spot size as small as 2.5µm.

The Filmetrics SS-XY-38 motorized X-Y-Z sample stage has an X-Y travel of 38mm, optional motorized focus and can be combined with a new or existing instrument, such as the Filmetrics F20.

Combining Filmetrics color-coded measurement technology with an R-Theta stage for samples up to 300mm in diameter, the Filmetrics F57 CTM mapping instrument can measure film thicknesses from 50µm to 15mm.

Accurate measurement of the transmittance spectrum of curved samples such as lenses can be accomplished with the Filmetrics SS-Trans-Curved Stage.

Providing improved reliability, digital and USB-based control of all functions and lamp-life meters, the Filmetrics LS-DT2 UV-Vis-NIR fiber-optic light source is designed to pair with Filmetrics instruments that include UV spectrometers.

Utilizing a motorized turret, wafer-handling robot, optional pre-aligner, and a precision optical alignment mechanism, the Filmetrics F64-c cassette-to-cassette tool uses a spot size as small as 1µm to measure thin films on patterned wafers.

The Filmetrics -sX family of instruments, such as the F3-sX, can measure films up to 3mm thick and Si wafer thicknesses up to 1.3mm.

The Filmetrics XY10 motorized stage can be added to most Filmetrics instruments to perform mapping of film thickness or refractive index with measurements as fast as 0.2s per point. The XY10 can include optional motorized autofocus.

Filmetrics Joins KLA

Filmetrics joins the KLA Instruments group on March 6, 2019 and becomes Filmetrics, A KLA Company. The Filmetrics series of thin-film measurement instruments expands KLA’s benchtop metrology capabilities into measurement of film thickness, n, and k. The Filmetrics Profilm3D^® optical profiler extends the line of KLA instruments that measure surface topography, providing a new option for applications that don’t require the full capabilities of KLA’s existing instruments. Filmetrics worldwide application support and sales offices continue to provide rapid response to customer needs.