Wafer and thin film instrumentation is designed for wafer metrology or the in-situ monitoring of thin-film parameters during wafer processing. Capacitance or electromagnetic (EM) gauges use field measurements to determine the thickness of thin films or substrates. Capacitance-vs.-voltage (C-V) systems determine semiconductor parameters such as carrier life. Discrete wavelength ellipsometers and spectroscopic ellipsometers use the reflection of polarized light from a surface to measure film properties. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) monitors use a vibrating quartz crystal to measure thin-film deposition rates. Interferometers measure distances in terms of wavelength. Profilometers, scanning probe microscopes (SPM), and atomic force microscopes (AFM) measure surface roughness at the atomic level. Reflectometers and radiometers measure surface reflectivity and radiance. Four-point resistance probes measure the electrical resistivity of thin films to determine carrier concentration. Magnetometers measure magnetization and magnetoresistive properties. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) instruments measure or monitor the crystal structure or crystal orientation of epitaxial thin films. Optical and imaging systems measure surface roughness, gage thickness, and detect defects. Source measurement units (SMU) interface with automated test equipment (ATE). X-ray diffractometers are used to determine crystal structure, crystal orientation, film thickness, and residual stress.

Selecting wafer and thin film instrumentation requires an analysis of measurement capabilities. Some devices measure adhesion, composition, deposition, dielectric properties, residual stress, or trench geometry. Other devices measure dopant levels, electrical resistivity, magnetic properties, or particle contamination. Products that measure surface roughness, thickness and waviness are commonly available. Automatic defect classification (ADC) instruments detect residual traces of films or patterned conductor flaws. Probing instrumentation is used to perform the parametric or in-line testing of electrical gates, and to sort or mark wafers based on electrical performance. Wafer and thin film instrumentation such as ellipsometers are used to measure the optical constants, refractive indexes, and extinction coefficients of thin films or optical components. Wafer and thin film instrumentation with area mapping, depth profiling, and endpoint detection is also available.

Wafer and thin film instrumentation is designed for wafer metrology or the in-situ monitoring of thin-film parameters during wafer processing. Capacitance or electromagnetic (EM) gauges use field measurements to determine the thickness of thin films or substrates. Capacitance-vs.-voltage (C-V) systems determine semiconductor parameters such as carrier life. Discrete wavelength ellipsometers and spectroscopic ellipsometers use the reflection of polarized light from a surface to measure film properties. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) monitors use a vibrating quartz crystal to measure thin-film deposition rates. Interferometers measure distances in terms of wavelength. Profilometers, scanning probe microscopes (SPM), and atomic force microscopes (AFM) measure surface roughness at the atomic level. Reflectometers and radiometers measure surface reflectivity and radiance. Four-point resistance probes measure the electrical resistivity of thin films to determine carrier concentration. Magnetometers measure magnetization and magnetoresistive properties. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) instruments measure or monitor the crystal structure or crystal orientation of epitaxial thin films. Optical and imaging systems measure surface roughness, gage thickness, and detect defects. Source measurement units (SMU) interface with automated test equipment (ATE). X-ray diffractometers are used to determine crystal structure, crystal orientation, film thickness, and residual stress.

Selecting wafer and thin film instrumentation requires an analysis of measurement capabilities. Some devices measure adhesion, composition, deposition, dielectric properties, residual stress, or trench geometry. Other devices measure dopant levels, electrical resistivity, magnetic properties, or particle contamination. Products that measure surface roughness, thickness and waviness are commonly available. Automatic defect classification (ADC) instruments detect residual traces of films or patterned conductor flaws. Probing instrumentation is used to perform the parametric or in-line testing of electrical gates, and to sort or mark wafers based on electrical performance. Wafer and thin film instrumentation such as ellipsometers are used to measure the optical constants, refractive indexes, and extinction coefficients of thin films or optical components. Wafer and thin film instrumentation with area mapping, depth profiling, and endpoint detection is also available.

There are several form factors for wafer and thin film instrumentation. Monitors are instruments that measure signals from probes or sensors and display or output data. Controllers measure or analyze signals from sensors or probes and provide outputs to process units to maintain conditions within acceptable limits. Wafer probing systems or wafer probers are suitable for electrical and defect testing. Typically, the signal is fed to a monitor for display or a controller for processing. Sensors, sensor elements, and sensor heads are wafer and thin film instrumentation used for data acquisition. 

Wafer and thin film instrumentation is used in many applications. Examples include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (CVD), rapid thermal processing (RTP), and chemical-mechanical planarization (CMD). Some instruments are used with integrated circuit (IC) packages, ceramic substrates, electroplated films, flat panel displays (FPD), or optical components. Other products are used to measure or monitor thin films produced by electrochemical or electroplating techniques.