HILLSBORO, Ore.,– FEI Company (Nasdaq: FEIC) has completed the first Japanese installation of its advanced DA 300HP DualBeam(TM) system for automated in-fab defect analysis extendable to the 45nm design node. The in-line system, installed in the customer’s 300mm line,provides rapid in-fab defect analysis. It also extracts wafer samples that can be sent to the lab when rapid ultra-high resolution scanning/transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis is required.

The DA 300HP will be used in the customer’s fab line following e-beam wafer inspection to provide critical root cause analysis in a fraction of the time required by other techniques. The customer selected the FEI Defect Analyzer to obtain rapid ultra-high resolution results while enabling wafers to remain in the fab. Once in the lab, samples will be further analyzed using an FEI Strata 400 STEM DualBeam or one of the lab’s TEMs. It is a powerful solution that delivers better control over advanced processes giving semiconductor manufacturers the ability to improve yields, reduce time-to-market, and drastically reduce process development costs.

“As design nodes continue to shrink, manufacturers are clearly appreciating the value of utilizing rapid in-fab defect analysis tools and are experiencing the need to move to STEM and TEM analysis,” commented Vahe Sarkissian, FEI’s chairman and CEO. “This important installation in Japan underscores the growing need for advanced solutions as many traditional SEM techniques are rapidly reaching their outer limits.”

The DA 300HP’s software uses programmed recipes for consistent automation of repetitive tasks; Automated Defect Redetection (ADR) and Automated Defect Cross-Sectioning (ADX) ensure maximum tool use with minimal operator intervention, allowing users to focus on identifying what parameters need to change to improve process yield. The advanced Defect Analyzer system is engineered to operate in the most demanding fab environments. Cleanroom-compatible system construction, S2 safety certification, and optional factory automation capabilities make the system an easy tool to integrate into fab facilites.