Rudolph's Discover Yield Management Software Gains Traction in Advanced Packaging Applications
Back-end manufacturers adopt front-end strategies to maximize yields with analysis of inspection and metrology data
Flanders, New Jersey - Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: RTEC), a leading provider of process characterization equipment and software for the semiconductor, FPD, LED and solar industries, announced today the sale of its Discover® Yield Management Software to a major outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) house for use in improving yields of its advanced packaging operations. The sale demonstrates the growing interest among back-end manufacturers in adopting proven yield enhancement strategies long used in front-end processes. In response to the specific needs of advanced packaging processes, Discover software has been enhanced to combine inspection data from inspection tools as well as metrology data from metrology tools and metrology sensors integrated into inspection tools.
"As advanced packaging processes in the back-end become more complex and the structures they create become smaller, manufacturers are finding they need to use all the data available from their processes to maximize yields," said Rajiv Roy, vice president of business development and director of back-end marketing at Rudolph. "This version of Discover was specifically designed to meet the needs of back-end processes by combining defect data from our NSX® Inspection Tool with bump height measurements from our Wafer Scanner(TM) (WS) Inspection and Metrology System. With Discover, back-end manufacturers now have the same solutions available to improve their process yields that have proven to be invaluable in the front-end."
With over twenty years of experience in yield management, Rudolph offers the yield analysis, data management and defect classification solutions that are a critical part of controlling yield in semiconductor and related industries. Discover yield management software, offered in both tool-centric and fab-wide versions, provides unique value-added capability to both the WS and NSX systems by combining 3D and 2D data from both tools. Discover easily links to the process equipment of choice, allows for trend analysis of both inspection and metrology data to pin-point process issues, precisely correlates electrical and other test results to inspection data and links into existing databases. With production experience in memory, logic, microprocessor, ASIC, foundry, and LED, Discover software has become a market leader in data management by flexibly integrating into customers' yield management strategy.
The NSX Family of inspection tools is the market leader for automated macro defect inspection for advanced packaging. Built on that success, the NSX 320 System offers specific inspection solutions for processes using through silicon vias (TSVs) to connect multiple die in a single package, and continuing to serve critical inspection needs for edge trimming metrology, wafer alignment during bonding processes and sawn wafers on film frames. With high acceleration staging, high-speed multi-processor computing and highly flexible software capabilities, the NSX 320 delivers industry-leading speed and sensitivity.
Using Rudolph's proprietary Laser Triangulation technology, the Wafer Scanner Inspection Series provides superior 3D/2D bump and RDL metrology, and bump and RDL defect and macro defect inspection throughout back-end processes. The newly added optional Ultra High Resolution Sensor enables measurement of micro bumps and RDL heights as low as 1µm. The WS system quickly and reliably locates bump and wafer defects, reducing process costs and improving yield.
About Rudolph Technologies
Rudolph Technologies, Inc. is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of defect inspection, advanced packaging lithography, process control metrology, and data analysis systems and software used by semiconductor device manufacturers worldwide. Rudolph provides a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down the costs and time to market of their products. The Company's expanding portfolio of equipment and software solutions is used in both the wafer processing and final manufacturing of ICs, and in adjacent markets such as FPD, LED and Solar. Headquartered in Flanders, New Jersey, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. Additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.rudolphtech.com.
Contacts:
Trade Press:
Virginia Becker
952.259.1647
virginia.becker@rudolphtech.com
