Applied Materials and Fraunhofer IPMS set to open semiconductor metrology technology hub in Germany
“The new technology hub will offer advanced wafer-level metrology in our industrial CMOS environment with Fraunhofer IPMS’s unique ability to loop wafers directly with semiconductor manufacturers.”
Applied Materials and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) will open a new semiconductor metrology and process analysis technology hub in Europe. The hub is set to open in Dresden, Germany, at the Centre Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT) of Fraunhofer IPMS.
Key information:
- Applied Materials and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) are set to open a new semiconductor metrology and process analysis technology hub.
- The new hub is will be located at the 300mm semiconductor research centre's Centre Nanoelectronic Technologies, which is in Dresden, Germany.
- The material engineering solutions provider will be supplying its eBeam metrology equipment, including the VeritySEM CD-SEM, for the hub.
The new technology hub is set to open in the heart of Silicon Saxony, known as Europe’s largest semiconductor cluster. Through its collaborative efforts, both companies are hoping to accelerate learning, develop novel methods, and prove new metrology algorithms, equipment, methods, and software.
Additionally, the new hub aims to enhance development projects with chipmakers and ecosystem partners across Europe, with a particular focus on the ICAPS market segments. Metrology is fundamental in achieving the accurate measurements that are needed in microchip production. This is because it allows for the quality control of each individual semiconductor manufacturing step and sequence in chip production. Chipmakers will use metrology equipment in key stages to validate physical and electrical characteristics, and to maintain target yields.
“Fraunhofer IPMS and its partners will benefit from access to Applied’s industry-leading eBeam metrology systems”, said Dr Benjamin Uhlig-Lilienthal, Head of Business Unit Next Generation Computing at Fraunhofer IPMS. “The new technology hub will offer advanced wafer-level metrology in our industrial CMOS environment with Fraunhofer IPMS’s unique ability to loop wafers directly with semiconductor manufacturers.”
Applied Materials will provide its eBeam metrology equipment including the VeritySEM CD-SEM (critical dimension scanning electron microscope) systems to the new hub. Applied engineers and research & development staff will also work at the new facility.
“Our collaborative metrology hub will accelerate learning cycles and the development of new applications for the Fraunhofer Institute, Applied Materials and our customers and partners in Europe,” said James Robson, Corporate Vice President for Applied Materials Europe. “This unique technology hub will have the capability to test and qualify processes on a variety of substrate materials and wafer thicknesses critical to applications across the diverse European semiconductor landscape.”