KLA-Tencor's Newest UV Brightfield Inspector Enables Cost-Effective Yield Ramp for Advanced IC Manufacturers

    SAN JOSE, Calif., Mar. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Enabling chipmakers to
 innovate faster and yield higher while protecting their profitability, KLA-
 Tencor (Nasdaq:   KLAC) today announced the 2367, its fifth-generation broadband
 UV/visible brightfield inspection system.  An extension of the widely adopted
 23XX platform, the 2367 delivers increased sensitivity and a 2x faster data
 rate to help chipmakers sample more frequently and capture critical layer
 defects earlier.  Complementing KLA-Tencor's 2800 Series full-spectrum
 DUV/UV/visible brightfield inspection platform, the 2367 is a key component of
 a mix-and-match inspection strategy that provides the lowest overall cost of
 inspection for next-generation IC manufacturing.  To date, the 2367 is running
 in production at several 90-nm and 65-nm fabs worldwide.  The installed base
 for KLA-Tencor's 23XX UV platform consists of more than 80 manufacturing lines
 worldwide.
     Chipmakers' relentless push for performance gains and cost control is
 unleashing a wave of new defect control challenges.  Defect, yield and process
 engineers face new defect types and noise sources, pattern-limited yield
 issues, and a rise in systematic defects.  Addressing these issues requires
 increased, high sensitivity sampling of work in progress at critical
 patterning layers, such as gate etch and copper chemical mechanical
 planarization (CMP).  To help meet these challenges, the 2367 leverages the
 sensitivity advantages of the 2800 along with industry-leading throughput on
 UV and visible layers.
 
     Extending proven platform to expedite yield ramps
     "Performance and market requirements are driving advanced IC manufacturers
 to find and resolve critical defects on multiple layers as quickly and cost-
 effectively as possible," said Ute Vogler, module manager, Contamination Free
 Manufacturing, at AMD Fab 36 LLC & Co. KG in Dresden, Germany.  "To meet these
 challenges, we require the sensitivity and speed of broadband illumination
 technology.  We are excited that KLA-Tencor has extended its 23XX platform
 with a faster and more sensitive tool, and plan to integrate the 2367 into our
 inspection strategy for 300-mm logic devices."
     "From new chip architectures to advanced lithography technologies, IC
 manufacturers are innovating more than ever -- and facing new defect
 inspection challenges," said Mike Kirk, vice president, Wafer Inspection
 Group, KLA-Tencor.  "Leveraging key sensitivity enhancements and technology
 breakthroughs that enable industry-leading throughput, we've again extended
 our 23XX platform to enable leading-edge chipmakers to achieve faster time to
 market on advanced chips."
 
     Tighter, faster process control
     Developed from a platform introduced more than five years ago, the 2367
 addresses defect engineers' most complex problems.  For example, its
 selectable broadband illumination modes and high numerical aperture deliver
 superior resolution and material contrast for detection of smaller defect
 types on resolution-limited layers, while at the same time providing lower
 false defect counts.  The tool also can quickly segment critical defects from
 nuisance defects.
     Sophisticated algorithms from the 2800 are integrated into the 2367 to
 increase its sensitivity.  For example, advanced binning and classification,
 enhanced edge contrast, and multi-die auto threshold equip the tool to find
 increasingly smaller critical defect types on all layers.  The 2367 also
 features a new image computer and breakthrough time delay integration (TDI)
 sensor that enable the market's fastest data rate for tighter, faster process
 control.  The 2367 shares a user interface and recipe commonality with several
 other KLA-Tencor inspection and review platforms, including the 2800, the Puma
 9000 darkfield inspector, and the eS32 e-beam inspection tool.  These
 commonalities enable engineers to leverage multiple inspection tools at the
 lowest overall cost to drive yield ramps.
     Volume shipments of the 2367 are underway.  KLA-Tencor will showcase its
 latest yield management and process control solutions, including the 2367, at
 SEMICON China 2006, March 21-23 in booth #3401 at the Shanghai New
 International Expo in Shanghai, China.
 
     About AMD:  Advanced Micro Devices is a leading global provider of
 innovative microprocessor solutions for computing, communications and consumer
 electronics markets.  Founded in 1969, AMD is dedicated to delivering superior
 computing solutions based on customer needs that empower users worldwide.  For
 more information visit www.amd.com
 
     About KLA-Tencor:  KLA-Tencor is the world leader in yield management and
 process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related
 industries.  Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company has sales and
 service offices around the world.  An S&P 500 company, KLA-Tencor is traded on
 the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol KLAC.  Additional information
 about the company is available on the Internet at http://www.kla-tencor.com
 
 

SOURCE  KLA-Tencor