CyberOptics Honored Among Technology Innovators at Prism Awards During Photonics West 2012

CyberOptics was among 28 technology leaders recently honored at the fourth annual PRISM Awards held during a gala dinner at SPIE Photonics West 2012 in San Francisco.   This international competition recognizescutting-edge products that break conventional ideas and improve life through photonics.

CyberOptics’ WaferSense® Airborne Particle Sensor (APS) was one of three finalists in the category of Detectors, Sensing, Imaging, and Cameras.  A panel of independent industry and academic experts judged nearly 100 entries in nine different categories, selecting the winners from among 28 finalists.All of the photonic products represented were cited as challenging conventional ideas, solving problems and improving life through the generation and harnessing of light.  (Profile of finalists can be found at: http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=49717)

While our APS did not win, CyberOptics was among good company with some of the most innovative companies in the field of photonics. “The level of innovation was thrilling and far exceeded our expectations,” said Photonics Media Group Publisher Karen Newman.

Why the WaferSense APS Qualified for the PRISM Award

The APS represents a significant change in particle detection methodology, enabling engineers to really monitor and control contaminations in their tools and protect die yield with real-time views of particle conditions to address areas of concern instead of the whole tool.

A clean, contamination-free process environment is critical to maximize yield during wafer processing.   As wafer circuitry and geometry get smaller, any defect can cause a problem and loss of yield.  Particles generated during wafer processing by equipment component failure, wafer mishandling, excessive vibration or other process irregularity can all contribute to defects. 

Semiconductor fab operators, therefore, need to measure the density of airborne particles inside fab tools in real time.  The use of portable or bench-top counters requires either tearing down the fab tool or running a series of test wafers, both of which are time-consuming and expensive. In the past, it could take engineers hours to determine where a particle event occurred or, if a particle-related preventative maintenance or qualification was done correctly, to release tools for manufacturing.

 Innovation: The wafer-shaped APS can travel through a semiconductor fab tool just like a silicon wafer. Thus, the APS sees exactly what regular wafers see, without any need to disassemble the fab tool.  It is extremely challenging to produce a light-scattering counter that is battery powered, sensitive to particles as small as 100nm, with an 8mm height constraint and a 270 gram weight constraint.

Using a Bluetooth wireless radio link to upload measurements in real time, the APS allows users to see what is happening with the in-tool air contamination, second by second, as it is happening.  Companion software, ParticleView™ and ParticleReview™, providereal-time numeric andvisual feedback, offering actual counts per minute of particle density or particle frequency in addition to differential and cumulative counts.  The software allows fab engineers to collect and display particle data wirelessly to see the effect of adjustments in real time, speeding equipment qualification and setup.  Particle data can be recorded to compare past to present operations, as well as one tool to another, to conduct machine-to-machine trend analysis of particle conditions and to establish process control and conduct process improvement.

Noteworthy:The APS can go deep inside a tool and communicate data unlike handheld particle counters whose range is limited by hand reach and require opening the tool. Capable of detecting and counting particles as small as 100 nm, (0.1 micron), the APS reduces time locating particle sources. With a wafer-like shape compatible with existing automation and wireless communication providing real-time data, the Airborne Particle Sensor speeds tool qualification and release to production.

With real-time views of particle conditions, process engineers can address specific trouble spots and be better prepared to pass particle qualifications on the very first attempt. The metrology device can also be used to establish a baseline and to ensure operations continue on this baseline as part of preventive maintenance.

For more about WaferSense Airborne Particle Sensor, please refer to http://www.cyberopticssemi.com/products/wafersense/aps or contact us at or contact CyberOptics at CSsupport@cyberoptics.com or 800.366.9131.