LayTec delivers 2000th in-situ metrology tool
LayTec has delivered its 2000th in-situ metrology system since its foundation in 1999. An EpiTT with 2000 in its serial number has been shipped to Compound Semiconductor Centre (CSC) - a joint venture between compound semiconductor specialists IQE and Cardiff University.
CSC works on providing a complete capability value chain from high-end R&D through product and process innovation to high value, large-scale manufacturing. According to Wyn Meredith, director of CSC: "This EpiTT and other LayTec systems already installed in our labs provide unrivalled precision and sophisticated analysis algorithms, which is crucial for process optimisation in semiconductor manufacturing environment."
EpiTT - LayTec's workhorse for MOCVD mass production - combines measurements of temperature and reflectance at three wavelengths in one tool. For True Temperature (TT), it usesEmissivity Corrected Pyrometry, which delivers the precise surface temperatures of opaque materials at 950 nm (Si, GaAs, InP). For materials that are transparent at 950 nm (GaN, Sapphire, SiC), EpiTT measures the temperature on the top side of the carrier. Measuring reflectance at three wavelengths monitors all essential properties of the growing layers, such as growth rate, film thickness, stoichiometry changes and morphology.
LayTec's founder and CEO Thomas Zettler commented: "It is significant that our 2000th in-situ tool is delivered to a research institution with a strong connection to industry. LayTec has always set a great value on cooperating with both industry and R&D."
He added: "Until now, we have equipped hundreds of customers worldwide with state-of-the-art metrology, mainly in the field of LED and laser production. In the last few years we also entered the PV, display and advanced silicon markets. Meanwhile, our product portfolio covers all areas of process monitoring: in-situ, in-line, lab-line and map-line metrology. Due to this market diversification, we believe to deliver the next thousand tools much faster than before."
