KLA-TENCOR Launches ICOS® WI-2280 Wafer Inspector For LED And Adjacent Markets

MILPITAS, Calif. (Dec. 4, 2012)—KLA-Tencor Corporation (NASDAQ: KLAC) today announced its next-generation light-emitting diode (LED) patterned wafer inspection tool, the ICOS WI-2280. Designed specifically for defect inspection and 2D metrology for LED applications, the ICOS WI-2280 also provides enhanced inspection capabilities and increased flexibility for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and semiconductor wafers spanning two inches to eight inches in size.

The ICOS WI-2280 represents KLA-Tencor’s fourth generation LED wafer inspection system that is built on its market-leading WI-22xx platform, delivering sensitivity with increased throughput for reduced cost of ownership. Additionally, the tool supports handling of whole wafers in carriers and diced wafers in hoop ring or film frame carriers to accommodate multiple media with minimal equipment changeover time. The WI-2280 also features an enhanced rule-based binning defect classification and recipe qualification engine, enabling manufacturers to achieve faster yield learning during production ramps, as well as improve process control and process tool monitoring strategies in their manufacturing process.

“Increasingly, LED manufacturers are demanding improved detection and classification of yield relevant defects of interest, which enables them to take faster corrective actions to improve their yields at higher inspection throughput. There is also a growing need to boost productivity by enabling faster production recipe creation,” said Jeff Donnelly, group vice president, Growth and Emerging Markets (GEM) at KLA-Tencor. “The ICOS WI-2280 addresses critical market requirements—ultimately enabling LED manufacturers to achieve better lumens per watt and lumens per dollar performance. We remain committed to advancing our industry-leading ICOS product line to meet the LED community’s emerging needs.”

Building on the market-leading ICOS WI performance, the ICOS WI-2280 includes:

Highly flexible advanced optical modes with dedicated image processing—enabling high defect capture rate and recipe robustness against varying process background
Unique defect classification—delivering faster time to information
Advanced recipe tuning engine with best known methods—allowing faster recipe qualification
Enhanced metrology capability—offering additional yield-relevant actionable data with no impact to throughput
Front-end to back-end-of-line connectivity analysis capability—delivering a single platform for defect source analysis
Easy-to-use inline or offline reclassification engine—enabling post-inspection yield improvements for enhanced productivity

In addition to LED application environments, MEMS, semiconductor, compound semiconductor and power device markets can leverage the ICOS WI-2280 tool for back-end-of-line and post-dicing outgoing quality control or binning; front-end-of-line patterned wafer inspection for baseline yield improvement, rework, excursion control or overlay; and 2D surface inspection and metrology. As part of KLA-Tencor’s LED portfolio, the ICOS WI-2280 works in conjunction with KLA-Tencor’s Candela^® LED unpatterned wafer inspection system and Klarity^® LED automated analysis and defect data management system, leveraging over 35 years of expertise to provide manufacturers comprehensive, end-to-end inspection coverage.

All tools are backed by KLA-Tencor’s global, comprehensive service network. For more information on KLA-Tencor’s LED market offerings, please visit www.kla-tencor.com.

About KLA-Tencor:

KLA-Tencor Corporation, a leading provider of process control and yield management solutions, partners with customers around the world to develop state-of-the-art inspection and metrology technologies. These technologies serve the semiconductor, data storage, LED and other related nanoelectronics industries. With a portfolio of industry-standard products and a team of world-class engineers and scientists, the company has created superior solutions for its customers for more than 30 years. Headquartered in Milpitas, California, KLA-Tencor has dedicated customer operations and service centers around the world. Additional information may be found at www.kla-tencor.com. (KLAC-P)