Defect inspection enters integration era

Driven by shrinking process windows, the integration of inspection and metrology with process tools is proceeding rapidly. Traditional platforms such as e-beam are now required to do more than defect detection, and the time for direct metrology feedback into the fab line has arrived. Integrated inspection and metrology needs are increasing exponentially. The ability to provide inspection capabilities to a process tool and furnish rapid feedback into the process line is crucial. The industry has not had much direct metrology feedback into process tools. This is changing and many of these capabilities will go into in situ or at least in-line with automatic feedback.