The ADPC 302 is a unique in-process contamination management system for particle contamination monitoring in the semiconductor industry.
Efficient particle monitoring
Submicrometer particles can cause defects that may lead to considerable yield loss. Even the smallest particles measuring 0.1 µm may damage the structure of semiconductor chips.
The innovative ADPC 302 measures the number of particles in wafer transport carriers (Front Opening Unified Pod, FOUP, and Front Opening Shipping Box, FOSB). The fully automated patented process localizes and counts particles from the carrier surfaces, including the door.
Qualified by leading fabs, this system can be used for both the serial production as well as R&D analysis. The main applications are the carrier characterization, cleaning strategy optimization and cleaning quality check.
Advantages
The dry process (Dry Particle Counter) of the ADPC shows clear benefits compared to the traditional wet method (Liquid Particle Counter). The main advantage of the dry process is that the particle measurement is completely automated. It is integrated in the production process and therefore does not require time outside the production period. Thanks to the fully automated measurement, the process does not require an additional operator. The test time is only seven minutes, meaning that the ADPC 302 is four times as fast as traditional systems. It is possible to test eight transport boxes in one hour.