The new Nikon NWL200 series of wafer loaders is capable of loading the latest ultra-thin 100μm wafers for microscopic inspection. Nikon’s outstanding proprietary technology ensures that the NWL200 series offers not only safe, reliable automated wafer loading but also unprecedented levels of throughput suitable for inspection of the next-generation wafers ranging in thickness from 100-200μm.
The trend towards thinner wafers means greater risk of distortion in the carrier. The NWL200 Series’ optimised wafer-sensing functions can accurately detect the shape of thin wafers in the cassette and avoids the need to place very thin wafers on the microscope by hand during the post process stage. The capability for edge-chipping detection enables automated macro inspection of all areas with high-precision; edge defects that cause wafer cracking can be removed promptly.
The unique wafer carriers are easy to load, being located to the front and left of the operator, and the multi-arm system also allows precise loading and unloading of wafers, increasing the overall efficiency of transfer and wafer exchange and dramatically reducing cycle times.
Improved operability is offered through an ergonomic design and a large and prominent LCD control panel. A comprehensive suite of file management functions for carriers and samples enables simple automated inspection. Every measure has been taken to ensure that today’s highly-integrated semiconductor production process is secure from contamination during inspection.
With external communication functions, the NWL200 can be connected to a host computer and built into a network. The system can not only transfer data from inspection results online but can also be operated remotely.
Combined with Nikon’s Digital Sight cameras and NIS-Elements imaging software, the NWL200 offers the optimal inspection system with comprehensive multidimensional image capture, measurement and analysis capabilities.