Alpha-Step® D-600 Stylus Profiler
Capable of measuring 2D and 3D step heights from a few nanometers to 1200µm, the D-600 profilometer also supports 2D and 3D stylus measurements of roughness, plus 2D bow and stress for R&D and production environments. The D-600 stylus profiler includes a motorised stage with a 200mm sample chuck and advanced optics with enhanced video controls.
Key Features
- Step Height: Nanometres to 1200µm
- Low Force: 0.03mg to 15mg
- Video: 5MP high-resolution colour camera
- Keystone Correction: Removes distortion due to side view optics
- Arc Correction: Removes error due to arc motion of the stylus
- Compact Size: Small system footprint
- User friendly software interface
Manufacturer
KLA
A global technology leader who make an impact by creating solutions that drive progress and transform industries. Collaboration is the key to their success. KLA provide leading-edge technology and devices using advanced inspection tools, metrology systems, and computational analytics. Their solutions accelerate tomorrow’s electronic devices. They enable evolution and innovation in the data era across key industries including automotive, mobile and data centre.
Product Overview
The Alpha-Step D-600 stylus profiler enables both 2D and 3D surface measurements of step height and roughness, as well as 2D measurements of bow and stress. Its advanced optical lever sensor technology provides high-resolution data with a wide vertical range and low-force measurement capability.
A key advantage of the D-600's measurement technique is its direct, contact-based approach, which is unaffected by material properties. With adjustable force control and multiple stylus options, the system delivers precise measurements across a wide range of materials and structures.
Industries
- Universities, research labs and institutes
- Semiconductor and compound semiconductor
- LED: Light emitting diodes
- Solar
- MEMS: Micro-electro-mechanical systems
- Automotive
- Medical devices
Applications
Step Height: 2D and 3D step height
The Alpha-Step D-600 stylus profiler is capable of measuring 2D and 3D step heights from nanometres to 1200µm. This enables quantification of material deposited or removed from processes such as etch, sputter, SIMS, deposition, spin coatings, CMP and other processes. The Alpha-Step series has low force capability that enables measurement of soft materials, such as photoresist.
Texture: 2D and 3D roughness and waviness
The Alpha-Step D-600 measures 2D and 3D texture, quantifying the sample’s roughness and waviness. Software filters separate the measurement into the roughness and waviness components and calculate parameters such as root mean square (RMS) roughness.
Form: 2D bow and shape
The Alpha-Step D-600 can measure the 2D shape or bow of a surface. This includes measurement of wafer bow that can result from mismatch between layers during the device fabrication, such as the deposition of multiple layers for the production of semiconductor or compound semiconductor devices. The D-600 can also quantify the height and radius of curvature of structures, such as a lens.
Stress: 2D thin film stress
The Alpha-Step D-600 is capable of measuring stress induced during the manufacture of devices with multiple process layers, such as semiconductor or compound semiconductor devices. The bow of the sample is accurately measured using a stress chuck to support the sample in a neutral position. The change in shape from a process such as film deposition is then used to calculate the stress by applying Stoney’s equation.
Industry
Universities and Research Labs
The Alpha-Step stylus profiler is a great addition to any university, government research, or general-purpose laboratory. The system provides direct, material-independent measurement to enable researchers to confidently measure the deposition thickness of any material, transparent or opaque. The Alpha-Step is very easy to use, allowing any user to quickly generate measurement data with minimal training.
SIMS Craters
Measure SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) crater depth with high precision to determine ion concentration as a function of crater depth. Measure the roughness of the bottom surface of the crater to provide information on beam scan uniformity.
Pilot Production
The Alpha-Step stylus profiler is ideal for low volume, pilot production lines. The system supports automated sequencing to map any measurement variation across the sample surface. Alpha-Step software also supports tracking of the user, system and lot information to support production statistical process control. Typical applications include etch and deposition step height, and surface texture measurements.
General Purpose
Use the Alpha-Step stylus profiler in a wide range of industries for production or R&D. Examples include measurement of textile security features and roughness correlating to absorbency of the textile. Consumer electronics applications include measurement of touch screen topography, thin film step heights on glass screens, and step heights of silver traces on printed circuits.
Semiconductor and Compound Semiconductor
Measure surface topography for front end through back end and packaging processes. These applications include the measurement of the photoresist thickness, etch depth, sputter height, post-CMP topography, roughness, and sample bow and stress for improved production process control.
Downloads
Alpha-Step® D-600 Stylus Profiler Brochure 2023
Alpha-Step® D-600 Stylus Profiler Specification Sheet
Benchtop Stylus Profilers Brochure
Precision Depth Measurement of Shallow SIMS Craters using a KLA Instruments™ Stylus Profilometer
General Information about Stylus-based Surface Profilers from KLA Instruments™
Multi-Step Analysis Function: Powerful Analytics from KLA Instruments™ Surface Profilers
Topography Sensor Technology for Stylus Profilers
Stylus Product Line
Apex Software
Options
Stylus Options
The Alpha-Step D-600 has a variety of styli available to support the measurement of step heights, high aspect ratio steps, roughness, sample bow, and stress. The stylus tip radius ranges from 100nm to 50µm and determines the lateral resolution of the measurement. The included angle ranges from 20 to 100 degrees, which specifies the maximum aspect ratio of the measured feature. All styli are manufactured from diamond to reduce stylus wear and increase stylus lifetime.
Sample Chucks
The Alpha-Step D-600 has a range of chucks available to support application requirements. The standard chuck is a nickel-plated aluminium vacuum chuck for samples up to 200mm. A universal vacuum chuck is also offered and includes precision locating pins for samples from 50mm to 200mm. Both options support stress measurements with 3-point locators to hold the sample in a neutral position for accurate bow measurements.
Isolation Tables
The Alpha-Step D-600 has both tabletop and free-standing isolation table options. The Granite Isolator™ Series offers tabletop isolation systems that combine granite with high grade silicon gel to provide passive isolation. The Onyx Series tabletop isolation systems use pneumatic air isolators to provide passive isolation. The TMC 63-500 Series isolation table is a free-standing steel frame table that uses pneumatic air isolators to provide passive isolation.
Step Height Standards
The Alpha-Step D-600 uses thin and thick film NIST traceable step height standards offered by VLSI Standards. The standards feature an oxide step on a silicon die mounted on a quartz block. A step height range of 8nm to 250µm is available.
Apex Analysis Software
Apex analysis software enhances the standard data analysis capability of the D-600 with an extended suite of levelling, filtering, step height, roughness, and surface topography analysis techniques. Apex supports ISO roughness calculation methods, plus local standards such as ASME. Apex can also serve as a report writing platform with the capability to add text, annotations, and pass/fail criteria. Apex is offered in eleven languages.
Offline Analysis Software
The Alpha-Step D-600 offline software has the same data analysis capability that exists on the tool. This enables the user to analyse data without using valuable tool time.
Related Products
Service Support
Comprehensive repairs and servicing
Annual Support Programs
Your metrology instrumentation is a major investment that is critical to your business operation and success. In today’s competitive climate, it is more important than ever to extend the functionality and peak performance of your metrology equipment years beyond the expiration of your factory warranty. CN Tech’s Support Programs will help ensure that your investment is protected, and that you and your instrument’s are always operating at peak performance.
With over 20 years’ experience servicing and repairing you can be assured that your system is in safe hands. The independent services we offer include system relocation, maintenance visits, parts and consumables, and break down interventions.
CN Tech’s Support Programs are an economical way to guarantee optimal working condition:
- Annual Preventive Maintenance
- Priority Technical Assistance
- Preferred Parts Availability
- On-Site User Training
- Remote Diagnostics
- No surprise repair expense and much more!
Support Contact Example
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Metrology & Instrumentation Annual Support Programs 2024/25
CN Tech's Support Programs will help ensure that your investment is protected, and that you and your instrument’s are always operating at peak performance.