Toho Technology Inc.

FLX Series

FLX Series

Precision Surface Stress Analysis

With thermal cycling and ambient auto-rotation models available, the Toho FLX Thin Film Stress Measurement Systems offer Industry Standard capabilities for mass production and research facilities that demand accurate stress measurements on various films and substrates. Incorporating KLA-Tencor’s patented “Dual Wavelength” technology, Toho FLX Series tools precisely determine and analyze surface stress caused by deposited thin films. In-situ stress measurements can be made from -65°C to 500°C at heating rates up to 25°C per minute (the cooling unit to -65°C is optional). An understanding of stress variations with temperature is essential for characterizing material properties such as stress relaxation, moisture evolution, and phase changes.

Applications

With a stressed film, defects such as dislocations, voids, and cracking may occur.  The FLX stress measurement system helps troubleshoot applications listed below:

•  Aluminum stress-induced voids
•  Passivation cracking (nitride, oxide)
• Stress-induced dislocations in silicon
•  Electrical test yield degradation
• Tungsten silicide cracking
• Stress increase in oxides during temperature cycling
• Constant current stress test (CCST) degradation
• Matching metallization expansion on GaAs
• Silicon cracking due to high film stress