Nearfield Instruments celebrates women in Tech​

Nearfield Instruments celebrates women in Tech

On the 11th of February, Nearfield Instruments celebrated The International day for women in science through a social media campaign emphasizing women in tech and the importance of enabling and empowering women in the tech industry. The campaign published several posts telling the stories of the women technical staff at NFI, their inspirations, and their advices for other women in tech. The campaign continued until the 8th of March, The International women’s day.

Nearfield Instruments ships first-generation high-throughput 3D metrology system “QUADRA”

Rotterdam, The Netherlands – Today Nearfield Instruments B.V. announced the first shipment of QUADRA, the first-generation High-Throughput Scanning Probe Metrology system for 5 nm nodes and beyond. The first QUADRA has shipped to a non-disclosed customer and it demonstrated successful multi-head operation, measuring dense structures with high aspect-ratios on advanced DRAM and Logic device wafers.

QUADRA’s unique architecture features parallel independent multi-head operation and the ability to position and align extremely fast and accurate. This gives QUADRA a 100-fold throughput advantage over other automated single-probe AFM metrology tools targeted for in-line metrology applications. QUADRA’s high sampling rate enables customers to perform in-line process monitoring and determine lot-to-lot, wafer-to-wafer, and intra-wafer process variations.

QUADRA also includes a new unique imaging mode called Feed-Forward Trajectory Planner TM (FFTP). These allow QUADRA to perform on-device, non-destructive measurements on dense structures with high aspect-ratios for both memory (1z and beyond) and logic devices (3 nm and beyond).

Nearfield Instruments plans to increase the number of scanning heads and expand its 3D imaging capabilities for future product generations to stay aligned with chipmakers’ ever evolving product roadmap requirements.

Hamed Sadeghian, President and Chief Technology Officer of Nearfield Instruments comments: “As critical dimensions continue to shrink with each new technology node and become more 3D in shape, the relative importance of metrology increases. This is in an environment where billions of these devices are required in each chip, and all of them must work to a tight specification. Our new 3D metrology system QUADRA can solve some of the key metrology challenges, especially for narrow trenches with high aspect-ratios and measure these at the throughput that production environments require. In that sense, QUADRA marks a paradigm shift in the use of AFM. I am pleased that after many years of development, QUADRA is now coming of age and has been shipped to a major Semiconductor Fab.”

Sadeghian adds: “I would like to thank all our employees who made this first shipment possible, with their hard work and commitment. Also, I want to thank all our development partners and suppliers who helped us during our journey. Finally, the support and commitment of our shareholders was of key importance. They provided us with the right expertise and helped us to create momentum, and make this great milestone happen. “

About Nearfield Instruments

Nearfield Instruments B.V. (NFI), was founded in January 2016. NFI is a semiconductor metrology equipment company developing and delivering ground-breaking process control metrology solutions for the worldwide advanced semiconductor IC manufacturing industry.

QUADRA, the first product of NFI, is a High-Throughput Scanning Probe Metrology system (HT-SPM) that enables an entirely new approach to in-line 3D process control metrology. QUADRA provides unique, Ångstrom level precise and non-destructive high aspect-ratio 3D metrology on even the most challenging critical layers, such as Gate and FinFET structures.

Nearfield Instruments is head-quartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

NFI & VHE signed Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership

Nearfield Instruments (NFI) and VHE Industrial automation (VHE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership for development, delivery and value engineering of Electronics cabinet and related cablings for NFI’s series products, mainly the QUADRA product line. VHE will develop, industrialize, and deliver these modules, with a focus on improving manufacturability, value engineering, SEMI compliancy and performance enhancement, closely related to NFI’s product roadmap. The partnership has a spirit of transparency, accountability and reciprocity and aims for long term cooperation.

NFI has developed and realized its first semiconductor metrology product, named QUADRA, based on the revolutionary mechatronics architecture of HT-SPM. Now, NFI is preparing for series production. NFI intends to work with VHE in a strategic partnership to further industrialize and value engineer the assigned product’s sub-systems.

Hamed Sadeghian, President and Chief Technology Officer of Nearfield Instruments commented: “VHE’s technical expertise helps to enable our series production development, allowing Nearfield to focus on the core of its products, being complex mechatronics systems development and metrology applications. Today’s MoU signing is the next step in collaboration with VHE, which has started about two years ago.”

Joop Essing, Managing Director of VHE Industrial automation commented: “VHE has the ambition to enter into long lasting, transparent partnerships with innovative, high-tech customers and help them become more successful in their markets. NFI is an excellent example of such a company. With great ambition and passionate people, they push VHE to the next level. Working with Nearfield Instruments is a pleasure. The fact that NFI has chosen VHE as one of their strategic partners makes us proud.”

About Nearfield Instruments

Nearfield Instruments B.V. (NFI), was founded in January 2016 as a spin-off of TNO. NFI is a semiconductor metrology equipment company developing and delivering ground-breaking process control metrology solutions for the worldwide advanced semiconductor IC manufacturing industry.

QUADRA, the first product of NFI, is a high throughput Scanning Probe Metrology system (HT-SPM) that enables an entirely new approach to in-line 3D process control metrology for both wafer fab Process Window Discovery as well as Process Window Expansion & Control. QUADRA provides unique, angstrom level precise, non-destructive high-aspect ratio 3D metrology on even the most challenging critical layers, such as Gate and FinFET structures.

About VHE Industrial Automation

VHE was founded 63 years ago and is the preferred choice of innovative OEMs in semicon and other markets to help them develop and industrialize their products. VHE designs, develops, produces and services industrial automation and control systems for high mix/low volume markets, leading to the lowest Total Cost of Ownership in the shortest time.

NFI & TNL signed Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership

Nearfield Instruments (NFI) and Technolution Advance (TNL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership for delivery and value engineering of several critical electronics modules for NFI’s series products, starting with the QUADRA product line. TNL will develop, industrialize, and deliver these modules, with a focus on improving manufacturability, value engineering, SEMI compliancy and performance enhancement, closely related to NFI’s product roadmap.

NFI has developed and realized its first semiconductor metrology product, named QUADRA, based on the revolutionary mechatronics architecture of HT-SPM. Now, NFI is preparing for series production. NFI intends to work with TNL in a strategic partnership to further industrialize and value engineer some of its product’s sub-systems.

“In our strive to deliver our disruptive solutions to the complex process control challenges the semiconductor manufacturing industry encounters in its continuous strive towards even more powerful and lower power-consuming electronics, the role of strategic development partners, such as Technolution, is important. The development of our highly complex mechatronics systems requires a continuous pushing of technology limits. In Technolution we have found a reliable partner and leader in the field of high-end electronics and data processing. By constantly challenging each other and other partners, in a true innovation ecosystem way, NFI will be able to provide the innovative metrology solutions the semiconductor industry requires for current and next-generation device manufacturing.” comments Hamed Sadeghian, President and Chief Technology Officer of Nearfield Instruments.

Jan van der Wel, Founder and CEO of Technolution commented: “We are proud of being successful in designing and building NFI’s high-speed data acquisition system and the related system control including integrating several subsystems and operating elements needed. We worked closely with NFI to solve the complex electromechanical puzzle of the scanning probes in the core of this semiconductor metrology tool. The innovation of NFI unlocks the great potential of Scanning Probe Microscopy such as in-line wafer metrology during semiconductor production. The potential emphasizes the importance of setting up a partnership for the industrialization and world-wide support of the technology to guarantee the reliability and availability of NFI’s products and services to its customers.”

About Nearfield Instruments

Nearfield Instruments B.V. (NFI), was founded in January 2016 as a spin-off of TNO. NFI is a semiconductor metrology equipment company developing and delivering ground-breaking process control metrology solutions for the worldwide advanced semiconductor IC manufacturing industry.

QUADRA, the first product of NFI, is a high throughput Scanning Probe Metrology system (HT-SPM) that enables an entirely new approach to in-line 3D process control metrology for both wafer fab Process Window Discovery as well as Process Window Expansion & Control. QUADRA provides unique, angstrom level precise, non-destructive high-aspect ratio 3D metrology on even the most challenging critical layers, such as Gate and FinFET structures.

About Technolution Advance

Technolution is an authority in the field of integration of electronics and software. Under its brand Technolution Advance it creates solutions for high-tech applications for the semiconductor industry and leading scientific institutions. Thanks to the company’s long experience with the design and development of advanced instruments, it has a great deal of in-house knowledge. Technolution Advance’s clients are startups, scale ups, global enterprises and scientific organizations that specialize in semiconductor equipment, optics and imaging, med tech and life sciences, among other fields. Seated in The Netherlands, Technolution also has branches in Denmark, Sweden, England, and the United States of America.

NFI & IDE signed Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership

Nearfield Instruments (NFI) and Integrated Dynamics Engineering (IDE), a member of the Aalberts Advanced Mechatronics Group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership for delivery and value engineering of several critical mechatronics modules for NFI’s semiconductor metrology products, starting with the QUADRA product line.

NFI’s has developed and realized QUADRA based on the revolutionary mechatronics architecture of HT-SPM and is now preparing for series production. NFI intends to work with IDE in a strategic partnership to further industrialize and value engineer some of its product’s modules. IDE will develop, industrialize, and manufacture these modules, with a focus on improving manufacturability, value engineering, and performance enhancement, closely related to NFI’s product roadmap.

“The development of our complex mechatronics system requires a high-tech ecosystem, with unique competencies and extensive knowledge of system development methods, modular system design and production technologies. I am pleased with cooperation between NFI and IDE in the last two years and positive that, by their customer-centric mindset and experienced team of industrialization specialists in the field of dynamics and vibration, this cooperation will lead to a cost-efficient and mass-producible manufacturing of some of the critical mechatronics modules of our metrology systems. This will enable us to deliver solutions with a good total cost of ownership to our customers, with a positive business case as the outcome.” according to Dr. Hamed Sadeghian, President & Chief Technology Officer of Nearfield Instruments.

“Taking new and innovative technologies to market can be quite challenging. Early engagement and collaboration are the catalyst which enables strong, long lasting partnerships and solutions for guaranteed success. Since the beginning of this project with NFI, our two companies have been working in lock step through the development and implementation phases to ensure an optimal operating environment through dynamic and other mechatronic modules. At IDE we are committed to customer satisfaction and we believe that our customer’s success is our success.” said Thomas Breser, Managing Director IDE Group.