PRESS RELEASES

Tomerdingen (Germany) - For immediate release - December 5, 1998

Boin GmbH, a start-up company located in Tomerdingen, Germany, recently released the new version 1.1 of its metrology software WAFERMAP. The software is used in wafer fabs and at equipment suppliers for off-line metrology data analysis. It allows to import data files from metrology equipment such as ellipsometers and four point probes used within the semiconductor industry. The software enables the user to import data files from Rudolph ellipsometer, Thermawave Optiprobe, Sopra ellipsometer, Philips Analytical ellipsometer, Prometrix Rs 35 and 55 and Four Dimensions four point probe systems, Nicolet equipment and others. Data can be visualized as 1D, 2D (contour), 3D plots and histograms. A wide range of data manipulation techniques is offered with the software. E.g. two wafer maps can be compared by applying different mathematical operations to them. A number of mathematical functions can be applied to single wafer maps. The integrated wafer data editor allows for editing any wafer map while applying a color coded map preview.

The new version adds the capability to import wafer maps from KLA-Tencor RS100 and CDE ResMap to the software which now covers a broad range of metrology equipment. WAFERMAP can be used to analyze and print measurements in paperless fabs outside the clean room. It also serves as a tool to standardize the display of wafer maps and to make multi- point measurements from different metrology tools better comparable. In addition it allows to prepare data sets for processing with other software tools based on data export functions. A number of other features such as a SPC module with integrated trend chart and an easy-to-use file browser enables the user to compare a large number of data files and to investigate statistical correlations between measurements. Wafer-to-wafer mean value as well as "all points, all wafers" statistics can be automatically calculated.

The software is already licensed to a number of customers world-wide including Siemens, Philips, Wacker Siltronic, Varian, Sopra, STEAG AST Elektronik, Fraunhofer and others. WAFERMAP can be obtained as stand-alone, network or site license. OEM contracts for using the software on metrology systems are currently discussed with equipment suppliers in Europe and US.

A free Evaluation Copy of WAFERMAP can be downloaded at Download.

Contact:

Boin GmbH, Dr. Manuela Boin
E-Mail: info@boin-gmbh.com
Web: www.boin-gmbh.com
Tel: +49 (0) 7348-928233