Fractilia Advances SEM Measurement Accuracy with FILM Generation 5
Fractilia, LLC, a leader in stochastics metrology and control solutions for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, has announced the release of Version 5.0 of its product suite featuring the debut of Generation 5 of the company’s patented Fractilia Inverse Linescan Model (FILM) technology.
(In semiconductor fabrication, stochastics refers to random, unpredictable variations that occur during lithography and patterning at extremely small dimensions (such as 5 nm, 3 nm, or with high-NA EUV). These variations can cause defects, yield loss, and reliability problems in advanced nodes. Unlike systematic errors, they cannot be easily corrected with simple calibration — they need careful measurement and statistical control.)
FILM is a proprietary, physics-based model of how a scanning electron microscope (SEM) captures an image. It enables Fractilia’s products to measure SEM images without any image filtering, delivering the industry’s highest signal-to-noise ratio and measurement accuracy. The company holds more than 20 patents on the technology.
Generation 5 FILM introduces:
- Highest measurement accuracy and precision ever achieved in stochastics metrology
- Most robust performance across the widest range of metrology and process conditions, including out-of-focus, low contrast, and through focus/dose scenarios—capabilities especially critical for high-NA EUV processes
- Expanded measurement coverage for more feature types and layout configurations
Other new Version 5.0 capabilities include:
- Fully automated bad image exclusion based on customer-defined criteria
- Enhanced measurement options using GDS/OASIS feature layouts
- Support for additional feature types, plus expanded contact hole and line/space measurements
“With Generation 5 of FILM, we are pushing metrology performance to new heights,” said Edward Charrier, CEO of Fractilia. “Our customers are facing unprecedented stochastic variability challenges at advanced nodes, and these new capabilities ensure they can measure and control those effects with unmatched accuracy and confidence.”
“This is a significant leap forward in our FILM technology,” added Chris Mack, CTO of Fractilia. “By combining extreme measurement precision with industry leading robustness across process and metrology conditions, Generation 5 FILM enables fabs to improve metrology across the board, as well as extend process control deeper into the High-NA EUV era.”
Alignment with Industry Momentum
While the Version 5.0 release marks a substantial increase in functionality, it also is part of Fractilia’s planned three-per-year cadence of regular product suite updates, ensuring customers benefit from continuous performance improvements.
Generation 5 FILM, follows Fractilia’s recent Closing the Stochastics Resolution Gap whitepaper release, which quantified how uncontrolled random patterning variations can cost advanced-node fabs hundreds of millions of dollars annually in lost yield, and outlined a roadmap for closing that gap through measurement, design, and process innovations.
For more information: www.fractilia.com
