PD-Xpadion is the latest generation of the HORIBA Particle Inspection product line. Based on an innovative modular platform design, PD Xpadion is the right tool to meet current and future needs of Mask & Pellicle inspection in the lithography and mask production processes. Fab automation, combined with a suite of HORIBA’s core technology, allow users to expand the PD Xpadion system to include not only particle inspection and detection, but also particle characterization by Raman analysis, pellicle film thickness and uniformity, and pellicle health monitoring tools.
HORIBA has completely redesigned the user interface and software to enhance the usability, capability, and future expandability of the entire PD Xpadion platform. The software is capable of producing tremendous new insights into the reticle/pellicle analysis results, including, scattering intensity analysis, raw data pixel counts, particle size, and new layouts for viewing multiple particle images in a single view for post-process particle review. We’ve enhanced our process tuning capability by creating a software module for data re-processing without re-inspection. The re-processing module allows users to tune recipes and particle binning real-time, using the data from their reticle/pellicle measurement without the need to make adjustments and re-inspect the sample.
Our core technology has been improved significantly through optimization of the PD Xpadion’s digital data processing and communication bus optimization. HORIBA’s legacy inspection products were built upon a mostly serial communication bus throughout the system. PD Xpadion now utilizes a new parallel communication bus to each subsystem which allows for much faster data transmission, easier troubleshooting for individual nodes in the system, and (most importantly) noise reduction in the signal processing chain throughout the platform. These enhancements allow us to significantly improve total system signal-to-noise ratio and especially improves particle detection signal noise.
PD Xpadion is highly configurable and can be built for optical masks (glass, pattern, pellicle), blank mask inspection, or EUV masks/pellicles. HORIBA is proud to present a flexible inspection system which is ready to meet the needs of both legacy and next generation inspection requirements. Entrust your yield enhancement strategy and quality control to HORIBA’s PD Xpadion.