TOKYO, JAPAN-Tokyo Electron (TEL), has released their first APC product for real-time data collection and analysis, Ingenio. This system is currently available for TEL's market-leading Unity® (200mm) and Telius^TM (300mm) etch systems.

Ingenio TL ES is a tool-level (TL) system which offers real-time collection of tool data and analysis. It provides the foundation for TEL's etch applications to enable fault detection and classification, tool-level wafer-to-wafer control, and module-level run-to-run control. The system also provides interfaces for fab-level run-to-run control and e-Diagnostics applications.

Mitsuru Onozato, General Manager of TEL's Litho-Cell Group, said "Ingenio TL ES is the foundation for current and future APC applications. Developed in close cooperation with our customers, it has demonstrated a significant ROI in manufacturing. We are excited to roll it out across our etch platforms and to introduce it to all of our customers." Ingenio TL has been installed at multiple beta sites for over a year. The system provides customers with the capability to monitor process variation and improves overall etch equipment efficiency by reducing pilot and send ahead wafers.

"The Ingenio family of products represents TEL's unified approach to Fault Detection/Classification and Advanced Process Control. The Ingenio family includes applications at the tool level and some at the module level. It is open and scalable with tight integration to existing factory-level applications." said Louis Steen, Vice President of Marketing at Tokyo Electron America, Inc. "TEL's Business Units are cooperating on the development of APC products, which will be available for all TEL products."

TEL Ingenio TL is available as a standard option for all TEL etch platforms. Shipments of TEL products with the Ingenio option are expected to begin in December.