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Intrinsic, Si/Ge-, and compound semiconductors are the all-important building blocks of the modern world of electronics and communication. Scientists and engineers design materials with new characteristics, develop new production processes, upscale those processes and ensure the quality of the products. X-ray methods provide a non-destructive way to obtain a large set of physical parameters of the semiconductor materials. With a wavelength that matches the crystalline lattice spacings involved, X-rays are the natural probe for any type semiconductor sample. Absolute analysis results without calibration are possible, in contrast to traditional methods that use wavelengths of the order of a micrometer.

The hot topic for all applications is to examine the parameters of the semiconductor samples with about 10 µm spatial resolution, even on large 300 mm wafers, under development conditions as well as under routine production control conditions. This requires a dedicated instrumental setup with the appropriate combination of X-ray optics, sample stages and detector(s). The modularity of the D8 DISCOVER DIFFRACTION SOLUTION family and the D8 FABLINE means an easy adaptation to the experimental requirements: stress free wafer mounting, clean room conditions, automatic sample handling with FOUP ports and wafer robots is part of the range of products, as well as automatic measurement execution and data evaluation without user intervention, optional SECS/GEM interface and SEMI standards compliance.