Metrology Cooperation Infinitesima, ASML & Imec: Ultrafast 3D Measurement Technology for Chip Manufacturing

Source: Press release Susanne Braun | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

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Infinitesima is working together with ASML and Imec on a new measurement system that aims to capture 3D surface structures at nanometer resolution significantly faster than existing technologies. The solution is based on the company's "Metron3D" system.

The Metron3D system from Infinitesima.(Image: Infinitesima)
The Metron3D system from Infinitesima.
(Image: Infinitesima)

In the semiconductor industry, metrology refers to all measurement methods used to monitor structural dimensions, layer thicknesses, roughness, and profile shapes during manufacturing. It serves as the backbone of process control and determines whether a process is stable and whether the yield is satisfactory. However, modern nodes, hybrid bonding, and EUV lithography require not only 2D measurements but also complete 3D data, as quickly as possible and with atomic accuracy.

This is exactly where the joint project by Infinitesima, ASML, and Imec comes in, announced by Infinitesima officials in July 2025. Over the next three years, the partners aim to develop a measurement system that combines AFM-level resolution (Atomic Force Microscope) with the speed of optical methods and is suitable for inline use. Infinitesima's Metron3D uses a high-frequency tapping tip that can capture surface profiles at the nanometer scale without the typical speed disadvantages of conventional AFM systems.

The focus of the collaboration is on further developing the speed, accuracy, and integration capability of the system. The goal is to provide a metrology technology that can keep up with the demands of new manufacturing generations—particularly in hybrid bonding, where two chips must be aligned to each other with nanometer precision. Reliable and fast 3D metrology enables more stable process windows, quicker error detection, and ultimately higher yields. Such a measurement solution is considered increasingly strategic, especially in the context of High-NA EUV, 2-nm technologies, and 3D packaging. (sb)

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