Company History
In 1978, Verity's first product line included sensors and controls to measure moisture content in cotton fibers and control the drying of the fibers in the ginning process for the agricultural industry.
In 1980, Verity's product emphasis shifted to the semiconductor industry with the introduction of the Fingerprinter, a portable spectrograph for the analysis of plasma emissions. Following the Fingerprinter was the Endpointer, a monochromator and radiometer system for detecting optical endpoints.
In 1987, Verity introduced its first OEM monochromator for plasma etch endpoint detection. For the first time, the semiconductor industry could obtain a high resolution monochromator complete with electronics and detector in a package small enough to integrate into a single wafer system. To address the vacuum/optical interface, Verity designed a wide variety of fiber optic feed-throughs, fiber optic cables, lens couplers, and devices for shielding optical elements from condensing gases.
In 1992, Verity introduced the iDAC1000, an industrial PC-based passive backplane computer complete with a color VGA monitor and full function keypad in a compact rectangular package. More recently, the VM3000 and VM3400 system controllers have replaced the iDAC1000. The VM3000 is a DOS-based system and the VM3400 is a Windows NT-based system. The VM series of system controllers runs Verity's proprietary ScanView application software.
In 1996, Verity introduced its breakthrough Neural Net process control application. This proprietary application presents a revolutionary method of recognizing and learning process endpoint patterns with a simplified identify and train feature. With this development, process engineers do not have to become numerical algorithm experts to develop a robust endpoint detection scheme. One simply tags the endpoint pattern on several valid wafer run data files, and the neural network learns the pattern for robust, reliable endpoint detection. This software is now used by semiconductor manufacturers worldwide.
In 1998, Verity began offering a new breed of smart detectors - optical emission monitors that integrate sophisticated embedded processors. New software was developed to provide intelligent instrument control, data acquisition, and endpoint detection without requiring an additional interface computer to perform these functions. The SD100 Smart Scanning Monochromator is a high-performance photomultiplier tube-based spectrometer, which permits spectral scanning of its 185-925nm wavelength range. With an optical resolution better than 1nm, this combination DSP/microprocessor-controlled instrument provides the latest in high-performance, fully integrated smart optical monitoring and endpoint control.
In 1999, Verity introduced the SD1024, a smart spectrograph designed for the demanding requirements of semiconductor process control. Its optical system employs a 1024-element, scientific-grade sensor array specifically designed for multi-channel spectroscopy, offering high performance at a moderate cost. The advantages of the SD1024 include its excellent UV response, stability against deterioration under UV exposure, high sensitivity, wide dynamic range and superior output linearity.
In 1999, Verity introduced a spectral interferometer/reflectometer. The SP2002 is being used for etch endpoint, CMP endpoint, and CVD film thickness. The SP2002 is designed for real-time measurements, either in-line or in-situ.
In 2000, Verity introduced a lower cost spectrograph designed for general purpose applications. The SD1024DL features a 2048-element, one-dimensional-array CCD, while using the same application software and DSP-based smart card as the SD1024D. In 2001, Verity introduced a low cost spectrograph with twice the resolving capability of the SD1024DL. This instrument, the SD2048DL, is ideal for bright plasma applications.
© Copyright 1997–2004. Verity Instruments, Inc. All rights reserved.
