ETEL, part of HEIDENHAIN and a supplier of high-performance motion control components and complete motion platforms, has introduced the METIS HP, a full air-bearing planar platform for demanding step-and-scan semiconductor applications.
The platform is intended for uses including direct laser writing and high-resolution optical inspection systems. ETEL says the design strengthens its position in high-precision motion control by combining what it describes as exceptional speed and stability, outstanding dynamic straightness and projected tool-point measurement capability.
Encoder-based metrology and triggering
At the core of the METIS HP is a multi-degree-of-freedom HEIDENHAIN encoder. ETEL says this architecture supports accuracy without thermal drift and enables projected tool-point measurement. The company's controllers can emulate a transistor-transistor logic position signal for use as a trigger event, an approach ETEL presents as an alternative to the classical interferometer used as an advanced trigger generator. The company lists the absence of a carriage-mounted mirror, the absence of air lensing or air perturbation, and lower cost as advantages of this arrangement.
The stated accuracy is ±150 nm over the full XY stroke after mapping. ETEL also specifies ±150 nm dynamic straightness at speeds up to 1 m/s and dynamic capability reaching accelerations up to 20 m/s². The mapping condition and the speed and acceleration limits define the operating envelope for these figures. ETEL says the capabilities minimize turnaround time and increase machine throughput in step-and-scan applications.
Inspection and large-area substrates
For high-end inspection in advanced packaging, where rapid and precise focal-distance adjustments are required, the platform uses a high-bandwidth 4-DoF module. This module provides fine control over the Z, tip, tilt and theta axes. ETEL describes the METIS HP as the optimal platform for these inspection tasks.
Stéphane Pellegrini, product manager at ETEL, said the METIS HP builds on the company's long-standing expertise in high-precision platforms and provides the trajectory quality required for advanced optical processes. He added that its speed stability and dynamic straightness are intended to ensure consistent performance at high scanning velocities. According to ETEL, the platform supports panel sizes up to 600 mm × 600 mm and addresses the growing need for next-generation maskless lithography with large-area substrates.
The announcement links the platform's metrology, trigger and motion specifications to three application areas named by ETEL: step-and-scan semiconductor processing, direct laser writing and high-resolution optical inspection. The 600 mm × 600 mm panel support is the specific large-area condition cited for maskless lithography, while the 4-DoF module is tied to focal-distance control in advanced-packaging inspection.