Used AGILENT M&I Equipment PTIC

Agilent PTIC (typically standing for "Parametric Test Integrated Circuit" or referring to the company's "Parametric Test System" platform) is a fully automated parametric tester designed for 200mm/300mm wafers. It is primarily used for process monitoring and device characterization within the semiconductor front-end manufacturing process.

Core Focus: Process Monitoring and Device Modeling

The system integrates high-precision Source Measure Units (SMUs), switching matrices, and a wafer prober. It is used at the wafer level to measure critical parameters such as transistor threshold voltage (Vt), off-state leakage current (Idoff), transconductance (Gm), as well as resistance and capacitance. It serves essential functions in Statistical Process Control (SPC) and device modeling (SPICE model extraction) for logic, analog, and advanced packaging production lines.

Key Technical Features

High-Precision SMU Measurement: Capable of measuring currents at the femtoampere (fA) level and voltages with microvolt-level precision, meeting the requirements for testing delicate electrical parameters in advanced process nodes—such as those involving ultra-shallow junctions and extremely thin gate oxides.

Efficient Parallel Testing and Software Ecosystem: Equipped with mature control software from Agilent (now Keysight)—such as Keysight WaferPro—the system supports multi-site parallel testing. It integrates seamlessly with automated wafer probers to achieve high-throughput, fully automated testing.

Modular Expandability: Offers flexible configuration of multiple SMUs, enabling the system to address the complex testing requirements of various process nodes and device structures.

Summary

With its high-precision, low-level signal measurement capabilities and robust software analysis tools, the Agilent PTIC serves as a core parametric testing instrument for front-end process monitoring (PCM/WAT) and device characterization (modeling).