LATTICE (Large-Area high-Throughput Thermal Inspection for Complex Electronics)

Laser Thermal proposes to extend the capabilities of its FASTR (Frequency And Steady-state ThermoReflectance) system to enable fully automated thermal metrology for wafer-level materials characterization, integrating FOUP/FOSB-based wafer handling and supporting near-line inspection workflows in semiconductor manufacturing environments. This extension will allow the FASTR platform to move beyond research and pilot line applications into scalable, production-adjacent use cases, addressing unmet needs in high-resolution, non-contact thermal property screening of full 300 mm wafers. FASTR is a precision thermal metrology platform that combines steady-state thermoreflectance (SSTR) and frequency-domain thermoreflectance (FDTR) in a unified architecture. This dual-mode operation allows for rapid, accurate, and spatially resolved measurement of critical thermal properties, including in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivity, interfacial thermal resistance (TBR), and volumetric heat capacity. These metrics are essential for characterizing thin films, multilayer stacks, and subsurface thermal features in advanced microelectronic materials. While the existing FASTR platform supports automated stage-based scanning of 150 mm and 300 mm wafers, current throughput is limited by manual sample handling and alignment. To bridge the gap between lab-scale capability and fab-integrated inspection, Laser Thermal proposes a fully automated wafer handling upgrade. This will include integration of standard FOUP/FOSB interfaces, robotic wafer loading/unloading, alignment automation, and recipe-driven scanning protocols. The result will be a turnkey system capable of high-throughput, high-resolution thermal metrology suitable for near-line deployment. The automated FASTR platform will enable advanced process control and R&D screening of temperature-sensitive properties in front-end and packaging materials.