For nearly 15 years, efforts have been underway to identify a 3D solution capable of meeting the stringent process and quality control demands of the semiconductor industry. Existing technologies have consistently fallen short, either too slow for in-line deployment (e.g. white light interferometry, confocal microscopy) or lacking the sub-micrometre precision required (e.g. laser profilers, structured light systems). As manufacturing processes evolved, so too did the performance thresholds, making a viable solution appear increasingly out of reach.

That challenge has now been met. A new in-line 3D metrology system has emerged, delivering exceptional optical performance with spatial resolution down to 1.25 µm and z-repeatability as fine as 35 nm. Its innovative optical concept is resilient to direct reflections and capable of capturing complex, curved surfaces (such as BGA balls) without the need for image correction.