Finnish 3D thin film semiconductor metrology specialist expands its metrology portfolio with advanced test chips and wafer solutions that accelerate prototyping and precision analysis for next-generation semiconductor processes.
Joensuu, Finland – August 14th, 2025 – Chipmetrics, a leader in innovative metrology solutions for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and advanced semiconductor processes, announces the expansion of its test chip portfolio with the new ASD-1b area-selective deposition chip, a High Surface Area (HSA) wafer and pre-coated High Aspect Ratio (HAR) test structures including PillarHall and VHAR1 test chips.
The new offerings – ASD-1b, the HSA Wafer, and the Pre-Coated High Aspect Ratio Test Structures – enable researchers and engineers to simulate real-use conditions with unprecedented precision, shortening development cycles and boosting process optimization and control in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
New Metrology Tools at a Glance
1. ASD-1b – Next-Generation Area Selective Deposition (ASD) Test Chip
The newly launched ASD-1b chip builds on the original ASD-1 platform and features:
- High-resolution narrow lines with a unique tricolor material layout, including one metal layer, ideal for testing self-aligned deposition processes.
- Material support for SiO₂, Si₃N₄, and metal surfaces.
- Compatibility with ALD, CVD, and electroless plating techniques.
- Chip size of 15 × 15 mm with over 1,200 lines in a 6 × 6 mm area.
This advanced layout allows for detailed evaluation of selectivity and defectivity across varied surface materials, offering a faster route to validate ASD process schemes
2. High Surface Area (HSA) Wafer – Enhanced Sensitivity for Material Studies
Leveraging Chipmetrics’ VHAR1 architecture, the new HSA wafer offering dramatically boosts surface area through deep trench structures:
- Trenches etched to 200 µm within a 150 mm VHAR1 wafer embedded in a 300 mm pocket wafer.
- Surface area enhancement up to 300× compared to flat wafers.
- Customizable trench depth, making it ideal for sensitive film growth studies and material analysis.
This solution meets the growing need for ultra-sensitive metrology in thin-film deposition and characterization environments, offering yet another avenue for rapid prototyping and process control.
3. Pre-Coated VHAR1 and PillarHall® Test Structures
To better serve semiconductor companies’ needs and simulate realistic process conditions, Chipmetrics now also offers the following familiar products – enhanced with coatings:
- Pre-coated HAR test chips with ALD films in the 10–50 nm range.
- Vertical (VHAR1, AR = 200) and lateral (PillarHall®, AR > 1000) geometries.
- Realistic film penetration and conformality profiles on actual coated substrates.
These pre-coated structures address the growing demand for evaluating deposition uniformity and film conformality in application-specific substrates.
Accelerating Process Prototyping: Available Immediately
“With these new additions to our portfolio, we’re enabling development teams to dramatically shorten feedback loops in thin-film R&D,” said Mikko Utriainen, CEO at Chipmetrics. “By building on the proven capabilities of VHAR1, ASD-1 and our PillarHall test chips, we’re giving engineers the tools they need to benchmark new chemistries and deposition processes more accurately and efficiently – bringing clarity and speed to process development and monitoring like never before.”
The new pre-coated HAR test structures, the ASD-1b and the HSA Wafer are available to order starting August 2025.
About Chipmetrics
Chipmetrics Oy develops and delivers metrology solutions for manufacturing processes for the semiconductor industry, focusing on innovative metrology chips and ALD measurement services. Its main product is the PillarHall® metrology chip for near-instantaneous thin film process conformality measurement. Founded in 2019, its head office is in Joensuu, Finland, with employees and sales partners in Japan, South Korea, USA, and Germany.
For more information, visit www.chipmetrics.com.
Press contact:
Jonas Klar
Chipmetrics Oy
[email protected]
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