-New equipment best features of the company's standard VoI-Con Lite Tester w=th a new, audible indicator which emits a cont inuous 'beep' sound when detecting continu=ty of DC voltage and a cont inuous 'chirp' when detecting AC voltage

Encased m h=gh-impact, ultrasomcally-welded ABS plast.c, it has a compact, shm-l ine design w.th a top-mounted lead plug assembly, al lowing the umt to store easdy in a pocket The design, which resists breakage and assures long operat=onal hfe, also reduces cord tangling. A se l f - tes t /cont inu i ty function rod=cares that the tool is in proper working cond0tion pr0or to testing.

Ideal Industries ( UK) Limited, 224 Europa Boulevard, Gemini Business Park, Warrington WAS 5TN, UK

Viscosity sensor

A spiral adapter accessory to complement its range of v=scometers has been introduced by Brookfield Viscometers. When used with a standard Brookfield v~scometer, it provides accurate v=scos=ty measurements which show pseudoplastic and thtxotrop=c character=st=cs of pastes, creams and gels.

The accessory consists of a threaded spindle rotating wtthtn a concentrtc cylinder Thts combination causes the sample matenal to be pumped up through the adapter's enclosed space. When the sample reaches a steady state of f low, wscos=ty ts measured Th=s steady-state measurement technique Js less sensitive to sample handling and minor variations in material consistency than other wscosity measurement methods

When the adapter .s used w.th the recommended Brookfield DV-II + v0scometer, the d=gttal dtsplay provides viscostty read.ngs tn centipoise (cP) or milhPascal seconds (mPa.s) and percent scale (Brookfield units) with a repeatab01ity wi th in -t-2% Also displayed are speed (RPM),

Spiral adapter from Brookfleld tn use with a wscometer and temperature bath

shear rate ( s - l ) , shear stress (dyn cm -2 or N m-2) , and temperature (°F/°C)

Typical products for viscosity measurement are tomato paste, toothpaste and solder paste

Brookheld Viscometers Ltd, 1 Whitehall Estate, Flex Meadow, Pinnacles West, Harlow, Essex CM19 5T J, UK

In-situ f i lm thickness monitor

The Tencor IL- IO0 =s a film thtckness momtor des=gned to incorporate metrology ms.de semiconductor processing tools and wdl prowde in situ measurement of thtckness and umformtty on wafers being processed

The new device from Tencor Instruments prov.des adaptive process control in single or multtple chamber process tools such as etchers, polishers or deposit ion systems It gives a cont inuous stream of h=ghly accurate film thickness and umformfty data al lowing the process to be adjusted for optimal yield

Key apphcations are: before/after

chemical mechamcal planarizatton, before/after dielectric etch and deposation, and after photorestst apphcat~on

In a cluster platform, the IL-100 measurement module ts mounted above the central chamber and wafers can be measured as they cycle from one process chamber to another Measurement data ~s transferred automatically to the process tool Ustng in SltU measurement analysts, the process can be adapted on-hne, minimizing expensive rework and enhancing y~eld

The independent measurement module can be integrated into a variety of sem=conductor processing equtpment Its self-cahbratmg technology uses measurements of vts.ble and near-I R reflectivity to determine film thickness Mult iple points can be measured for efficient process momtormg of wafer uniformity. The measurement head Js dwrectly connected by fibre optics to the process equipment, providing real-t~me thackness and umformlty reformat=on and stat~sttcal process control By offering both the new integrated measurement module and the independent Tencor TF-2 thin film monitor for m-depth data analysis and mapping, the

222 NDT&E Internatmnal Volume 26 Number 4 1993

-New equipment company can provide a comprehensive solution for process monitoring of film thickness for all applications on the manufacturing line.

Tencor Instruments, 2400 Charleston Road, Mountain View, California 94043, USA

Microprocessor control led bond tester

A wire bond tester that combines speed of test with accuracy and reliability for use in production environments has been launched by Dage Precision Industries. The Series 14 Microtester is a low cost microprocessor-controlled w=re pull test system that meets and exceeds the wire bond test reqmrements of Mil Standard 883D.

Test repeatability is guaranteed as all machine functions are microprocessor controlled. Essential parameters such as pull speed, load-range and step-back are precisely governed. High throughput is ach=eved through a combination of automation and ease of use. By automating much of the hook movement, the time per test is reduced

The automation includes a step-back feature which returns

Microprocessor-controlled wtre bound tester from Dage

the hook to the lower limit fol lowing a test and autohook feature that saves time when non-destructive testing. Upper and lower limits can be preset to prevent inadvertent hook damage.

For maximum versatility, manual 360 ° Theta hook rotation ~s standard, allowing all wires on a chip to be tested without re-alignment of the workpiece.

The Series 14 has a 32 character LCD display which shows status, results and error messages. As all controls are set using a simple key panel, no mechanical adjustments are necessary. Checking and calibrat=on is automatic and takes only seconds.

A multirange load arm allows continuous use in testing a large var=ety of wire diameters without the need for mechanical adjustment or load cartr=dge change. Load ranges of 0.2-25 g, 0.4-50 g or 2-100 g can be selected by means of a front panel switch, saving time and reducing the risk of damage to load arms during changeover.

Real-time data analysis can be performed using the PC based statistical process control (SPC), giving early warning of process quality problems

Dage Precision Industries Ltd, Rabans Lane, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 3RG, UK

NDT&E International Volume 26 Number 4 1993 223