In the fields of precision manufacturing such as semiconductors, new materials, and optical coatings,High precision thickness gaugeIt is an indispensable quality control tool. Faced with a wide variety of models on the market, how to quickly choose a portable digital thickness measuring instrument that is suitable for one's own process? This article combines more than ten years of experience in the thin film measurement industry from Younikon Technology Co., Ltd. (Yiying Technology) to outline the core selection points for you.
High precision thickness gauges are widely used for thin film thickness detection in fields such as semiconductor wafers, liquid crystal panels, medical devices, and consumer electronics coatings. For example, in semiconductor manufacturing, the thickness of thin films such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, photoresist, etc. directly affects device performance; In the consumer electronics industry, the thickness control of the hardened layer, waterproof coating, and Parylene coating on the back shell of mobile phones also relies on precision measurement. Before selecting, it is necessary to clarify whether the measurement object is a transparent film or a semi transparent film, whether it is a single-layer or multi-layer structure, and whether the sample surface is flat or curved.
At present, the mainstream portable digital thickness measuring instruments mostly adopt the principle of light reflection measurement. When incident light penetrates different material interfaces, some of the light is reflected. Due to the wave nature of light, the reflected light from multiple interfaces interferes with each other, causing oscillations in the multi wavelength spectrum of the reflected light. By analyzing the spectral oscillation frequency, the distance between different interfaces can be calculated, thereby obtaining the thickness of the film (the more oscillations, the greater the thickness), as well as material properties such as refractive index and roughness. This non-contact method avoids damaging fragile or sensitive materials and is suitable for measuring solid, liquid, and gaseous thin films, as well as smooth, semi transparent, or low absorption coefficient thin films.
When choosing a high-precision thickness gauge, it is important to pay attention to the following indicators:
Thickness measurement range: Different models cover different ranges. For example, the conventional model of Filmetrics F20 series has a measurement range of 15nm-70 μ m, while F20-XT can be extended to 0.2 μ m-450 μ m, and F50-s1310 in F50 series can reach 7 μ m-2mm. The selection should be based on the film thickness range of the product itself.
Measurement accuracy and precision: The accuracy can be as low as 0.02nm, and the highest accuracy can reach 1nm or 0.2%. High precision thickness gauges can effectively distinguish nanoscale thickness changes.
Spot size: The standard spot size is about 1.5mm. If you need to measure patterned samples in small areas, you can choose a model with a minimum spot size of 20 μ m or even 1 μ m.
Sample size and shape: Suitable for flat or curved surfaces, compatible with sample diameters ranging from 1mm to 300mm or even 450mm.
Measurement speed: Some automated models have a measurement speed of about 2 points per second, suitable for batch testing needs.
For on-site inspection or rapid sampling scenarios on production lines, the advantage of portable digital thickness measuring instruments is their easy installation. By connecting to a computer via USB, settings can be completed within minutes and measurement results can be output within seconds. If you need multi-point automatic measurement and generation of thickness distribution maps, you can choose a model with automatic sample stage and Mapping function. For example, it can automatically map the thickness distribution on the wafer surface and present it in 2D or 3D graphics, making it convenient to view uniformity from different angles. At the same time, some devices support connection with microscopes to achieve precise positioning and measurement of small areas.
Mature high-precision thickness gauges should be equipped with fully functional software systems. For example, FILMeasure software has a built-in database of thousands of materials, supports single-layer/multi-layer film analysis, and provides functions such as permission settings and historical data tracing. In addition, 24-hour phone, email, online technical support, and free offline analysis software can significantly improve user convenience. For users with research and development needs, the function of supporting the calculation of optical constants such as refractive index n and extinction coefficient k is also very practical.
In summary, it is recommended to follow the following steps when purchasing a portable digital thickness measuring instrument:
Clearly define the measurement object: film type (transparent/semi transparent), number of layers (single-layer/multi-layer), and surface condition (smooth/rough).
Confirm range and accuracy: Select the appropriate model based on the product film thickness range and reserve a certain margin.
Evaluate sample size and shape: Ensure that the sample stage and spot size meet the requirements.
Consider automation level: manual single point measurement or automatic multi-point surveying.
Assessing software functionality and after-sales service: database richness, technical support response speed.
As a professional provider of film thickness and surface profile measurement services, Unicon Technology Co., Ltd. (Yiying Technology) provides standardized services throughout the entire process from communication needs, free sample testing to debugging and training. For more details on the selection of high-precision thickness gauges, please visit our official websitehttps://www.unicorn-tech.com/Or view the product pagehttps://www.unicorn-tech.com/product/list-154.htmlYou can also call 400-186-8882 for one-on-one technical consultation.
WeChat Official
Support
