MatX Lab characterizes wafers and dies to help trace contamination, measure films, locate defects, and check material properties. Testing can range from surface chemistry to a focused cross-section of a single feature, depending on what needs to be investigated.
On a wafer, the difference between a good part and scrap can come down to tiny changes in atoms and nanometers. Trace contamination, a film that is slightly off its target thickness, a buried particle, or an interface defect can have a big impact. MatX Lab characterizes wafers and dies to help trace contamination, measure films, locate defects, and check material properties. Testing can range from surface chemistry to a focused cross-section of a single feature, depending on what needs to be investigated.
Wafer and die testing focuses on cleanliness, thin-film quality, and defects. We check for trace contamination, film thickness and composition, local defects, and material properties such as resistivity and crystal orientation. The same testing used to check incoming materials can also help investigate yield problems and failures.
Wafer work relies on high-resolution surface imaging and elemental methods, often with non-destructive inspection first. We scope the sequence your question needs, and each method below links to its own page.
Detects trace metal, organic, and particle contamination and measures thin-film chemistry and depth profiles by XPS, AES, and ToF-SIMS. It works at the concentrations semiconductor processes care about.
Examines defects, cross-sections, and interfaces at the nanoscale by SEM and TEM, with focused-ion-beam sectioning to target a single feature. It is how you see a defect that other methods only point to.
Measures trace metals and overall composition on wafers, films, and residues. This helps identify contamination and spot changes that may have happened during processing.
X-ray and CT imaging can inspect packages, interconnects, and die internals without opening or cutting them. This can help find voids, cracks, and other internal defects before sectioning.
X-ray diffraction is used to check crystal orientation, film phase, and residual stress in semiconductor materials and thin films.
We identify and count particles on wafers and in cleanroom samples to help track particulate contamination.
Localize a defect and determine the root cause in die and packaged devices, sequencing non-destructive methods first.
Wafer and die testing runs across the sectors that build and use semiconductor materials, where cleanliness and film quality decide device performance.
Semiconductors · Electronics · Advanced Materials · Research & Development
Wafer testing draws on SEMI and ASTM methods for silicon and electronic materials, and your process usually names them. Where an applicable standard exists, testing is aligned to it and cited in your report. We align to the method your process requires and document it.
| Analysis / Standard | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| AFM | Nano-Scale Roughness Measurement of Si Wafers by Atomic Force |
| Μxanes | Micro X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy |
| Microscopic Analysis | Non-Destructive Evaluation |
| Sat | Scanning Acoustic Tomography |
| Transmission Electron Microscopy | Electron Microscopy |
| PIFM | Photoinduced Force Microscopy |
| Gravimetric Nvr | Trace, Residue & Contamination Analysis |
| ASTM D6130 | Silicon by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy |
| IEC 62631-3-1 | Surface & Volume Resistivity |
| ASTM F1188 | Interstitial Oxygen in Single-Crystal Silicon by Infrared Absorption (FTIR) |
| ASTM F672 | Silicon Wafer Resistivity Profiling by Spreading Resistance Probe |
| ASTM D257 | Surface & Volume Resistivity |
| ASTM C1494 | Mass Fraction of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen in Silicon |
| ASTM E372 | Calcium and Magnesium in Magnesium Ferrosilicon by EEDT titration |
Yes. Surface and elemental analysis identify trace metal, organic, and particle contamination and often point to its source, at the concentrations your process cares about. This is one of the most common wafer requests we handle.
Yes, film thickness, composition, and interface quality, including depth profiles through a stack, are measured by surface analysis and cross-sectional imaging. We report values against your targets.
Yes. We start with non-destructive methods such as X-ray and 3D CT to locate and understand a defect before moving to cross-sectioning or de-processing. If the unit is unique or especially valuable, let us know and we will get approval before carrying out any destructive testing.
MatX Lab coordinates wafer and die testing through a network of accredited partner laboratories, so surface, imaging, and elemental testing can all be handled under one program at the scale your process requires. You have one contact and receive one report covering the work. Where a published method applies, testing can be aligned with SEMI and ASTM requirements. We measure and report the results; MatX Lab is not a standards body and does not issue certifications. Testing can also be carried out under an NDA when required.
Test Your Materials