Rigaku Corporation, a preeminent authority in X-ray analytical systems and a constituent company of Rigaku Holdings Corporation (headquarters: Akishima, Tokyo; CEO: Jun Kawakami), has formally introduced the XTRAIA MF-3400. This newly developed measuring instrument is specifically designed for integration into semiconductor manufacturing processes to precisely evaluate the thickness and elemental composition of complex wafers. The launch is timed to address the surging industry requirement for enhanced productivity and quality control in the fabrication of next-generation memory and high-speed Artificial Intelligence (AI) devices.
The Imperative for Advanced Wafer Measurement
The global demand for high-performance, energy-efficient semiconductors is accelerating, driven primarily by the proliferation of generative AI systems and the continual expansion of data centers. These applications necessitate the processing of colossal data volumes, pushing chip designers toward increasingly intricate and three-dimensional semiconductor architectures. A modern high-density chip now incorporates billions of electronic components, demanding a delicate and layered structural design.
Sustaining stable mass production of these sophisticated devices requires metrology tools capable of nondestructive analysis of the materials. Specifically, accurately measuring and characterizing the insulating and metal films within these nanostructures is paramount. These measurements must be achieved with precision at the nanoscale to ensure performance consistency and yield across billions of components.
Addressing Next-Generation Material Challenges
To meet these exacting requirements, Rigaku leveraged and advanced its decades-long expertise in X-ray technology to engineer the XTRAIA MF-3400. The instrument features significant technical upgrades, notably including support for measuring molybdenum. This element is currently attracting substantial industry interest as a prospective material for next-generation semiconductor fabrication, further cementing the tool’s relevance in future production lines.
🚀 Technical and Operational Enhancements
The XTRAIA MF-3400 delivers a set of key features designed to optimize both measurement accuracy and overall fabrication throughput.
📈 Doubled Productivity Throughput
Rigaku has significantly boosted the operational efficiency of the new instrument. By doubling the X-ray dose delivered to the wafer and incorporating a completely new transport system, the XTRAIA MF-3400 can measure a substantially higher number of wafers per hour compared to its predecessor models. This enhanced measurement capability is critical for supporting the high volume demands of mass production environments.
🎯 Sub-Nanometer Precision Measurement
The instrument performs nondestructive measurements with exceptional accuracy, even on extremely confined areas of the wafer. It can conduct measurements on a field as narrow as 50 micrometers ($\mu\text{m}$), a dimension less than the average width of a human hair. Within this tiny area, the system is capable of measuring film thickness with sub-nanometer precision—a level of detail finer than the thickness of a single atom.
🛠️ Integrated Multi-Function Analytical Platform
A core design strength of the XTRAIA MF-3400 is its integration of three distinct X-ray-based analytical functions within a single device:
- Fluorescent X-rays (XRF): Used for elemental composition and overall film thickness measurement.
- X-ray Reflectance (XRR): Essential for evaluating ultra-thin-film structure and thickness with high resolution.
- X-ray Diffraction (XRD): Utilized for assessing the crystallinity and texture of materials.
Measurement processes can be fully automated via user-defined recipes. Manufacturers can register optimal measurement conditions tailored to specific objectives, such as analyzing ultra-thin-film structure, precise thickness verification, or material crystallinity assessment.
🏭 Market Adoption and Growth Outlook
The XTRAIA MF-3400 has already secured significant commercial traction. KIOXIA Corporation and KIOXIA Iwate Corporation have committed to implementing the new instrument into their mass-production lines dedicated to advanced 3D NAND flash memory fabrication. This type of memory utilizes a three-dimensional cell structure to achieve superior capacity, high data transfer rates, and lower power consumption.
The system is also projected to see broad adoption in the production of next-generation memory, where the industry’s focus on ultra-high capacity and rapid data transfer rates is driving imminent mass production shifts. Furthermore, manufacturers specializing in DRAM (volatile main-memory devices known for high-speed operation) and various types of logic semiconductors (used for calculation and control processes) are also anticipated to integrate the XTRAIA MF-3400 into their facilities.
📈 Financial Projections and Scalability
Rigaku projects robust financial performance for the XTRAIA series. The company anticipates combined net sales for the XTRAIA MF-3400 and its predecessor model to exceed JPY 6 billion in Fiscal Year 2026.
To ensure adaptability across diverse manufacturing lines, the XTRAIA MF-3400 employs a modular design. A range of analytical and handling modules can be selected and configured, allowing each manufacturer to construct a metrology environment that is perfectly suited to their unique production processes. Leveraging this inherent versatility and scalability, Rigaku intends to continuously develop new applications within emerging material and process fields. The company’s strategic vision calls for a sustained annual growth rate of 20% for both XTRAIA model series in Fiscal Year 2027 and beyond.
About the Rigaku Group
Since its establishment in 1951, the engineering professionals of the Rigaku group have been dedicated to benefiting society with leading-edge technologies, notably including its core fields of X-ray and thermal analysis. With a market presence in 136 countries and regions and some 2,000 employees from 9 global operations, Rigaku is a solution partner in industry and research analysis institutes. Our overseas sales ratio has reached approximately 70% while sustaining an exceptionally high market share in Japan. Together with our customers, we continue to develop and grow. As applications expand from semiconductors, electronic materials, batteries, environment, resources, energy, life science to other high-tech fields, Rigaku realizes innovations “To Improve Our World by Powering New Perspectives.”
