ETEL, part of HEIDENHAIN and a supplier of high-performance motion control components and complete motion platforms, has introduced the METIS HP, a full air-bearing planar platform designed for demanding step-and-scan semiconductor applications. The company identifies direct laser writing and high-resolution optical inspection systems among the intended uses.
At the center of the platform is a multi-degree-of-freedom (mDoF) HEIDENHAIN encoder. ETEL says this architecture provides accuracy without thermal drift and enables projected tool-point measurement. The company’s controllers can emulate a transistor-transistor logic (TTL) position signal for use as a trigger event, which ETEL presents as an alternative to the classical interferometer used as an advanced trigger generator.
According to ETEL, the encoder-based approach removes the need for a mirror on the carriage and avoids air lensing effects and air perturbation. The company also cites lower cost as an advantage of the arrangement. These points are presented as design characteristics of the METIS HP rather than as independently verified field results.
ETEL specifies ±150 nm accuracy over the full XY stroke after mapping and ±150 nm dynamic straightness at speeds up to 1 m/s. The platform is also described as reaching accelerations up to 20 m/s². ETEL says these capabilities minimize turnaround time and thereby increase machine throughput for step-and-scan applications.
For high-end inspection in advanced packaging, the METIS HP includes a high-bandwidth 4-DoF module that provides fine control over the Z, tip, tilt and theta axes. ETEL positions this module as suited to inspection tasks that require rapid and precise focal-distance adjustments.
Stéphane Pellegrini, Product Manager at ETEL, said the METIS HP builds on the company’s long-standing expertise in high-precision platforms and provides the trajectory quality required for advanced optical processes. He said its speed stability and dynamic straightness are intended to ensure consistent performance even at high scanning velocities. Pellegrini also said support for panel sizes up to 600 mm × 600 mm addresses the growing need for next-generation maskless lithography with large-area substrates.
The announcement focuses on the platform’s architecture, specified motion performance and target applications. ETEL did not disclose pricing, commercial availability or customer deployment details in the material provided.