The 16th International Nanotechnology Industry Expo (CHInano) recently held at the Suzhou International Expo Center. This edition of CHInano introduced the NanoMall trading exhibition area for the first time, focusing on domestic substitution in the semiconductor industry. Atometrics (the high-end metrology brand under Baishi Intelligent Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.) showcased its AM-8000 series white light interferometers and APS series wafer thickness/TTV/warp automatic measurement systems at Booth T32, attracting numerous professional visitors.
Within just three years of establishment, the company was recognized as a national-level "Little Giant" Specialized, Innovative, and Distinctive Enterprise, maintaining high compound revenue growth. What enables this Shenzhen-based enterprise, dedicated to the independent domestic supply of high-end metrology equipment, to penetrate top-tier industry factories? During breaks at the expo, ChipMaster interviewed Fan Wenze, Market Manager of Atometrics, to reveal insights for industry readers.
The following interview content is compiled from on-site interviews, edited without altering original meanings.
Q1:This year's CHInano featured the NanoMall trading area for the first time. Which flagship models targeting semiconductor mass production did your company highlight at Booth T32? What type of customers do you hope to reach through the exhibition?
Fan Wenze: Key devices exhibited include the AM-8000 series white light interferometer and the wafer thickness/TTV/warp automatic measurement system. The AM-8000 series was launched at Munich Laser World of Photonics in 2025. After two years of market validation, it comprehensively benchmarks against world-leading flagship products in application scenarios, intelligent operation, and measurement stability. It is widely applied in new energy, automotive, 3C electronics, semiconductors, precision optics, micro/nano fabrication, medical devices, and other fields, covering measurement scenarios such as copper/aluminum foil roughness, perovskite coating thickness, PV grid line height, gear surface roughness, advanced packaging morphology, ceramic substrate step height/flatness, ultra-smooth roughness, microfluidic chip and implant morphology.
The APS series targets pre-processing wafer thickness and warp measurement, suitable for overall thickness and parameters like TTV/Bow/Warp for silicon and compound materials (GaAs, InP, SiC, GaN) samples, compatible with both transparent and opaque wafers. It features a high-precision dual-mode measurement unit: the spectral confocal module achieves 0.1 micron accuracy, while the infrared interference module reaches 0.01 micron accuracy; its proprietary opposing measurement method improves Bow/Warp measurement accuracy by 60%, outputting complete geometric parameters including thickness, TTV, Bow, Warp, TIR, and LTV in a single test.
We aim to reach clients in precision optics, aerospace, and university research institutes through this exposure.
Q2:Products like white light interferometers and laser line sensors achieve sub-nanometer accuracy. In semiconductor metrology and inspection, what specific measurement challenges in advanced packaging or wafer manufacturing does this high-precision capability address?
Fan Wenze: Taking the EP series 3D automatic inspection system for packaging substrates as an example, it integrates white light interferometry and spectral confocal dual probes, primarily solving measurement challenges in advanced packaging such as line width/spacing, copper thickness, Pad diameter/thickness, Dimple height, SR diameter, ink roughness, and circular/square solder mask offset on substrates/carriers. The EP series supports automatic and offline programming, with single-point measurement under 12 seconds and 9-point method under 3 minutes; measurement data supports offline Review and SPC chart analysis, and can automatically interface with MES systems.
Q3:This year's CHInano focuses on domestic substitution, while semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment has long been dominated by international giants. In which niche inspection scenarios have Atometrics' products demonstrated the ability to replace imported solutions? What is the progress of customer validation?
Fan Wenze:The EP series has already demonstrated the capability to replace imported solutions in packaging substrate metrology scenarios, currently achieving scaled application in an overseas factory of a leading industry player; the white light interferometer has surpassed imported brands in measurement efficiency for microlens production lines, becoming the primary inspection equipment in a leading player's domestic factory.
Q4:The company maintained high compound revenue growth shortly after its establishment around 2020 and was recognized as a Specialized, Innovative, and Distinctive "Little Giant." What are the core drivers behind this rapid growth?
Fan Wenze: Primarily driven by the explosive growth of new processes and demands in the semiconductor industry.
Q5:Products such as wafer packaging 3D inspection systems have been deployed in leading customers. In the transition from laboratory instruments to inline production line inspection, what engineering challenges do the equipment face regarding throughput and stability?
Fan Wenze: A few years ago, we conducted deployment validation for a leading domestic client. Due to strict confidentiality requirements, the validation wafers provided were relatively early samples, differing significantly from actual production products by generations. Initial online deployment faced substantial challenges. Algorithm robustness encountered unexpected issues, such as lower-layer circuit interference during edge detection; resolving this single scenario required deploying solutions across three dimensions. During scaled validation, multi-tool parallel production necessitated strict ToolMatch control (managing variations in measurement results for the same wafer across different tools). Optical assembly tolerances, light source differences, axis calibration residuals, and algorithm parameters (envelope thresholds, filter parameters) all contribute to tool-to-tool bias, a universal requirement in the semiconductor industry.
In the early stages, our lab had only one prototype. When attempting initial batch replication, we faced similar difficulties, requiring significant time investment from Atometrics engineers to fully resolve. After equipment deployment, we continue to optimize EFEM (automated material handling system) and the main measurement body based on client efficiency goals, iteratively improving algorithms to enhance efficiency and precision. These issues arose directly from client deployments. Guided by customer needs, continuously optimizing actual measurement capabilities and improving efficiency remains the ongoing focus of the Atometrics engineering team.
Q6:Atometrics serves multiple industries including semiconductors, optics, 3C, and new energy. Different industry clients vary greatly in accuracy requirements and budget sensitivity for metrology equipment. How does your company cover these needs through product matrix segmentation?
Fan Wenze: Our corporate strategy is focused: concentrating on domestic substitution for high-end products and high-end processes, specifically serving top-tier clients with higher demands for precision and stability. White light interferometers must fully benchmark against foreign brands in terms of accuracy and stability, aligning light sources, core motion control, optical lenses, and software algorithms; wafer3D metrology and packaging substrate inspection systems iterate continuously around cutting-edge applications and processes.
Q7:What is the level of domestic localization for core components of high-precision 3D vision sensors? What forward-looking layouts has Atometrics made regarding supply chain security?
Fan Wenze:Atometrics currently focuses on "System Integration + Opto-Mechanical Integration + Computational Software Intelligence," leaning towards engineering implementation. We aim to solve genuine needs of top-tier clients with holistic solutions offering superior performance, striving to enter their supply chains.
Q8:For morphology and dimension measurement of MEMS devices, how do Atometrics' inspection solutions compare to traditional optical microscopes or profilometers in terms of efficiency and data dimensions?
Fan Wenze: Traditional microscopes used for AOI recognition cannot match white light interferometers in accuracy for morphology and dimension measurement of lens-sized components; their advantage lies solely in rapid defect identification. They have different focal points and are not direct competitors. Profilometers are contact-based measurements, primarily used for step height and roughness, easily damaging surfaces when measuring continuous curvature changes of lenses. Overall, Atometrics' white light interferometry solution holds unique advantages in metrics such as measurement accuracy, surface roughness, and aspherical K-value.
Q9:In the technology-intensive and high-client-stickiness track of semiconductor metrology and inspection, where will Atometrics focus its R&D investments over the next 2-3 years?
Fan Wenze:Atometrics focuses on specialized equipment for specific process nodes and cutting-edge process nodes. The semiconductor equipment market is vast, with renowned foreign companies having deep experience accumulated over many years. Short-term comprehensive surpassing is difficult, requiring us to focus on core new processes, rapidly constructing solutions around new client demands, and iterating quickly for growth.