ZEISS strengthens advanced packaging portfolio with solutions for inline X-ray inspection and wafer warpage correction

• ZEISS NLX and ZEISS DUNE show how ZEISS SMT helps customers address rising demands for precision, process control and productivity.
• ZEISS SMT supports key process steps in microchip manufacturing, from lithography and photomask solutions to advanced packaging.
• 100 years of ZEISS in the United States underscore the company’s long-standing presence in a key market where ZEISS SMT is active as a strong partner to the semiconductor industry.

ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SMT) is involved in key processes across semiconductor manufacturing, with technologies ranging from lithography optics and photomask systems to solutions for leading-edge microchip and chiplet production. As chip architectures become more complex, advanced packaging is becoming increasingly important and is driving new requirements. When multiple chips or chiplets are brought together in a compact space, internal structures, connections and deformations must be inspected reliably. ZEISS SMT is addressing these requirements with ZEISS NLX and ZEISS DUNE.

ZEISS NLX makes internal structures in modern chip packages visible without destroying them. Chip manufacturers can use it, for example, to inspect connections between stacked dies and detect potential defects at an early stage. The system is designed for 300-millimeter wafers and supports both the development of new processes and high-volume production.

ZEISS DUNE addresses wafer bow as another critical challenge in complex production processes. The system measures the topography of a wafer and can correct it individually. In this way, the system supports complex process steps, for example when yield losses in downstream processing need to be avoided or bonding processes prepared.

“The next generation of semiconductor manufacturing will not be enabled by individual technology leaps alone, but by the precise interaction of many highly complex process steps. In central innovation markets such as the United States, close technology partnerships are essential. Across ZEISS SMT, deep expertise in optical systems and process control is complemented by new solutions for advanced packaging. Together, these capabilities help our customers bring future chip generations into production reliably, productively and at scale,” says Christoph Hensche, President ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Optics and member of the ZEISS SMT management team.

Advanced packaging is one part of ZEISS SMT’s broader technology portfolio. At SEMICON West, ZEISS SMT is showcasing how its technologies address challenges across key processes in semiconductor manufacturing.

One focus area for ZEISS SMT is photomask solutions, which are critical for stable lithography processes. ZEISS AIMS^® EUV 3.0 inspects photomasks under optical conditions comparable to those in the wafer scanner. This allows critical defects to be detected and evaluated before they affect production. The system supports Low-NA-EUV and High-NA-EUV lithography, triples mask throughput and is already in use at leading chip manufacturers. ZEISS MeRiT complements this by enabling the targeted repair of the smallest defects on photomasks, adding an important step in mask processing to the qualification provided by AIMS EUV.

“The more demanding semiconductor manufacturing becomes, the more important photomask quality is. With ZEISS AIMS^® EUV 3.0 and other mask solutions, ZEISS SMT helps customers evaluate defects early and supports stable lithography processes. Close collaboration with customers and partners helps us align these solutions with the requirements of next-generation chips,” says Axel Christian, President of ZEISS North America.

In 2026, ZEISS is also marking 100 years of its business presence in the United States. For the semiconductor industry, the US market is one of the central hubs for innovation and production. As a segment of the ZEISS Group, ZEISS SMT builds on this proximity to the market and serves as a strong technology partner to the semiconductor industry, with solutions for key process steps in microchip production, from lithography and photomasks to advanced packaging.