Nearfield Instruments

Nearfield Instruments B.V. operates within the semiconductor capital equipment market, providing process control metrology solutions for leading global chipmakers. The company was founded in January 2016 as a spin-off from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) by Dr. Hamed Sadeghian and Roland van Vliet. Sadeghian, who serves as CEO, has a background in nano-mechatronics systems design from Delft University of Technology and holds numerous patents, which formed the technical foundation of the company. Van Vliet acts as the Chief Partnership Officer.

The firm specializes in developing, producing, and servicing high-throughput scanning probe microscopy systems that enable non-destructive, three-dimensional metrology at an atomic scale. This technology is critical for manufacturers of advanced semiconductors, as it addresses the process control challenges posed by the increasing complexity and miniaturization of integrated circuits, such as 3D architectures and features smaller than 3nm. By providing precise, in-line measurements, Nearfield Instruments helps clients increase production yields and accelerate the development of more powerful and energy-efficient microchips.

The company's product portfolio includes the QUADRA and AUDIRA systems. QUADRA is a high-throughput Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) system for surface metrology, designed for high-volume manufacturing environments. It provides on-device 3D measurements for applications like high-aspect-ratio memory structures, EUV lithography, and hybrid bonding. The AUDIRA system combines acoustic microscopy with AFM technology to perform non-destructive subsurface metrology, allowing inspection of buried features and defects within the chip's layers. The business model is based on the sale of this high-value equipment and related services to major semiconductor fabs. The company has secured significant orders and continues to expand, having established a US subsidiary and offices in South Korea to support its global customer base.

Keywords: semiconductor metrology, atomic force microscopy, process control, 3D metrology, scanning probe microscopy, non-destructive testing, nanoelectronics, QUADRA metrology system, AUDIRA subsurface metrology, wafer inspection, high-throughput metrology, FinFET, GAAFET, EUV lithography, hybrid bonding, advanced packaging, nanometrology, chip manufacturing, TNO spin-off, Hamed Sadeghian, semiconductor equipment, in-line metrology, yield management