摘要:
A method for inspecting objects such as semiconductor wafers. A staging platform and an optical platform are arranged so that the object may be staged and its surface scanned by optical equipment situated on the optical platform. During the scanning process, the surface is illuminated with light of a plurality of wavelengths, each strobed at a predetermined rate so that multiple images may be collected using time and frequency multiplexing. The multiple images are stored in a database for analysis, which includes processing selected ones of the multiple images according to one or more algorithms. The defect-detection algorithms used for each object are determined by referenced to a predetermined or calculated defect detection protocol, then a defect mask is created for each pixel in the images that is suspected to be defective. The defect mask is then compared to threshold parameters to determine which if any of the suspected defects should be reported.
摘要:
A MACs mitigation system includes a MACs film removal sub-system (14) and a wafer surface sustaining sub-system (16) for sustaining or maintaining the cleaned surface (18A) of a wafer (18) in a substantially MACs-free condition for some predetermined period of time, such as the typical amount of time required after MACs film removal to perform a desired measurement on the wafer using a metrology tool (12). The MACs film removal sub-system can comprise a source (14A) of microwave energy that beneficially both heats and dissociates the chemical constituents of the MACs film. The wafer surface sustaining sub-system can be co-located with a measurement stage portion of the metrology tool, and preferably includes an atmosphere provided by a source (20) of clean gas.
摘要:
Disclosed is an interferometry analysis method that includes comparing information derivable from multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different surface locations of a test object to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object, wherein the multiple models are parameterized by a series of characteristics that relate to one or more under-resolved lateral features of the test object; and outputting information about the under-resolved surface feature based on the comparison.