Patterned wafer inspection method and apparatus therefor

Details Patterned wafer inspection method and apparatus therefor Patterned wafer inspection method and apparatus therefor

2007-10-30

2007-10-30

Nguyen, Ha Tran (Department: 2829)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components

Of individual circuit component or element

Reexamination Certificate

active

11016990

ABSTRACT:
A defect inspection apparatus is provided which allows a technology for inspecting a pattern on a wafer by using an electron beam to implement a high-resolution and higher-speed inspection. A semiconductor wafer is irradiated with an electron beam and electrons reflected in the vicinity of the wafer are detected. The presence or absence of a defect and the location thereof are measured by forming an image from only a component which changes with a periodicity larger than a size of a circuit pattern or the repetition periodicity thereof by using lenses and comparing an image signal with a preset value. Since only the component which changes with a periodicity larger than the size of the circuit pattern with a surface potential distortion and the repetition periodicity thereof is observed with a resolution lower than required to observe the pattern itself instead of detecting a defect through a comparison between extremely small pattern images, an inspection throughput can be increased exponentially compared with that of a conventional SEM inspection.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5521517 (1996-05-01), Shida et al.
patent: 6091249 (2000-07-01), Talbot et al.
patent: 6559663 (2003-05-01), Shinada et al.
patent: 6567168 (2003-05-01), Nara et al.
patent: 6614244 (2003-09-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 05-258703 (1993-10-01), None
patent: 2000-286310 (2000-10-01), None
patent: 2003-202217 (2003-07-01), None
patent: 2004-151119 (2004-05-01), None
Low Energy Electron Microscopy, IBM J. Res. Develop. vol. 44, No. 4, Jul. 2000, by RmM. Tromp.
Imaging Hot-Electron Emission From Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Structures, Mankos, Physical Review Letters, vol. 76, No. 17 (Nov. 9, 1995).

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Patterned wafer inspection method and apparatus therefor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Patterned wafer inspection method and apparatus therefor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Patterned wafer inspection method and apparatus therefor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3840009