Optics: measuring and testing – Inspection of flaws or impurities – Surface condition
Patent
1998-06-30
2000-10-24
Font, Frank G.
Optics: measuring and testing
Inspection of flaws or impurities
Surface condition
3562372, 25055904, G01N 2100
Patent
active
061375705
ABSTRACT:
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for using far field scattered and diffracted light to determine whether a collection of topological features on a surface (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) conforms to an expected condition or quality. This determination is made by comparing the far field diffraction pattern of a surface under consideration with a corresponding diffraction pattern (a "baseline"). If the baseline diffraction pattern and far field diffraction pattern varies by more than a prescribed amount or in characteristic ways, it is inferred that the surface features are defective. The method may be implemented as a die-to-die comparison of far field diffraction patterns of two dies on a semiconductor wafer. The portion of the far field scattered and diffracted light sensitive to a relevant condition or quality can also be reimaged to obtain an improved signal-to-noise ratio.
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Armstrong J. Joseph
Brown David L.
Chuang Yung-Ho
Lin Jason Z.
Tsai Bin-Ming Benjamin
Font Frank G.
Kla-Tencor Corporation
Punnoose Roy M.
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