System and method for process variation monitor

Details System and method for process variation monitor System and method for process variation monitor

2006-04-17

2008-08-12

Young, Christopher G. (Department: 1795)

Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th

Including control feature responsive to a test or measurement

C430S945000, C356S237100, C356S237500, C382S145000, C382S147000, C382S149000, C382S151000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07410737

ABSTRACT:
A method to extend the process monitoring capabilities of a semiconductor wafer optical inspection system so as to be able to detect low-resolution effects of process variations over the surface of a wafer at much higher sensitivity than heretofore possible. The method consists, in essence, of grouping sensed pixels by geometric blocks over the inspected surface and comparing each block with a corresponding one from another die on the same wager, from another wager of from a stored model image. In one embodiment of the invention, pixel values are compared directly and differences are thresholded at a considerably lower level than during a defects detection process. In another embodiment, there is calculated a signature for each block, based on the sensed light intensity values, and corresponding signatures are compared.

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Applied Materials, Inc., PCT/US2003/016569, International Search Report, Oct. 30, 2003, 5pp.

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