Wafer inspection methods and an optical inspection tool

Details Wafer inspection methods and an optical inspection tool Wafer inspection methods and an optical inspection tool

2006-05-09

2006-05-09

Toatley, Jr., Gregory (Department: 2877)

Optics: measuring and testing

Inspection of flaws or impurities

Surface condition

C356S237100, C356S445000, C438S007000, C438S016000, C382S141000, C382S145000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07042564

ABSTRACT:
A method of inspecting a plurality of wafers in an optical inspection tool. The method includes the steps of generating a reference wafer and polishing the reference wafer in a chemical mechanical polishing process following a metal deposition process such that the reference wafer is representative of a fully polished wafer. The optical inspection tool scans the reference wafer and a gray level map is generated. A number of further wafers are metalized, polished, scanned and gray level maps generated. The method includes the step of comparing a gray level map of the scanned reference wafer to a number of gray level maps of the scanned wafers. A determination (314) is then made as to whether the wafer exhibits an acceptable polishing quality based on the comparison.

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