Inspection system and apparatus
First Claim
1. An analysis method for inspecting a surface of a sample, comprising the steps of:
- providing a processing system including a sample scanning system for analyzing defects;
fixing the sample upon a sample stage of the sample scanning system;
providing a contact potential difference (CPD) sensor having a vibrating contact potential difference (vCPD) sensor mode and a non-vibrating contact potential difference (nvCPD) sensor mode;
engaging a positioning mechanism in communication with the CPD sensor in an nvCPD mode whereby the CPD difference sensor is positionable in relation to the sample stage via the positioning mechanism;
continuously scanning, via relative motion, the CPD sensor about the sample;
generating relative CPD data from the nvCPD mode of the CPD sensor during at least the scanning of the sample relative to the CPD sensor, the relative CPD data being representative of relative CPD along a track of the sample surface relative to the CPD sensor;
assembling the relative CPD data to form CPD data representative of the sample surface;
identifying at least one point on the sample surface to measure absolute CPD;
positioning the CPD sensor above the at least one point in vCPD mode; and
generating absolute CPD data for the at least one point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for identifying a defect or contamination on a surface of a sample. The system operates by detecting changes in work function across a surface via both vCPD and nvCPD. It utilizes a non-vibrating contact potential difference (nvCPD) sensor for imaging work function variations over an entire sample. The data is differential in that it represents changes in the work function (or geometry or surface voltage) across the surface of a sample. A vCPD probe is used to determine absolute CPD data for specific points on the surface of the sample. The combination of vibrating and non-vibrating CPD measurement modes allows the rapid imaging of whole-sample uniformity, and the ability to detect the absolute work function at one or more points.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An analysis method for inspecting a surface of a sample, comprising the steps of:
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providing a processing system including a sample scanning system for analyzing defects;
fixing the sample upon a sample stage of the sample scanning system;
providing a contact potential difference (CPD) sensor having a vibrating contact potential difference (vCPD) sensor mode and a non-vibrating contact potential difference (nvCPD) sensor mode;
engaging a positioning mechanism in communication with the CPD sensor in an nvCPD mode whereby the CPD difference sensor is positionable in relation to the sample stage via the positioning mechanism;
continuously scanning, via relative motion, the CPD sensor about the sample;
generating relative CPD data from the nvCPD mode of the CPD sensor during at least the scanning of the sample relative to the CPD sensor, the relative CPD data being representative of relative CPD along a track of the sample surface relative to the CPD sensor;
assembling the relative CPD data to form CPD data representative of the sample surface;
identifying at least one point on the sample surface to measure absolute CPD;
positioning the CPD sensor above the at least one point in vCPD mode; and
generating absolute CPD data for the at least one point. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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2. The method of inspecting a sample'"'"'s surface further comprising the step of amplifying the topographical signal relative to the chemical signal.
- 8. The method of inspecting a sample'"'"'s surface of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a linear array.
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25. A system for inline processing of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
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a semiconductor wafer processing system to identify at least one of contaminants and non uniformities on a semiconductor wafer, the processing system including a wafer scanning system;
a semiconductor wafer stage of the wafer scanning system for receiving the semiconductor wafer;
the semiconductor wafer stage being rotatable and engageable with the semiconductor wafer;
a contact potential difference sensor system including a non-vibrating contact potential difference probe and a vibrating contact potential difference probe;
a positioning assembly in communication with the sensor system whereby the sensor system can be positioned relative to the semiconductor wafer secured on the semiconductor wafer stage;
the non-vibrating contact potential difference probe adapted to produce a relative contact potential difference signal characteristic of the contaminants on the semiconductor wafer in response to a change in the contact potential difference generated by the relative motion of the non-vibrating contact potential difference probe and the semiconductor wafer;
the vibrating contact potential difference probe adapted to produce an absolute contact potential difference signal characteristic of the contaminants on the semiconductor wafer in response to a change in the contact potential difference generated by the vibration of the probe while positioned over a point on the semiconductor wafer surface;
a computer system in communication with the contact potential difference sensor system, whereby relative contact potential difference data and absolute contact potential difference data is output by the probe to the computer; and
a display providing a visual image characteristic of the chemical contaminants and their spatial distribution on the semiconductor wafer generated by the computer system and representative of the absolute and relative contact potential difference data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for inspecting the surface of a sample, comprising the steps of:
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providing a processing system including a sample scanning system for analyzing defects;
fixing the sample upon a sample stage of the sample scanning system;
providing a contact potential difference (CPD) sensor system having a vibrating contact potential difference (vCPD) sensor mode and a non-vibrating contact potential difference (nvCPD) sensor mode;
engaging a positioning mechanism in communication with the CPD sensor system in the nvCPD mode whereby the CPD sensor system is positionable in relation to the sample stage via the positioning mechanism;
continuously scanning the sample surface with the nvCPD mode of the CPD sensor system, generating relative CPD data from the CPD system;
the relative CPD data being representative of relative CPD of the sample surface;
selecting a point on the sample surface;
positioning the CPD sensor system in vCPD mode above the point and determining absolute CPD data for the point; and
determining the absolute CPD for the sample surface based on the point'"'"'s absolute CPD data and the sample'"'"'s relative CPD data. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification