Semiconductor wafer inspection system
First Claim
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1. An in-line analysis method for identifying a chemical defect present on a surface of a semiconductor wafer being processed in a clean room for production, comprising the steps of:
- providing an in-line semiconductor wafer processing system including a semiconductor wafer scanning system for analyzing chemical defects;
providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface;
fixing the semiconductor wafer upon a wafer stage of the semiconductor wafer scanning system;
providing a non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor;
engaging a positioning mechanism in communication with the non-vibrating contact potential sensor whereby the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor is positionable in relation to the wafer stage via the positioning mechanism and the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor is positioned in the in-line semiconductor wafer processing system;
continuously radially scanning the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor about a circumferential track of the semiconductor wafer;
generating contact potential difference track data from the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor during at least the radial scanning of the semiconductor wafer relative to the sensor, the track data being representative of changes along the circumferential track of contact potential difference of the semiconductor wafer surface relative to the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor;
outputting the track data for the track to a computer system for determining whether the track was a last track;
assembling the contact potential difference track data for each scanned track to form representative contact potential difference track data representative of the semiconductor wafer surface;
processing the non-vibrating contact potential difference track data to automatically detect a pattern that represents a chemical defect or chemical non uniformity present on the semiconductor wafer surface;
processing the pattern to automatically identify the category of defect or non uniformity detected; and
outputting a large area spatial image, having a resolution of at least about 60 microns, of the semiconductor wafer surface, illustrating spatial location of the chemical defect or chemical non uniformity on the semiconductor wafer surface.
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Abstract
A method and system for identifying a defect or contamination on a surface of a material. The method and system involves providing a material, such as a semiconductor wafer, using a non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor to scan the wafer, generate contact potential difference data and processing that data to identify a pattern characteristic of the defect or contamination.
61 Citations
1 Claim
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1. An in-line analysis method for identifying a chemical defect present on a surface of a semiconductor wafer being processed in a clean room for production, comprising the steps of:
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providing an in-line semiconductor wafer processing system including a semiconductor wafer scanning system for analyzing chemical defects;
providing a semiconductor wafer having a surface;
fixing the semiconductor wafer upon a wafer stage of the semiconductor wafer scanning system;
providing a non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor;
engaging a positioning mechanism in communication with the non-vibrating contact potential sensor whereby the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor is positionable in relation to the wafer stage via the positioning mechanism and the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor is positioned in the in-line semiconductor wafer processing system;
continuously radially scanning the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor about a circumferential track of the semiconductor wafer;
generating contact potential difference track data from the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor during at least the radial scanning of the semiconductor wafer relative to the sensor, the track data being representative of changes along the circumferential track of contact potential difference of the semiconductor wafer surface relative to the non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor;
outputting the track data for the track to a computer system for determining whether the track was a last track;
assembling the contact potential difference track data for each scanned track to form representative contact potential difference track data representative of the semiconductor wafer surface;
processing the non-vibrating contact potential difference track data to automatically detect a pattern that represents a chemical defect or chemical non uniformity present on the semiconductor wafer surface;
processing the pattern to automatically identify the category of defect or non uniformity detected; and
outputting a large area spatial image, having a resolution of at least about 60 microns, of the semiconductor wafer surface, illustrating spatial location of the chemical defect or chemical non uniformity on the semiconductor wafer surface.
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Specification