Automatic identification of systematic repeating defects in semiconductor production
First Claim
1. A method for processing an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:
- providing a partially completed semiconductor wafer, the partially completed semiconductor wafer including one or more patterns;
capturing an image of the one or more patterns using one or more scans across a surface of the partially completed wafer;
processing information associated with the image of the one or more patterns in a first format into a second format;
determining defect information associated with the image of the one or more patterns in the second format;
processing using a clustering process the defect information of the partially completed wafer to identify at least one defect associated with a spatial location of a repeating pattern on the partially completed wafer provided by a reticle;
identifying the reticle associated with the at least one defect and a stepper associated with the reticle having the at least one defect; and
ceasing operation of the stepper.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes capturing an image of the pattern using one or more scans across a surface of the partially completed wafer. The method includes processing information associated with the captured image of the pattern in a first format (e.g., pixel domain) into a second format, e.g., transform domain. The method includes determining defect information associated with the image of the pattern in the second format and processing the defect information (e.g., wafer identification, product identification, layer information, x-y die scanned) to identify at least one defect associated with a spatial location of a repeating pattern on the partially completed wafer provided by a reticle. The method includes identifying the reticle associated with the defect and a stepper associated with the reticle having the defect and ceasing operation of the stepper. The damaged reticle is replaced, and the process resumes using a replaced reticle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for processing an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:
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providing a partially completed semiconductor wafer, the partially completed semiconductor wafer including one or more patterns; capturing an image of the one or more patterns using one or more scans across a surface of the partially completed wafer; processing information associated with the image of the one or more patterns in a first format into a second format; determining defect information associated with the image of the one or more patterns in the second format; processing using a clustering process the defect information of the partially completed wafer to identify at least one defect associated with a spatial location of a repeating pattern on the partially completed wafer provided by a reticle; identifying the reticle associated with the at least one defect and a stepper associated with the reticle having the at least one defect; and ceasing operation of the stepper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for processing an integrated circuit device, the system comprising:
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an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of a partially completed wafer; a processor unit configured to convert information associated with the captured image into a transform domain; and a memory unit coupled to the processor unit, the memory unit comprising; one or more program codes configured to determine defect information associated with the captured image in the transform domain; one or more program codes configured to process the defect information using a clustering analysis to identify at least one defect associated with a spatial location of a repeating pattern provided by a reticle on the partially completed wafer; and one or more codes configured to identify the reticle associated with the at least one defect. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification