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Detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information

  • US 9,092,846 B2
  • Filed: 01/31/2014
  • Issued: 07/28/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for detecting defects on a wafer, comprising:

  • acquiring information for a target on a wafer, wherein the target comprises a pattern of interest formed on the wafer and a known defect of interest occurring proximate to or in the pattern of interest, and wherein the information comprises a first image of the pattern of interest on the wafer acquired by imaging the pattern of interest on the wafer with a first channel of an inspection system, a second image of the known defect of interest on the wafer acquired by imaging the known defect of interest with a second channel of the inspection system, a location of the pattern of interest on the wafer, a location of the known defect of interest relative to the pattern of interest, and one or more characteristics computed from the pattern of interest and the known defect of interest;

    searching for target candidates within one die on the wafer, or on another wafer, wherein the target candidates comprise the pattern of interest; and

    detecting the known defect of interest in the target candidates by identifying potential defect of interest locations based on images of the target candidates acquired by the first channel and applying one or more detection parameters to images acquired by the second channel of the potential defect of interest locations, wherein said detecting is performed using a computer system.

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