Detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information
First Claim
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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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a target on a wafer. The target includes a pattern of interest (POI) formed on the wafer and a known defect of interest (DOI) occurring proximate to or in the POI. The method also includes detecting the known DOI in target candidates by identifying potential DOI locations based on images of the target candidates acquired by a first channel of an inspection system and applying one or more detection parameters to images of the potential DOI locations acquired by a second channel of the inspection system. Therefore, the image(s) used for locating potential DOI locations and the image(s) used for detecting defects can be different.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for detecting defects on a wafer, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program instructions executable on a computer system for performing a computer-implemented method for detecting defects on a wafer, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:
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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 in one die on the wafer or on another wafer, wherein the target candidates comprise the pattern or 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.
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30. A system configured to detect defects on a wafer, comprising:
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an inspection subsystem configured to acquire 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 the inspection subsystem and 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 subsystem; wherein the inspection subsystem is further configured to search for target candidates in one die on the wafer or on another wafer, wherein the target candidates comprise the pattern of interest; and a computer system configured to detect 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. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification