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US 10,648,925 B2Granted
Repeater defect detection
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorsEugene Shifrin, Bjorn Brauer, Sumit Sen, Ashok Mathew, Sreeram Chandrasekaran, Lisheng Gao
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Abstract
Defects from a hot scan can be saved, such as on persistent storage, random access memory, or a split database. The persistent storage can be patch-based virtual inspector virtual analyzer (VIVA) or local storage. Repeater defect detection jobs can determined and the wafer can be inspected based on the repeater defect detection jobs. Repeater defects can be analyzed and corresponding defect records to the repeater defects can be read from the persistent storage. These results may be returned to the high level defect detection controller.
Claims19
A method to detect repeater defects comprising:
- performing a hot scan inspection of an entire surface of a wafer;
- storing a position of defects from the hot scan inspection to a storage medium, wherein the storage medium is persistent storage, random access memory, or a split database;
- determining, using a processor, coordinates for repeater defect detection;
- inspecting the wafer based on the coordinates for repeater defect detection, wherein a first die and a second die are each imaged using a reticle at two different positions on a first wafer and two different positions on a second wafer;
- calculating a first wafer difference image in a first wafer step by:
- calculating, using the processor, a difference image of the first die and the second die at a second position on the first wafer;
- calculating, using the processor, a difference image of the first die at the second position on the first wafer and the second die at a first position on the first wafer;
- and
- calculating, using the processor, the first wafer difference image of the two difference images of the first wafer step;
- analyzing repeater defects using the processor;
- and
- retrieving corresponding defect records to the repeater defects from the storage medium.
9 more elements
A method for filtering nuisance comprising:
- imaging a first die and a second die using a reticle at two different positions on a first wafer and two different positions on a second wafer;
- calculating a difference image of the second wafer in a second wafer step by:
- calculating, using a processor, a difference image of the first die and the second die at a second position on the second wafer;
- calculating, using the processor, a difference image of the first die at the second position on the first wafer and the second die at a first position on the second wafer;
- and
- calculating, using the processor, the difference image of the second wafer using the two difference images of the second wafer step;
- and
- determining, using the processor, existence of a defect of interest in the wafer difference image of the second wafer.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a controller in electronic communication with a wafer inspection tool, wherein the controller includes a processor and an electronic data storage unit in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the electronic data storage unit includes persistent storage, random access memory, or a split database, and wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive results of a hot scan inspection of an entire surface of a wafer from the wafer inspection tool;
- store a position of defects from the hot scan inspection to the electronic data storage unit;
- determine coordinates for repeater defect detection;
- send instructions for inspection of the wafer based on the coordinates for repeater defect detection, wherein a first die and a second die are each imaged using a reticle at two different positions on a first wafer and two different positions on a second wafer;
- calculate a first wafer difference image in a first wafer step by:
- calculating a difference image of the first die and the second die at a second position on the first wafer;
- calculating a difference image of the first die at the second position on the first wafer and the second die at a first position on the first wafer;
- and
- calculating the first wafer difference image of the resulting difference images of the first wafer step;
- analyze repeater defects;
- and
- retrieve corresponding defect records to the repeater defects from the electronic data storage unit.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.