Method and machine for examining wafers
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsChien-Hung Chou, Wen-Tin Tai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and machine utilizes the real-time recipe to perform weak point inspection on a series of wafers during the fabrication of integrated circuits. Each real-time recipe essentially corresponds to a practical fabrication history of a wafer to be examined and/or the examination results of at least one examined wafer of same “lot”. Therefore, different wafers can be examined by using different recipes where each recipe corresponds to a specific condition of a wafer to be examined, even these wafers are received by a machine for examining at the same time.
Claims20
A method of inspecting a wafer, comprising:
- determining whether a map stored in a database represents the wafer;
- determining a first inspecting plan according to a critical area to define an inspection area on the wafer when a first condition is satisfied that is based on similarity of the critical area to the map, otherwise determining a second inspecting plan, wherein the first inspecting plan covers only a defect inspection area indicated by the map;
- examining the wafer with a high resolution imaging tool using the first inspecting plan or the second inspecting plan;
- and
- identifying defects in the inspection area according to at least one image taken by said high resolution imaging tool.
An apparatus comprising:
- a load/unload assembly configured to receive a lot including a wafer;
- a memory storing a set of instructions;
- and
- a processor configured to execute the set of instructions to cause the apparatus to:
- determine whether a map stored in a database represents the wafer;
- construct a first inspecting plan for inspecting the wafer according to a critical area to define an inspection area on the wafer when a first condition is satisfied that is based on similarity of the critical area to the map, otherwise determining a second inspecting plan, wherein the first inspecting plan covers only a defect inspection area indicated by the map;
- acquire at least one image of the wafer with a high resolution imaging tool using the first inspecting plan or the second inspecting plan;
- and
- identify defects in said inspection area according to the at least one image.
A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions that is executable by at least one processor of an apparatus to cause the apparatus to perform a method for inspecting a wafer, the method comprising:
- determining whether a map stored in a database represents the wafer;
- determining a first inspecting plan according to a critical area to define an inspection area on the wafer when a first condition is satisfied that is based on similarity of the critical area to the map, otherwise determining a second inspecting plan, wherein the first inspecting plan covers only a defect inspection area indicated by the map;
- examining the wafer with a high resolution imaging tool using the first inspecting plan or the second inspecting plan;
- and
- identifying defects in the inspection area according to at least one image taken by said high resolution imaging tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.