Time-dependent defect inspection apparatus
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsChih-Yu Jen, Long Ma, Yongjun Wang, Jun Jiang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus for detecting a thin device structure defect is disclosed. An improved charged particle beam inspection apparatus may include a charged particle beam source to direct charged particles to a location of a wafer under inspection over a time sequence. The improved charged particle beam apparatus may further include a controller configured to sample multiple images of the area of the wafer at difference times over the time sequence. The multiple images may be compared to detect a voltage contrast difference or changes to identify a thin device structure defect.
Claims14
A charged particle beam system for inspecting a wafer, comprising:
- a charged particle beam source including circuitry to direct charged particles to one or more areas of the wafer over one or more time sequences;
- and
- a controller including circuitry to:
- produce a first set of images of a first area of the one or more areas during a first time sequence of the one or more time sequences;
- and
- process the first set of images to detect a defect in a thin device structure in the wafer, wherein the controller includes circuitry to adjust a time interval between the production of each image in the first set of images.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions that is executable by a processor of a charged particle beam system to cause the charged particle beam system, with a charged particle beam source to direct charged particles onto one or more areas of a wafer over one or more time sequences, to perform a method comprising:
- producing a first set of images of a first area of the one or more areas during a first time sequence of the one or more time sequences;
- and
- processing the first set of images to detect a defect in a thin device structure in the wafer, wherein the controller includes circuitry to adjust a time interval between the production of each image in the first set of images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.