System and method for inspection and metrology of four sides of semiconductor devices

A characterization system, comprising:

• a controller communicatively couplable to an imaging subsystem, wherein the controller includes one or more processors and memory, the one or more processors configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in the memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:
• direct a stage assembly of the imaging subsystem to move a sample from a carrier located at a first position to the imaging subsystem;
• direct the imaging subsystem to image a first side of the sample via a first channel of the imaging subsystem and a second side of the sample via a second channel of the imaging subsystem;
• direct the stage assembly to move the sample from the imaging subsystem to the carrier;
• direct the carrier to move to a second position;
• direct the carrier to rotate by 90 degrees relative to an orientation of the carrier in the first position;
• direct the stage assembly to move the sample from the carrier located at the second position to the imaging subsystem;
• and
• direct the imaging subsystem to inspect a third side of the sample via the first channel of the imaging subsystem and a fourth side of the sample via the second channel of the imaging subsystem;
• and
• combine one or more images of each of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side of the sample.

A method comprising:

• providing a plurality of samples in a carrier at a first side of an imaging tool;
• moving one or more of the samples from the carrier to the imaging tool via a pick-and-place stage assembly;
• imaging the first side of one or more samples via a first channel of the imaging tool and a second side of the one or more samples via a second channel of the imaging tool;
• moving the one or more samples from the imaging tool to the carrier via the pick-and-place stage assembly;
• rotating the carrier by 90 degrees and translating the carrier to a second side of the imaging tool opposite the first side;
• moving the one or more of the samples from the carrier to the imaging tool via the pick-and-place stage assembly;
• imaging a third side of the one or more samples via the first channel of the imaging tool and a fourth side of the one or more samples via the second channel of the imaging tool;
• moving the one or more samples from the imaging tool to the carrier via the pick-and-place stage assembly;
• combining image data from the first side, second side, third side, and fourth side of the one or more samples;
• and
• characterizing the one or more samples based on the image data from the first side, second side, third side, and fourth side of the one or more samples.