Monitoring semiconductor wafer defects below one nanometer
AssigneeMacronix International Co., Ltd.
InventorsWu-An Weng, Wang-Tsai Hsu, Kun-Yu Liu, Yi-Chieh Lai
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Abstract
The invention describes a method to facilitate the use of low-sensitivity monitoring equipment for detecting and monitoring defects on the surface of semiconductor wafers. The method includes the use of a hydrofluoric acid solution for increasing the dimensions of a defect and the application of a thin-film layer of a metal, such as titanium, for improving the appearance of the defect such that the defect dimensions increase to above 0.1 nanometer, the detection threshold for economical low-sensitivity monitoring equipment.
Claims28
A method of monitoring wafers for defects, comprising:
- a) selecting a wafer from a lot;
- b) applying a treatment to the selected wafer, the treatment removing a portion of the selected wafer and enhancing a size of a defect in the wafer;
- and
- c) scanning the wafer for defects using monitoring equipment.
A method for enhancing a defect, caused by a particle, on a semiconductor wafer carrying a material layer, the method comprising:
- a) selecting a wafer from a lot;
- b) applying a process to remove the particle;
- c) applying a treatment to enhance a size of the defect on the wafer;
- d) scanning the wafer for defects using monitoring equipment.
A method for monitoring a defect in nanometer order, comprising:
- a) providing a wafer which may have a defect thereon;
- b) applying a chemical treatment to the wafer to enhance the defect;
- c) forming a conformal material layer on the wafer;
- and
- d) detecting the defect with a low-sensitivity monitoring instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.