Method of manufacturing calibration wafers for determining in-line defect scan tool sensitivity

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing calibration wafers by forming a first layer of a material on a layer of a substrate material. In a first embodiment, calibration spheres are deposited on the first layer of material followed by an etch process that removes exposed portions of the first layer of a material. The calibration spheres are removed leaving pillars of the first layer of a material formed on the layer of a substrate material. The calibration spheres can be of various sizes forming pillars of various sizes. The calibration wafer with the various size pillars is scanned in a scan tool to determine the scan tool sensitivity. In a second embodiment, a layer of a second material is deposited on and around the various size pillars forming bumps over the various size pillars. In a third embodiment, a layer of a material is formed on a layer of a substrate, a layer of photoresist is formed on the layer of material, the layer of photoresist is patterned and developed, calibration spheres are deposited on the layer of material, the exposed portions of the layer of material is etched leaving structures having the shape of the developed layer of photoresist and pillars under the calibration spheres. The calibration spheres are then removed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.