Methods and systems for determining at least one characteristic of defects on at least two sides of a specimen

A method for determining at least one characteristic of defects on at least two sides of a specimen, comprising:

• disposing the specimen upon a stage, wherein the specimen comprises a wafer, wherein the stage is coupled to a measurement device, and wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system;
• moving the stage;
• directing energy toward a front side and a back side of the specimen using the illumination system during movement of the stage;
• detecting energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen using the detection system during the movement of the stage;
• detecting energy propagating from the back side of the specimen using the detect on system during the movement of the stage;
• generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen and the detected energy propagating from the back side of the specimen;
• and
• processing the one or more output signals to determine a first characteristic of detects on the front side of the specimen and a second characteristic of macro defects on the back side of the specimen.

A computer-implemented method for controlling a system configured to determine at least one characteristic of defects on at least two sides of the specimen during use, wherein the system comprises a measurement device, comprising:

• controlling the measurement device, wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system, wherein the measurement device is coupled to a stage, and wherein the stage is configured to move during use, comprising:
• controlling the illumination system to direct energy toward a front side and a back side of the specimen during movement of the stage, wherein the specimen comprises a wafer;
• controlling the detection system to detect energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen during the movement of the stage and to detect energy propagating from the back side of the specimen during the movement of the stage;
• and
• generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen and the detected energy propagating from the back side of the specimen;
• and
• processing the one or more output signals to determine a first characteristic of detects on the front side of the specimen and to determine a second characteristic of macro defects on the back side of the specimen.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

• forming a portion of the semiconductor device upon a specimen, wherein the specimen comprises a wafer;
• disposing the specimen upon a stage, wherein the stage is coupled to a measurement device, and wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system;
• moving the stage;
• directing energy toward a front side and a back side of the specimen using the illumination system during movement of the stage;
• detecting energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen using the detection system during the movement of the stage;
• detecting energy propagating from the back side of the specimen using the detection system during the movement of the stage;
• generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen and the detected energy propagating from the back side of the specimen;
• and
• processing the one or more output signals to determine a first characteristic of detects on the front side of the specimen a second characteristic of macro defects on the back side of the specimen.

A system configured to determine at least one characteristic of defects on at least two sides of a specimen during use comprising:

• a stage configured to support the specimen during use, wherein the stage is further configured to move during use, and wherein the specimen comprises a wafer;
• a measurement device coupled to the stage, comprising:
• an illumination system configured to direct energy toward a front side and a back side of the specimen during movement of the stage;
• and
• a detection system coupled to the illumination system and configured to detect energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen during the movement of the stage and to detect energy propagating from the back side of the specimen during the movement of the stage, wherein the measurement device is configure to generate one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen and the detected energy propagating from the back side of the specimen;
• a local processor coupled to the measurement device and configured to at least partially process the one or more output signals during use;
• and
• a remote controller computer coupled to the local processor, wherein the remote controller computer is configured to receive the at least partially processed one or more otuput signals and to determine a first characteristic of defects on the front side of the specimen from the at least partially processed one or more output signals during use and a second characteristic of macro defects on the back side of the specimen from the at least partially processed one or more output signals during use.

A method for determining at least one characteristic of defects on at least two sides of a specimen, comprising:

• disposing the specimen upon a stage, wherein the specimen comprises a wafer, wherein the stage is coupled to a measurement device, and wherein the measurement device comprises an illumination system and a detection system;
• moving the stage;
• directing energy toward a front side and a back side of the specimen using the illumination system during movement of the stage;
• detecting energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen using the detection system during the movement of the stage;
• detecting energy propagating from the back side of the specimen using the detect on system during the movement of the stage;
• generating one or more output signals responsive to the detected energy propagating along multiple paths from the front side of the specimen and the detected energy propagating from the back side of the specimen;
• and
• processing the one or more output signals to determine a first characteristic of defects on the front side of the specimen and a second characteristic of macro defects on the back sid of the specimen, comprising:
• at least partially processing the one or more output signals using a local pocessor, wherein the local processor is coupled to the measurement device;
• sending the at least partially processed one or more output signals from the local processor to a remote controller computer;
• and
• further processing the at least partially processed one or more output signal using the remote controller computer.