Inspection system setup techniques

A method for optimizing a semiconductor inspection station comprising:

• scanning a semiconductor wafer with an inspection station, the semiconductor wafer having a plurality of similarly structured device areas;
• detecting feature differences between pairs of the device areas;
• generating a set of feature difference data comprising a plurality of feature magnitudes and feature locations;
• storing the set of feature difference data at the inspection station as a native file;
• accessing the native file representing the set of feature difference data directly from a review station;
• reading data related to a first one of the feature differences within the entire set of feature difference data directly from the review station;
• locating and reviewing, at the review station, the first feature difference;
• categorizing the first feature difference as either a defect or a nuisance;
• and
• incorporating the categorization of the first feature difference into the stored set of feature difference data;
• thereby allowing the review station to directly process the native file representing the set of feature difference data stored at the inspection station without using a intermediate database for transferring the set of feature difference data from the inspection station to the review station.

A method for optimizing a semiconductor inspection station comprising:

• scanning a semiconductor wafer with an inspection station, the semiconductor wafer having plurality of similarly structured device areas;
• detecting feature differences between pairs of the device areas;
• generating a set of feature difference data comprising a plurality of feature magnitudes and feature locations;
• storing the set of feature difference data at the inspection station;
• accessing the set of feature difference data directly from a review station;
• reading data related to a first one of the feature differences within the entire set of feature difference data directly from the review station;
• locating and reviewing, at the review station, the first feature difference;
• categorizing the first feature difference as either a defect or a nuisance;
• incorporating the categorization of the first feature difference into the stored set of feature difference date;
• and
• optimizing a recipe for detecting feature differences at the inspection station based on the incorporated categorization of the first feature difference into the set of feature difference data so as to more accurately distinguish between nuisances and defects at the inspection station:
• thereby allowing the review station to directly process the set of feature difference data stored at the inspection station without using an intermediate database for transferring the set of feature difference data from the inspection station to the review station.

A semiconductor review station comprising:

• a review station graphical user interface that allows a user to operate the review station, the review station graphical user interface located at the review station;
• and
• a first inspection device graphical user interface located at the review station that allows a user who is located at the review station to directly process a native file stored at an inspection station and representing a set of feature difference data generated by the inspection station, without using an intermediate database for transferring the set of feature difference data from the inspection station to the review station;
• wherein the set of feature difference data comprises a plurality of feature magnitudes, feature locations and image patches.