Automated repetitive array microstructure defect inspection

A defect inspection system for detecting defects in microfabricated structures having repetitive and non-repetitive regions, the system comprising:

• an XY stage disposed to support the microfabricated structures for inspection;
• a microscope and detector oriented with respect to the XY stage so as to acquire contrast data of the microfabricated structures supported thereby;
• an image computer equipped with stored program instructions for processing the contrast data to find repetitive regions of the microfabricated structures by creating at least one X-direction one-dimensional profile of a cell-metric of the contrast data and at least one Y-direction one-dimensional profile of the cell-metric of the contrast data and thresholding the at least one X-direction one-dimensional profile and the at least one Y-direction one-dimensional profile, and comparing those portions of the contrast data obtained from the repetitive regions with reference data concerning said repetitive regions to detect defects in the microfabricated structures.

A defect inspection system for detecting defects in microfabricated structures having repetitive and non-repetitive regions, the system comprising:

• XY stage means disposed to support the microfabricated structures for inspection;
• microscope means and detector means oriented with respect to the XY stage means so as to acquire contrast data of the microfabricated structures supported thereby;
• means for processing the contrast data to find repetitive regions of the microfabricated structures by creating at least one X-direction one-dimensional profile of a cell-metric of the contrast data and at least one Y-direction one-dimensional profile of the cell-metric of the contrast data and thresholding the at least one X-direction one-dimensional profile and the at least one Y-direction one-dimensional profile, and for comparing those portions of the contrast data from the repetitive regions with reference data concerning the repetitive regions to the detect defects in the microfabricated structures.