Pixel based machine for patterned wafers

A method of inspecting a patterned wafer for defects, the method comprising:

• illuminating the wafer with a pulsating laser;
• establishing relative motion between the wafer and the pulsating laser;
• acquiring scattered light from the wafer with a plurality of CCD detector arrays, each of the CCD detector arrays concurrently acquiring at least partially different portions of light scattered from adjacent and at least partially different areas of the wafer;
• and
• applying a die-to-die comparison method to detect defects,
• wherein said die-to-die comparison method is a vector die-to-die comparison method.

A method for inspecting a patterned wafer, the method comprising:

• illuminating the wafer with at least one pulsating light source;
• establishing relative motion between the wafer and the light source;
• acquiring scattered light from the wafer with a plurality of detector arrays, each of the detector arrays concurrently acquiring at least partially different portions of scattered light from at least partially different areas of the wafer;
• and
• applying a die-to-die comparison method to detect defects,
• wherein said die-to-die comparison method is a vector die-to-die comparison method.

A method of inspecting a patterned wafer, the method comprising:

• illuminating the wafer with at least one pulsating light source such that a plurality of different areas of the wafer are concurrently illuminated;
• concurrently acquiring scattered light from at least partially different areas of the wafer with a plurality of detector arrays, each of the detector arrays acquiring different portions of the scattered light that correspond to the different areas of the wafer;
• and
• detecting defects by a comparison methods,
• wherein said comparison method is a vector die-to-die comparison method.

A system for inspecting a patterned wafer for defects, the system comprising:

• a pulsed laser for illuminating the wafer;
• a stage that provides relative motion between the wafer and the laser;
• an optical assembly having a first detector array and a second detector array, the first detector array for acquiring first scattered light from a first area of the wafer, the second detector array for acquiring second scattered light from a second area of the wafer, the first area of the wafer being at least partially different than the second area of the wafer, the first scattered light being at least partially different than the second scattered light, the optical assembly being configured such that the first detector array acquires the first scattered light concurrently with the second detector array acquiring the second scattered light;
• and
• a processor that applies a die-to-die comparison method to detect defects,
• wherein said die-to-die comparison method is a vector die-to-die comparison method.

A system for inspecting a patterned wafer for defects, the system comprising:

• a pulsed laser;
• a stage that provides relative motion between the wafer and the laser;
• a plurality of CCD detector arrays for acquiring scattered light from the wafer, each of the CCD detector arrays concurrently acquiring at least partially different portions of light scattered from adjacent and at least partially different areas of the wafer;
• and
• a processor that applies a die-to-die comparison method to detect defects, said die-to-die comparison method being a vector die-to-die comparison method.

A system for inspecting a patterned wafer, the system comprising:

• at least one pulsed light source;
• means for establishing relative motion between the wafer and the light source;
• a plurality of detector arrays for acquiring scattered light from the wafer, each of the detector arrays being configured to concurrently acquire at least partially different portions of scattered light from at least partially different areas of the wafer;
• and
• means for applying a vector die-to-die comparison method to detect defects.

A system of inspecting a patterned wafer, the system comprising:

• at least one pulsating light source that concurrently illuminates a plurality of different areas of the wafer;
• a plurality of detector arrays configured to concurrently acquire scattered light from at least partially different areas of the wafer, each of the detector arrays acquiring different portions of the scattered light that correspond to the different areas of the wafer;
• and
• a processor that detects defects by a comparison method,
• wherein said comparison method is a vector die-to-die comparison method.