Dynamic Care Area Generation for Semiconductor Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current defect inspection systems face challenges in efficiently generating and processing care areas on semiconductor wafers due to the large data overhead associated with design data, which affects throughput and accuracy, especially when trying to identify defects without sacrificing inspection speed or resolution.
Innovation Solution
The system generates care areas directly on the inspection tool using pre-processed design data stored locally, allowing for efficient identification of defects by defining care areas based on target patterns and their spatial relationships within the design data, reducing the need for extensive data transfer and improving inspection efficiency and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If design data is transferred to the inspection tool for care area generation, then care area definition accuracy is improved, but data transfer overhead increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing of design data to extract only the essential care area definition information before inspection. By pre-processing the design data to identify and extract only the necessary care area parameters and coordinates, the system reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred and processed during the actual inspection, thereby maintaining accuracy while improving throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential care area definition information from the complete design data set. By taking out and isolating only the relevant care area parameters, coordinates, and boundaries needed for inspection, the system eliminates unnecessary data transfer overhead while preserving the accuracy required for precise care area definition
2Reliability
If large data files specifying care area attributes are transferred, then comprehensive care area definition is improved, but data transfer time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential care area definition information from the complete design data set. By taking out and isolating only the relevant care area parameters, coordinates, and boundaries needed for inspection, the system eliminates unnecessary data transfer overhead while preserving the accuracy required for precise care area definition
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary processing of design data to extract only the essential care area definition information before inspection. By pre-processing the design data to identify and extract only the necessary care area parameters, the system reduces data transfer time while maintaining definition completeness
3Measurement precision
If design coordinates are registered with the sample, then coordinate correlation accuracy is improved, but registration overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential coordinate correlation information from the complete design data. By isolating only the necessary coordinate transformation parameters and reference points needed for alignment, the system reduces registration complexity while maintaining the precision required for accurate coordinate correlation
4Reliability
If the entire wafer surface is inspected, then comprehensive defect detection is improved, but inspection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the wafer inspection area into discrete care areas based on design-defined regions of interest. By dividing the entire wafer surface into specific care areas that need inspection and excluding non-critical regions, the system maintains comprehensive defect detection within relevant areas while significantly reducing total inspection time
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different inspection characteristics to different care areas based on their specific requirements. By tailoring inspection parameters, resolution, and sensitivity to each care area's specific needs rather than applying uniform inspection across the entire wafer, the system optimizes defect detection effectiveness while reducing unnecessary inspection time in low-risk areas
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances defect detection efficiency and accuracy by reducing the inspected surface area, minimizing spurious signals, and enabling targeted inspection analysis, while maintaining high resolution and speed, by generating care areas on the inspection tool without additional data transfer requirements.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination source configured to generate a beam of illumination
Implementation Method 2
a detector configured to collect illumination emanating from the sample
Data Source
AI summary
A defect inspection system includes an inspection sub-system and a controller communicatively coupled to the detector. The inspection sub-system includes an illumination source configured to generate a beam of illumination, a set of illumination optics to direct the beam of illumination to a sample, and a detector configured to collect illumination emanating from the sample. The controller includes a memory device and one or more processors configured to execute program instructions. The controller is configured to determine one or more target patterns corresponding to one or more features on the sample, define one or more care areas on the sample based on the one or more target patterns and design data of the sample stored within the memory device of the controller, and identify one or more defects within the one or more care areas of the sample based on the illumination collected by the detector.