Electron Beam Inspection Region Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in IC manufacturing is the lengthy time required for electron beam inspection of chip surfaces due to the high resolution needed for nano-scale semiconductor technology, which often results in excessive inspection time and potential chip damage from overlapping inspection regions.
Innovation Solution
The method involves regenerating initial inspection regions with non-overlapping reset inspection regions, each covered by a field of view (FOV) that includes at least one defect point, and transferring their centers for electron beam inspection, thereby reducing inspection time and preventing chip damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electron beam inspection is performed with high resolution for small inspected area, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chip surface is divided into multiple non-overlapping inspection regions, each with a defined field of view (FOV). This segmentation allows the inspection system to focus on specific defect-containing regions rather than scanning the entire chip surface, thereby maintaining high measurement precision while significantly reducing the total inspection time.
2Reliability
If inspection regions are increased to maintain defect detection coverage, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Defect points are identified in advance through preliminary defect detection methods before the electron beam inspection. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-determine which regions contain defects and focus the high-resolution electron beam inspection only on those specific non-overlapping regions, ensuring reliable defect detection coverage while minimizing inspection time.
3Reliability
If inspection regions overlap to ensure defect coverage, then reliability is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection regions are segmented into non-overlapping areas, each centered on identified defect points. This segmentation ensures that each region is inspected only once, preventing cumulative damage to the chip from repeated electron beam exposure while maintaining complete defect coverage through strategic placement of inspection regions.
Data Source
AI summary
An electron beam (E beam) inspection optimization is provided, in which a plurality of initial inspection regions in a chip are obtained, wherein a center of each of the initial inspection regions is a defect point. Thereafter, reset inspection regions are regenerated without overlap, wherein each of the reset inspection regions is within a scope covered by a field of view (FOV) and the scope contains at least one of the defect points. Afterwards, a center of the reset inspection region is transferred into an inspection center, and then an E beam inspection is performed on the inspection center.