Scanning Probe Inspector for Deep Trench Defect Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) are unable to detect defects in deep trenches due to the limited size of their probes or probe tips, which restricts their measurable space and prevents the formation of probe junctions necessary for defect detection.
Innovation Solution
A scanning probe inspector is designed with a probe featuring a cantilever and tip of length corresponding to the trench depth, equipped with a trench detector to acquire location information and a controller to move the tip through the trench, allowing for precise detection of defects on sidewalls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional SPMs use standard-sized probes, then the device complexity and ease of operation are maintained, but the measurement precision and ability to detect defects in deep trenches deteriorate due to limited measurable space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the probe by extending its length to match the trench depth, enabling the probe tip to reach the bottom of deep trenches for defect detection. This parameter modification directly resolves the limitation of conventional SPMs that cannot measure deep structures.
2Measurement precision
If the probe length is extended to match trench depth, then the measurement precision for deep trench defects improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional components needed for precise positioning and control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the inspection system into distinct functional modules: a trench detector for acquiring location information, a controller for coordinating probe movement, and a defect detector for analyzing sidewall defects. This segmentation manages complexity by organizing functions into separate, manageable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The trench detector performs preliminary action by acquiring location information of the trench before the defect detection process begins. This preliminary positioning enables the controller to accurately guide the probe to the correct location, simplifying the overall control process.
3Productivity
If conventional SPMs use standard probes, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the productivity for inspecting deep trench structures deteriorates due to inability to detect defects
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the probe length parameter to match trench depth, the system gains the capability to inspect deep trench structures that were previously inaccessible, thereby improving productivity for advanced semiconductor devices with deeper trenches.
Data Source
AI summary
A scanning probe inspector comprises: a probe that includes a cantilever and a tip whose length corresponds to a depth of a trench that is formed in a wafer; a trench detector that acquires location information of the trench using the probe, where the location information includes depth information of the trench; a controller that inserts the tip into a first point where there exists a trench based on the location information of the trench, and moves the tip through the trench using the location information of the trench; and a defect detector that detects a presence of a defect in a sidewall of the trench as the tip is moved through the trench.