Wafer Defect Region Detection With Color-Mapped Pattern Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor defect detection technologies, such as those using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, struggle to easily identify the regions of defects on wafers due to the limitations of gray scale color representation.
Innovation Solution
A defect region detection device that generates a color mapping image by measuring pattern information and assigning colors to pattern regions based on gauge data, allowing for easy identification of defective regions on wafers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If gray scale color SEM images are used for defect detection, then measurement precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in identifying defect regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color mapping to the gray scale SEM image by assigning different colors to different gray level ranges. This transforms the monochromatic image into a color-coded representation where defect regions become visually distinguishable through color differentiation, directly improving ease of operation while preserving the underlying measurement precision of the original gray scale data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a color dimension to the existing gray scale image data. By mapping gray levels to color spaces, it transforms a two-dimensional gray scale representation into a three-dimensional color-coded visualization, enabling easier defect identification without losing the precision information contained in the original gray scale measurements
2Ease of operation
If color mapping is applied to pattern regions, then ease of operation improves for defect identification, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gray scale image into multiple gray level ranges and assigns different colors to each range. This segmentation approach breaks down the complex color mapping task into manageable discrete intervals, simplifying the processing logic while achieving effective defect region visualization and identification
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a defect region detection device which includes a measuring unit that measures pattern information in one or more pattern regions based on a pattern image including the one or more pattern regions and generates gauge data, and a color mapping unit that maps a color corresponding to the gauge data to each of the one or more pattern regions based on the pattern image and the gauge data and generates a color mapping image. The defect region detection device detects a defective region based on the color assigned to each of the one or more pattern regions of the color mapping image.