All-Surface Wafer Inspection Data Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor wafer inspection methods focus primarily on the top surface, making it difficult to correlate and visualize defects on the edge and bottom surfaces simultaneously, which can impact yield and fabrication processes.
Innovation Solution
A system for capturing, calibrating, and concatenating all-surface inspection data from multiple tools, allowing for simultaneous data capture and analysis across the top, edge, and bottom surfaces of a semiconductor wafer using a unified data structure and coordinate system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate inspection tools are used for top, edge and back sides of the wafer, then each surface can be inspected, but the data cannot be correlated and visualized simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges data from multiple separate inspection tools into a unified data structure that correlates defects across all wafer surfaces. The system combines top surface, edge, and back surface inspection data into a single coordinate system, enabling simultaneous visualization and correlation of defects that would otherwise remain isolated in separate datasets.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system is designed to perform multiple functions by inspecting all wafer surfaces (top, edge, and back) using a coordinated multi-tool approach. The unified data structure serves as a universal platform that accommodates and integrates various types of inspection data, enabling comprehensive defect analysis across different surfaces and tool types.
2Ease of manufacture
If inspection focuses primarily on the top surface, then inspection simplicity is maintained, but defects on edge and bottom surfaces that impact yield are missed
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process is segmented into distinct surface inspections (top, edge, and back surfaces) performed by specialized tools, with each tool optimized for its specific surface. This segmentation maintains the simplicity of individual inspections while ensuring comprehensive coverage of all surfaces that could contain yield-impacting defects.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple inspection tools are used for all surfaces, then comprehensive defect data is captured, but data integration and correlation become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves data integration complexity by transforming multi-surface inspection data into a unified three-dimensional coordinate system. This dimensional approach allows defects on different surfaces (top, edge, back) to be positioned and correlated spatially, converting a complex multi-tool integration problem into a coordinated 3D spatial analysis that maintains data completeness while simplifying correlation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for capturing, calibrating and concatenating all-surface inspection and metrology data is herein disclosed. Uses of such data are also disclosed.