Wafer Optical Inspection During Aligner Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer processing technologies face challenges in efficiently identifying defects during the manufacturing process, which can lead to sub-optimal products and increased processing times.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a manufacturing system that includes an aligner device to impart rotational motion to wafers and an optical inspection system to collect imaging data for defect identification, allowing for real-time defect detection during the alignment process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional separate inspection processes are used, then defect detection can be performed, but processing time increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the alignment process and defect inspection into a single integrated operation. The optical inspection system is positioned to inspect wafers during their rotational alignment motion, eliminating the need for separate inspection stations and reducing overall processing time while maintaining detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection is performed during the alignment phase, which is a preliminary operation before the wafer enters main processing. By detecting defects at this early stage, the system prevents defective wafers from consuming downstream processing resources, effectively reducing total manufacturing time.
2Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive defect inspection is implemented, then product quality improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical inspection system serves multiple functions: it inspects for defects, verifies alignment accuracy, and characterizes wafer features. This multi-functionality allows comprehensive quality control without adding separate specialized devices, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the wafer's own rotational alignment motion as the inspection mechanism. The alignment process itself generates the rotational movement that enables optical scanning, eliminating the need for separate inspection mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If real-time inspection during alignment is implemented, then throughput is maintained, but measurement precision may be compromised due to motion
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to perform inspection during the dynamic rotational alignment phase rather than requiring the wafer to be stationary. The optical system captures images at multiple angular positions during rotation, and software reconstructs the complete wafer image, maintaining measurement precision while enabling real-time inspection that preserves throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static single-point inspection to dynamic multi-angular inspection. By capturing images at multiple rotational positions and combining them computationally, the system achieves comprehensive defect detection accuracy equivalent to or better than stationary inspection, while maintaining continuous production flow.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems and techniques for fast and efficient detection of defects in wafers, including a system that has a factory interface (FI) coupled to a wafer carrier and a load lock chamber. The FI includes a robot fetches a wafer from the wafer carrier and deliver the first wafer to an aligner device. The aligner device imparts rotational motion to the wafer and identifies, using the rotational motion of the wafer, a position of a reference feature of the wafer. The FI further includes an optical inspection system that collects, during the rotational motion imparted to the wafer, an imaging data for the first wafer. The system further includes a processing device that performs evaluation, using the imaging data, of a presence of defect(s) in the wafer, and evaluates suitability of the wafer for wafer processing.