Range-based real-time scanning electron microscope non-visual binner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9947596-B2
Application number	US-201615227698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2015
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A technique to identify non-visual defects, such as SEM non-visual defects (SNVs), includes generating an image of a layer of a wafer, evaluating at least one attribute of the image using a classifier, and identifying the non-visual defects on the layer of the wafer. A controller can be configured to identify the non-visual defects using the classifier. This controller can communicate with a defect review tool, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a defect review tool, wherein the defect review tool has a stage configured to clamp a wafer; and
a controller configured to communicate with the defect review tool, wherein the controller is configured to identify a non-visual defect on a layer of the wafer using a classifier, wherein the controller identifies the non-visual defect by using the classifier to filter at least one of topographical defects, intensity attributes, or energy attributes, wherein the topographical defects include a particle or a scratch, wherein the intensity attributes include a residue or a scum, and wherein the energy attributes include a void.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a processor configured to communicate with the defect review tool, a storage device in electronic communication with the processor containing the classifier, and a communication port in electronic communication with the processor for communicating with the defect review tool.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the defect review tool is a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-visual defect is an SEM non-visual defect (SNV).

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the classifier is configured to filter the topographical defects.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the classifier is configured to filter the intensity attributes.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the classifier is configured to filter the energy attributes.

8. A method comprising:
generating, using a defect review tool, an image of a layer on a wafer;
evaluating, using a processor, at least one attribute of the image using a classifier; and
identifying, using the processor, a non-visual defect on the layer of the wafer using the classifier, wherein the processor identifies the non-visual defect by using the classifier to filter at least one of topographical defects, intensity attributes, or energy attributes, wherein the topographical defects include a particle or a scratch, wherein the intensity attributes include a residue or a scum, and wherein the energy attributes include a void.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising defining, using the processor, an upper limit and lower limit for non-visual defects, wherein the non-visual defect that is identified is between the upper limit and the lower limit.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the classifier filters the topographical defects.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the classifier filters the intensity attributes.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the classifier filters the energy attributes.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the classifier is configured to be used on each layer of the wafer.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the generating uses a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-visual defect is an SEM non-visual defect (SNV).

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the comparing and identifying may be performed in real-time with the generating.

Assignees

• Kla Tencor Corp

Inventors

• Kumar Roy Hemanta
• Jain Arpit
• Yati Arpit
• Moreau Olivier
• Lobo Arun

Classifications

• H01J2237/2817

  Pattern inspection · CPC title

• H01J2237/24592

  Inspection and quality control of devices · CPC title

• G01Q30/02

  Non-SPM analysing devices, e.g. SEM [Scanning Electron Microscope], spectrometer or optical microscope · CPC title

• G01N21/9501 Primary

  Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20) · CPC title

• G01N21/8806

  Specially adapted optical and illumination features · CPC title