Wafer examination and critical dimension estimation using scattered light

Richard H. Krukar; Susan M. Gaspar; Scott R. Wilson; Donald R. Hush; S. Sohail H. Naqvi; John Robert McNeil

doi:10.1117/12.130298

1 August 1992 Wafer examination and critical dimension estimation using scattered light

Richard H. Krukar, Susan M. Gaspar, Scott R. Wilson, Donald R. Hush, S. Sohail H. Naqvi, John Robert McNeil

Proceedings Volume 1661, Machine Vision Applications in Character Recognition and Industrial Inspection; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.130298
Event: SPIE/IS&T 1992 Symposium on Electronic Imaging: Science and Technology, 1992, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

We have applied optical scatter techniques to improve several aspects of microelectronic manufacturing. One technique involves characterizing light scattered from two dimensional device structures, such as those from VLSI circuitry etched on a wafer, using a frosted dome which is imaged by a CCD camera. Previously, limited dynamic range available from affordable digital imaging systems has prevented the study of two dimensional scatter patterns. We have demonstrated a simple technique to increase the dynamic range by combining multiple images taken at different intensities. After the images have been acquired, image processing techniques are used to find and catalog the diffraction orders. Techniques such as inverse least squares, principal component analysis, and neural networks are then used to evaluate the dependence of the light scatter on a particular wafer characteristic under examination. Characterization of surface planarization over a VLSI structure and measurement of line edge roughness of diffraction gratings are presented as examples.

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Richard H. Krukar, Susan M. Gaspar, Scott R. Wilson, Donald R. Hush, S. Sohail H. Naqvi, and John Robert McNeil "Wafer examination and critical dimension estimation using scattered light", Proc. SPIE 1661, Machine Vision Applications in Character Recognition and Industrial Inspection, (1 August 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.130298

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KEYWORDS

Semiconducting wafers

Diffraction gratings

Light scattering

Diffraction

Edge roughness

Fourier transforms

Neural networks

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