Defect classification utilizing data from a non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor

US7900526B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Qcept Technologies, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jeffrey Hawthorne · Palo Alto, US
• M. Brandon Steele · Decatur, US
• Yeyuan Yang · Marietta, US
• Mark Schulze · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 30, 2007
• Grant date: Mar 8, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 31, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L22/14
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and system for identifying and classifying non-uniformities on the surface of a semiconductor or in a semiconductor. The method and system involves scanning the wafer surface with a non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor to detect the locations of non-uniformities, extracting features characteristic of the non-uniformities, and applying a set of rules to these features to classify the type of each non-uniformity.