Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for detecting defects in wafer manufacturing

US8532364B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by

3References

16Claims

0Family size

Assignee

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH · DE

Inventors

Alexander Urban · Gifhorn, DE
Peter Schaeffler · Essenbach, DE
Andreas Pfeiffer · Nuremberg, DE
Holger Schwekendiek · Freising, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Feb 11, 2010
Grant date	Sep 10, 2013
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 2, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01N2021/8812
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor wafer (8) has a plurality of light sensors (2) arranged relative to a light source (1) and wafer inspection platform (4), so that images of different angle views of a surface of the wafer can be received and compared with corresponding images taken of a reference wafer to automatically detect defects based on image comparison. The light sensors (2) may receive superposed images of light (7) reflected directly from the light source (1) off the wafer surface and light (6) indirectly reflected off the wafer surface after first reflecting off a dome (3) with a diffusely reflecting inner surface (5) positioned over the platform (4).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.