Various methods and systems for determining a position of inspection data in design data space are provided. One computer-implemented method includes determining a centroid of an alignment target formed on a wafer using an image of the alignment target acquired by imaging the wafer. The method also includes aligning the centroid to a centroid of a geometrical shape describing the alignment target. In addition, the method includes assigning a design data space position of the centroid of the alignment target as a position of the centroid of the geometrical shape in the design data space. The method further includes determining a position of inspection data acquired for the wafer in the design data space based on the design data space position of the centroid of the alignment target.

Methods and systems for determining a position of inspection data in design data space

Computer-implemented methods and systems for detecting defects in a reticle design pattern are provided. One computer-implemented method includes acquiring images of the reticle design pattern using a sensor disposed on a substrate arranged proximate to an image plane of an exposure system configured to perform a wafer printing process using the reticle design pattern. The images illustrate how the reticle design pattern will be projected on a wafer by the exposure system at different values of one or more parameters of the wafer printing process. The method also includes detecting defects in the reticle design pattern based on a comparison of two or more of the images corresponding to two or more of the different values.

Methods and systems for detecting defects in a reticle design pattern

Systems and methods for creating inspection recipes are provided. One computer-implemented method for creating an inspection recipe includes acquiring a first design and one or more characteristics of output of an inspection system for a wafer on which the first design is printed using a manufacturing process. The method also includes creating an inspection recipe for a second design using the first design and the one or more characteristics of the output acquired for the wafer on which the first design is printed. The first and second designs are different. The inspection recipe will be used for inspecting wafers after the second design is printed on the wafers using the manufacturing process.

Systems and methods for creating inspection recipes

Various methods and systems for using electrical information for a device being fabricated on a wafer to perform one or more defect-related functions are provided. One computer-implemented method includes using electrical information for a device being fabricated on a wafer to perform one or more defect-related functions. The one or more defect-related functions include one or more post-mask, defect-related functions.

Methods and systems for using electrical information for a device being fabricated on a wafer to perform one or more defect-related functions

Methods for generating a standard reference die for use in a die to standard reference die inspection and methods for inspecting a wafer are provided. One computer-implemented method for generating a standard reference die for use in a die to standard reference die inspection includes acquiring output of an inspection system for a centrally located die on a wafer and one or more dies located on the wafer. The method also includes combining the output for the centrally located die and the one or more dies based on within die positions of the output. In addition, the method includes generating the standard reference die based on results of the combining step.

Methods for generating a standard reference die for use in a die to standard reference die inspection and methods for inspecting a wafer

High Resolution reticle inspection is well-established as a proven, effective, and efficient means of detecting yield-limiting
mask defects as well as defects which are not immediately yield-limiting yet can enable manufacturing process
improvements. Historically, RAPID products have enabled detection of both classes of these defects. The newly-developed
Wafer Plane Inspection (WPI) detector technology meets the needs of some advanced mask manufacturers to
identify the lithographically-significant defects while ignoring the other non-lithographically-significant defects. Wafer
Plane Inspection accomplishes this goal by performing defect detection based on a modeled image of how the mask
features would actually print in the photoresist. This has the effect of reducing sensitivity to non-printing defects while
enabling higher sensitivity focused in high MEEF areas where small reticle defects still yield significant printing defects
on wafers.
WPI is a new inspection mode that has been developed by KLA-Tencor and is currently under test with multiple
customers. It employs the same transmitted and reflected-light high-resolution images as the industry-standard high-resolution
inspections, but with much more sophisticated processing involved. A rigorous mask pattern recovery
algorithm is used to convert the transmitted and reflected light images into a modeled representation of the reticle.
Lithographic modeling of the scanner is then used to generate an aerial image of the mask. This is followed by resist
modeling to determine the exposure of the photoresist. The defect detectors are then applied on this photoresist plane so
that only printing defects are detected. Note that no hardware modifications to the inspection system are required to
enable this detector. The same tool will be able to perform both our standard High Resolution inspections and the Wafer
Plane Inspection detector.
This approach has several important features. The ability to ignore non-printing defects and to apply additional effective
sensitivity in high MEEF areas enables advanced node development. In addition, the modeling allows the inclusion of
important polarization effects that occur in the resist for high NA operation. This allows for the results to better match
wafer print results compared to alternate approaches. Finally, the simulation easily allows for the application of
arbitrary illumination profiles. With this approach, users of WPI can make use of unique or custom scanner illumination
profiles. This allows the more precise modeling of profiles without inspection system hardware modification or loss of
company intellectual property.
This paper examines WPI in Die:Die mode. Future work includes a review of Die:Database WPI capability.

A novel approach: high resolution inspection with wafer plane defect detection

High Resolution reticle inspection is well-established as a proven, effective, and efficient means of detecting yieldlimiting
mask defects as well as defects which are not immediately yield-limiting yet can enable manufacturing process
improvements. Historically, RAPID products have enabled detection of both classes of these defects. The newlydeveloped
Wafer Plane Inspection (WPI) detector technology meets the needs of some advanced mask manufacturers to
identify the lithographically-significant defects while ignoring the other non-lithographically-significant defects. Wafer
Plane Inspection accomplishes this goal by performing defect detection based on a modeled image of how the mask
features would actually print in the photoresist. This has the effect of reducing sensitivity to non-printing defects while
enabling higher sensitivity focused in high MEEF areas where small reticle defects still yield significant printing defects
on wafers.
This approach has several important features. The ability to ignore non-printing defects and to apply additional effective
sensitivity in high MEEF areas enables advanced node development. In addition, the modeling allows the inclusion of
important polarization effects that occur in the resist for high NA operation. This allows for the results to better match
wafer print results compared to alternate approaches. Finally, the simulation easily allows for the application of
arbitrary illumination profiles. With this approach, users of WPI can make use of unique or custom scanner illumination
profiles. This allows the more precise modeling of profiles without inspection system hardware modification or loss of
company intellectual property.
A previous paper [1] introduced WPI in D:D mode. This paper examines the operation and results for WPI in
Die:Database mode.

High resolution inspection with wafer plane die: database defect detection

Wafer Plane Inspection (WPI) is an inspection mode on the KLA-Tencor TeraScan platform that uses the high signal-to-noise ratio images from the high numerical aperture mi croscope, and then models the entire lithographic process to enable defect detection on the wafer pl ane[1]. This technology meets the needs of some advanced mask manufacturers to identify the lithographically-significant defects while ignorin g the other non-lithographically-significant defects. WPI accomplishes this goal by performing defect detection base d on a modeled image of how the mask features would actually print in the photoresist. There are several advantag es to this approach: (1) the high fidelity of the images provide a sensitivity advantage over competing approaches; (2) the ability to perform defect detection on the wafer plane allows one to only see those defects that have a printing impact on the wafer; (3) the use of modeling on the lithographic portion of the flow enables unprecedented flexibility to support arbitrary illuminati on profiles, process-window inspection in unit time, and combination modes to find both printing and non-printing defects. WPI is proving to be a valuable addition to the KLA-Tencor detection algorithm suite. The modeling portion of WPI uses a single resist threshold as the final step in the processing. This has been shown to be adequate on several advanced customer layers, but is not id eal for all layers. Actual resist chemistry has complicated processes including acid and base-diffusion and quench that are not consistently well-modeled with a single resist threshold. We have considered the use of an advanced re sist model for WPI, but reject ed it because the burdensome requirements for the calibration of the model were not practical for reticle inspection. This paper describes an alternative approach that allows for a soft resi st threshold to be applied that provides a more robust solution for the most challenging processes. This approach is just finishing beta testing with a customer developing advanced node designs.

Song Pang

Papers

A novel approach: high resolution inspection with wafer plane defect detection

High resolution inspection with wafer plane die: database defect detection

Wafer Plane Inspection with Soft Resist Thresholding