Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Deok-Yong Kim

Soo-Bok Chin

Woong-Kyu Son

Ji-Hye Lee

Sung-Soo Moon

Kwang-Hoon Kim

Choon-Shik Leem

Byoung-Ho Lee

Jung-Hoon Byun

Jae-Kwan Park

Seong-Jin Kim

Hyo-Cheon Kang

Jeong-ho Ahn

Duck-Sun Yang

The inventive concept provides apparatuses and methods for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes in real time using polarized light. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a light source configured to generate light, a beam splitter configured to reflect the light toward the wafer being processed, an objective polarizer configured to polarize the light reflected toward the wafer and to allow light reflected by the wafer to pass therethrough, a blaze grating configured to separate light reflected by the wafer according to wavelength, an array detector configured to detect the separated light and an analyzer to analyze the three-dimensional profile of the structure/pattern being formed in the wafer.

Methods for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes using polarized light

Apparatus and method for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes using polarized light

Methods of analyzing photolithography processes are provided. The methods may include obtaining an image from a pattern formed on a wafer and obtaining dimensions of the image. The methods may further include converting the dimensions into a profile graph and then dividing the profile graph into a low-frequency band profile graph and a high-frequency band profile graph.

Method of analyzing photolithography processes

A light is irradiated on a wafer including a plurality of pixels. Image information corresponding to each pixel is measured by sensing the light reflected by the wafer surface. A raw datum is calculated by subtracting the image information of a corresponding pixel from the image information of a target pixel. The target pixel is a subject pixel for detecting a defect. The corresponding pixel is a pixel located in a first device unit and corresponds to the target pixel. The first device unit is located adjacent to a second device unit that includes the target pixel. The threshold region is preset to have at least one pair of upper and lower limits. The target pixel is marked as a defective pixel when the raw datum thereof is included in the threshold region. Accordingly, the killer defect can be detected separate from the non-killer defects that are usually detected together with the killer defects.

Method and apparatus for detecting defects on a wafer

An apparatus for detecting particles located on an object includes an emitter for irradiating lights to the particles. The object is disposed on a stage in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the object. The apparatus further includes a driver for generating a relative motion between the emitter and the object for scanning the surface of the object with the lights and a detector for detecting the lights emitted from the emitter or lights scattered from the particle. With embodiments of the present invention, the particles can be quickly detected.

Apparatus and method for detecting particles on an object

A method for selecting reference images, a method and an apparatus for inspecting patterns on a wafer, and a method for dividing a wafer into application regions. In a method for inspecting patterns according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of reference dies may be selected and a difference in gray levels of images of the references dies may be determined. The reference dies may include a first die substantially centrally located on the wafer and at least one second die located at an edge portion of the wafer. One reference image is selected if the difference in gray levels is within a permitted tolerance and more than one reference image may be selected if the difference in gray levels is not within the permitted tolerance. A pattern inspection may be performed using the reference images.

Method for selecting reference images, method and apparatus for inspecting patterns on wafers, and method for dividing a wafer into application regions

According to a method of optimizing a focus of an optical inspection apparatus, a first light is irradiated onto a substrate. Then, the first light is reflected on the substrate to form a second light. The second light is sensed with various foci to form image information corresponding to each of the foci. Then, a relation between foci of the optical inspection apparatus and gain value corresponding to the image information is obtained. Then, the focus corresponding to a minimum gain value is set up as an optimized focus. Thus, a focus of an optical inspection apparatus is accurately adjusted to enhance efficiency of defecting defects, so that defects of semiconductor apparatus are more accurately detected.

Method of optimizing focus of optical inspection apparatus and method and apparatus of detecting defects using the same

A method for forming a semiconductor wafer such as a standard semiconductor wafer used in a surface analysis system. Openings may be formed by partially etching a semiconductor substrate, and an insulation film may be formed on the openings. Contact holes may be formed to expose portions of the semiconductor substrate and the insulation film in the openings. The contact holes may be inspected by the surface analysis system, and the reliability of data obtained from the surface analysis system may be more precisely discriminated.

Growing community of inventors

Gunpo-si, South Korea

Deok-Yong Kim