Macronix International Co., Ltd.

Kun-Yu Liu

Wei-Ming Chen

Wu-An Weng

Chun-Chieh Chen

Lien-Che Ho

Wang-Tsai Hsu

Yi-Chieh Lai

The invention describes a method to facilitate the use of low-sensitivity monitoring equipment for detecting and monitoring defects on the surface of semiconductor wafers. The method includes the use of a hydrofluoric acid solution for increasing the dimensions of a defect and the application of a thin-film layer of a metal, such as titanium, for improving the appearance of the defect such that the defect dimensions increase to above 0.1 nanometer, the detection threshold for economical low-sensitivity monitoring equipment.

Monitoring semiconductor wafer defects below one nanometer

The present invention provides a method of producing an added defect count for monitoring the property of chambers or wafers. First, a proper pre-process sensitivity is determined with map to map process by maximizing the summation of a mapping rate and a catching rate. Second, a wafer is scanned with the proper pre-process sensitivity and a pre-process particle number P is recorded. Third, a manufacturing step is processed on the wafer. Fourth, the wafer is scanned with the most sensitive scale of the post-process sensitivities and a post-process particle number P is recorded. Finally, the post-process particle number P is subtracted from the pre-process particle number P .

Method of calculating the real added defect counts

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Kun-Yu Liu