Kla Tencor Corporation

Romain Sappey

Steven W Meeks

Harald F Hess

Shouhong Tang

Thomas Carr

Mahendra Prabhu Ramachandran

Tom Carr

Defect detection and photoluminescence measurement of a sample directing a beam of oblique-illumination wavelength light onto a portion of the sample, directing a beam of normal-illumination wavelength light for causing one or more photoluminescing defects of the sample to emit photoluminescent light onto a portion of the sample, collecting defect scattered radiation or photoluminescence radiation from the sample, separating the radiation from the sample into a first portion of radiation in the visible spectrum, a second portion of radiation including the normal-illumination wavelength light, and at least a third portion of radiation including the oblique-illumination wavelength light, measuring one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation; detecting one or more photoluminescence defects or one or more scattering defects based on the measured one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation.

System and method for defect detection and photoluminescence measurement of a sample

One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented method of processing spectral luminescence mapping data obtained from a substrate, the substrate having an epitaxial layer stack that includes a multiple quantum well. A spectral luminescence and an epi thickness at a location on the substrate are obtained. A spectral modulation for the location may be computed given the epi thickness and material indices of refraction. The underlying luminescence spectrum may then be generated by dividing the measured spectral luminescence by the spectral modulation. Subsequently, a peak wavelength and other parameters may be obtained from the underlying luminescence spectrum. In another embodiment, the underlying luminescence spectrum may be determined, without the epi thickness measurement, using a self-consistent technique. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for spectral luminescence mapping and epitaxial thickness measurement. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for spectral luminescence measurement

Various embodiments for substrate inspection are provided.

Substrate inspection

A system with two unequal path interferometers, with a first flat, a second flat, and a cavity between the first and second flats, a holder to receive an object in the cavity such that an optical path remains open between the first and second flats, and a motor coupled to the holder such that the object may be tilted in the cavity to allow for measurements of, and a radiation assembly to direct collimated radiation to the interferometer assembly, a collecting assembly to collect radiation received from the interferometer assembly, and a controller comprising logic to; vary a wavelength of the radiation, record interferograms, extract phases of the interferograms to produce phase maps, determine from each map areas with high slopes, tilt the holder to allow measurement of the high slope areas, and process measurement that covers the entire surface of the object.

Measuring the shape and thickness variation of a wafer with high slopes

In one embodiment, a system to measure defects on a surface of a wafer and an edge of the wafer using a single tool comprises a scatterometer to identify at least one defect region on the surface and a surface profile height measuring tool to measure one or more characteristics of the surface in the defect region with a surface profile height measuring tool.

Surface characteristic analysis

In one embodiment, a method of dynamic reference plane compensation, comprises impinging radiation from a first radiation source onto a surface of an object; generating an uncompensated measurement signal from radiation reflected from a first location on the surface and a second location; generating a compensation signal from radiation reflected from a third location and a fourth location on the surface; and generating a compensated measurement signal using the uncompensated measurement signal and the compensation signal.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Romain Sappey