Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Sang-bong Choi

Sang-mun Chon

Chung-sam Jun

Pil-sik Hyun

Hyung-suk Cho

Chung-Sam Jun

Kyu-hong Lim

Byung-am Lee

Sang-Mun Chon

Hyoung-jin Kim

Dong-chun Lee

Sang-moon Chon

Jeong-kon Kim

Hyun-suk Cho

Chung-sam Chun

Sung-gon Ryu

Min-sub Kang

A method for correcting color variations on the surface of a wafer, a method for selectively detecting a defect from different patterns, and computer readable recording media for the same are provided. Color variations in images of different parts of a wafer can be corrected using the mean and standard deviation of grey level values for the pixels forming each of the different parts of the wafer. In addition, different threshold values are applied to metal interconnect patterns and spaces of the wafer so that a defect can be selectively detected from the different patterns. Thus, a bridge known as a fatal, or killing defect to a semiconductor device can be detected without also falsely detecting grains as fatal defects. Due to increased defect screening capacity of the methods, the defect detecting method can be further efficiently managed.

Wafer color variation correcting method, selective wafer defect detecting method, and computer readable recording media for the same

A method and device detect for the presence of defects, namely micro-scratches, in the surface of a wafer. Light is projected onto a medium at the surface of the wafer, at an angle at which light is not reflected by another layer that may be located under the medium. Light reflected by the surface of the wafer is converted into an electrical signal but any light scattered by the surface is excluded as much as possible from contributing to the formation of the signal. The electric signal corresponds to the intensity of the light reflected from the surface of the wafer. As the light is scanned across the wafer, the values of the electric signal are compared to yield a determination of whether defects are present in the medium. Because the light projected onto the surface of the wafer will be scattered by defects such as micro-scratches, the wafer can be successfully monitored for the existence of such micro-scratches. In particular, defects including micro-scratches formed in the medium can be detected regardless of the structure underlying the medium, such as a pattern layer.

Method of and device for detecting micro-scratches

A method of measuring the thickness of a thin layer, by which the thickness of a top layer formed on the surface of a wafer can be detected in real time, and an apparatus therefor. This method includes irradiating light onto a cell and obtaining luminance from reflected light, detecting the thickness of a thin layer in an oxide site which is adjacent to the cell, repeating the irradiating and detecting steps to obtain a plurality of luminance values from cells formed on the wafer and a plurality of thickness values of thin layers in oxide sites that are adjacent to the cells, and employing a thickness calculation formula for calculating the thickness of a top layer using the plurality of luminance values and plurality of thickness values obtained in the prior steps. The thickness of a thin layer is directly detected from the luminance of light reflected by the cell, so that it can be precisely detected in a non-destructive manner, thus making it possible to detect the thickness of a thin layer in real time during the manufacture of a semiconductor device.

Method and apparatus for detecting thickness of thin layer formed on a wafer

Embodiments of the present invention include methods for measuring a semiconductor wafer which has been subjected to an etching process. Light is radiated at the semiconductor wafer. Light within a selected wavelength band reflected from the semiconductor wafer is measured to provide an output value. A ratio of the output value and a reference value is determined. The reference value may be based on light within the selected wavelength band reflected from a reference surface, such as a bare silicon reference surface. It is determined that the semiconductor wafer is under-etched if the determined ratio does not meet the reference value. A normalized optical impedance or a polarization ratio may be measured based on light within a selected wave length band reflected from the semiconductor wafer to provide the output value in various embodiments of the present invention. In further aspects of the present invention, a thickness of a remaining oxide layer is determined using an under-etch recipe when it is determined that a semiconductor wafer is under-etched and a thickness of a damaged/polymer layer may be determined using an over-etch recipe when it is determined that the semiconductor wafer is over-etched.

Method of measuring etched state of semiconductor wafer using optical impedence measurement

There is provided a contact failure inspection system and method for semiconductor devices and a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices. Using digitized values for electron signals detected using a scanning electron microscope, contacts can be inspected to identify failures such as non-open contact holes. The contact failure inspection is performed by comparing the electron signal value detected from a unit area including at least one contact hole with values representative of the electron signal corresponding to a normal contact.

Apparatus and method for contact failure inspection in semiconductor devices

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Suwon, South Korea

Sang-bong Choi