Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Kla Tencor Corporation

Tsung-Pao Fang

Chien-Huei (Adam) Chen

Eugene Shifrin

Xiaoming Wang

Ellis Chang

Yan Xiong

Jianxin Zhang

Methods for identifying an edge of a care area for an array area formed on a wafer and/or for binning defects detected in the array area are provided. One method for identifying an edge of a care area for an array area formed on a wafer includes determining a value for a difference image as a function of position from a position known to be inside the array area to a position known to be outside of the array area. The method also includes identifying the position that is located closest to the inside of the array area and that has the value greater than a threshold as a position of the edge of the care area.

Methods for accurate identification of an edge of a care area for an array area formed on a wafer and methods for binning defects detected in an array area formed on a wafer

Various methods and systems for determining a defect criticality index (DCI) for defects on wafers are provided. One computer-implemented method includes determining critical area information for a portion of a design for a wafer surrounding a defect detected on the wafer by an inspection system based on a location of the defect reported by the inspection system and a size of the defect reported by the inspection system. The method also includes determining a DCI for the defect based on the critical area information, a location of the defect with respect to the critical area information, and the reported size of the defect.

Methods and systems for determining a defect criticality index for defects on wafers

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Tsung-Pao Fang