The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 26, 2005
Zeev Smilansky, Meishar, IL;
Sagie Tsadka, Yavne, IL;
Zvi Lapidot, Rehovot, IL;
Rivi Sherman, Ramat-Hasharon, IL;
Zeev Smilansky, Meishar, IL;
Sagie Tsadka, Yavne, IL;
Zvi Lapidot, Rehovot, IL;
Rivi Sherman, Ramat-Hasharon, IL;
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method is provided for the detection of defects on a semiconductor wafer by checking individual pixels on the wafer, collecting the signature of each pixel, defined by the way in which it responds to the light of a scanning beam, and determining whether the signature is that of a faultless pixel or of a pixel that is defective or suspect to be defective. An apparatus is also provided for the determination of such defects, which comprises a stage for supporting a wafer, a laser source generating a beam that is directed onto the wafer, collecting optics and photoelectric sensors for collecting the laser light scattered by the wafer in a number of directions and generating corresponding analog signals, an A/D converter deriving from the signals digital components defining pixel signatures, and selection systems for identifying the signatures of suspect pixels and verifying whether the suspect pixels are indeed defective.