US2006066842A1PendingUtilityA1

Wafer inspection with a customized reflective optical channel component

52
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 30, 2004Filed: Sep 30, 2004Published: Mar 30, 2006
Est. expirySep 30, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Winston Allen SaundersJames S. Clarke
G01N 21/9501G01N 21/956
52
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Claims

Abstract

A method is described that adjusts the position of a item and sets a tilt angle for each of a plurality of micro-mirrors of a digital micro-mirror device. The setting of the tilt angles is to establish a filter within the optical channel of an inspection tool that inspects the item. The filter is to reduce noise received at an optical detection device. The tilt angle settings are a function of the position. The method also includes comparing information from the optical detection device that describes an inspected region of the item's surface against an expected version of the information.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . A machine readable medium comprising program code that when executed on a computing system's processing core cause said computing system to perform a method, said method comprising: 
 adjusting the position of a item;    setting a tilt angle for each of a plurality of micro-mirrors of a digital micro-mirror device to establish a filter within the optical channel of an inspection tool that inspects said item, said filter to reduce noise received at an optical detection device, said tilt angle settings being a function of said position; and,    comparing information from said optical detection device that describes an inspected region of said item's surface against an expected version of said information.    
   
   
       6 . The machine readable medium of  claim 5  wherein said item is a semiconductor wafer comprising patterned features on its surface.  
   
   
       7 . The machine readable medium of  claim 5  wherein said method further comprises setting a tilt angle further comprises: 
 setting a first group of said micro-mirrors to a first tilt angle that reflects light into said optical channel;    setting a second group of said micro-mirrors to a second tilt angle that reflects light out of the optical channel.    
   
   
       8 . The machine readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said first tilt angle is 0° relative to the surface place of said digital micro-mirror device.  
   
   
       9 . The machine readable medium of  claim 5  wherein said method further comprises flagging a defect in said surface as a consequence of said comparing revealing a difference between said information and said expected version of said information.  
   
   
       10 . The machine readable medium of  claim 5  wherein said method further comprises: 
 setting a tilt angle for each of a plurality of micro-mirrors of a second digital micro-mirror device to establish a second filter within said optical channel, said second filter also to reduce noise received at said optical detection device, said tilt angle settings for said second digital micro-mirror device also being a function of said position.    
   
   
       11 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10  wherein said item is a semiconductor wafer comprising patterned features on its surface.  
   
   
       12 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10  wherein said method further comprises setting a tilt angle further comprises: 
 setting a first group of said micro-mirrors to a first tilt angle that reflects light into said optical channel;    setting a second group of said micro-mirrors to a second tilt angle that reflects light out of the optical channel.    
   
   
       13 . The machine readable medium of  claim 12  wherein said first tilt angle is 0° relative to the surface place of said digital micro-mirror device.  
   
   
       14 . The machine readable medium of  claim 10  wherein said method further comprises flagging a defect in said surface as a consequence of said comparing revealing a difference between said information and said expected version of said information.  
   
   
       15 . The machine readable medium of  claim 5  wherein said digital micro-mirror device is positioned at a location along said optical channel that resides between said optical channel's light source and said wafer.  
   
   
       16 . The machine readable medium of  claim 5  wherein said digital micro-mirror device is positioned at a location along said optical channel that resides between said wafer and said optical detection device.  
   
   
       17 . A method, comprising: 
 adjusting the position of a item;    setting a tilt angle for each of a plurality of micro-mirrors of a digital micro-mirror device to establish a filter within the optical channel of an inspection tool that inspects said item, said filter to reduce noise received at an optical detection device, said tilt angle settings being a function of said position; and,    comparing information from said optical detection device that describes an inspected region of said item's surface against an expected version of said information.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said item is a semiconductor wafer comprising patterned features on its surface.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said method further comprises setting a tilt angle further comprises: 
 setting a first group of said micro-mirrors to a first tilt angle that reflects light into said optical channel;    setting a second group of said micro-mirrors to a second tilt angle that reflects light out of the optical channel.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said first tilt angle is 0° relative to the surface place of said digital micro-mirror device.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said method further comprises flagging a defect in said surface as a consequence of said comparing revealing a difference between said information and said expected version of said information.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said method further comprises: 
 setting a tilt angle for each of a plurality of micro-mirrors of a second digital micro-mirror device to establish a second filter within said optical channel, said second filter also to reduce noise received at said optical detection device, said tilt angle settings for said second digital micro-mirror device also being a function of said position.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said item is a semiconductor wafer comprising patterned features on its surface.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said method further comprises setting a tilt angle further comprises: 
 setting a first group of said micro-mirrors to a first tilt angle that reflects light into said optical channel;    setting a second group of said micro-mirrors to a second tilt angle that reflects light out of the optical channel.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said first tilt angle is 0° relative to the surface place of said digital micro-mirror device.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said method further comprises flagging a defect in said surface as a consequence of said comparing revealing a difference between said information and said expected version of said information.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said digital micro-mirror device is positioned at a location along said optical channel that resides between said optical channel's light source and said wafer.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said digital micro-mirror device is positioned at a location along said optical channel that resides between said wafer and said optical detection device.

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