Abstract: An optical inspection system is presented, aimed at detecting defects on a substantially flat workpiece having an axis of symmetry. The workpiece is supported on a stage so as to be in an inspection plane, the stage being mounted for rotation in a plane parallel to the inspection plane. A scanning apparatus is accommodated above the workpiece, and comprises an illumination assembly, a plurality of optical assemblies, and a plurality of area sensors. The illumination assembly produces a plurality of incident radiation components for illuminating a strip on the workpiece extending parallel to the axis symmetry between two opposite sides thereof. The optical assemblies are aligned along the axis of symmetry in a spaced-apart parallel relationship, and are mounted for reciprocating movement within a plane parallel to an inspection area that covers substantially a half of the workpiece.

Abstract: A positioning assembly is presented for positioning a substantially disk-shaped workpiece in a registered position. The positioning assembly comprises spaced-apart guiding members defining a common support plane for supporting the workpiece, such that they engage the circumference of the workpiece at spaced-apart locations. Each guiding member is mounted for pivotal movement in the support plane between its two extreme positions. The movements of the guiding members transport the workpiece towards the registered position.

Abstract: An optical system is disclosed for the inspection of wafers during polishing which also includes a measurement system for measuring the thickness of the wafer's top layer. The optical system views the wafer through a window and includes a gripping system, which places the wafer in a predetermined viewing location while maintaining the patterned surface completely under water. The optical system also includes a pull-down unit for pulling the measurement system slightly below the horizontal prior to the measurement and returns the measuring system to the horizontal afterwards.

Abstract: A monitoring tool for monitoring an article in a wet environment, the monitoring tool including a monitoring station having an optical unit, a liquid holding unit for receiving the article, and a window, through which at least a portion of the article is viewable by the optical unit, a buffer station associated with the monitoring station having a plurality of supporting assemblies for receiving the article before and after being monitored, wherein at least one of the supporting assemblies includes a liquid receptacle for holding the article therein, and a gripping unit operating in conjunction with the monitoring station for moving the article from the buffer station to the liquid holding unit of the monitoring station.

Abstract: A test structure is presented to be formed on a patterned structure and to be used for controlling a CMP process applied to the patterned structure, which has a pattern area formed by spaced-apart metal-containing regions representative of real features of the patterned structure. The test structure thus undergoes the same CMP processing as the pattern area. The test structure comprises at least two structures aligned along a vertical axis in a spaced-apart parallel relationship, each structure comprising at least one pattern zone containing spaced-apart metal regions, the test structure thereby comprising at least one pair of vertically aligned upper and lower pattern zones. The upper and lower pattern zones in each pair have different patterns oriented with respect to each other such that the metal regions of the lower pattern are located underneath the spaces between the metal regions of the upper pattern.

Abstract: A method is presented for optical control of the quality of a process of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) performed by a polishing tool applied to an article having a patterned area. The article contains a plurality of stacks each formed by a plurality of different layers, thereby defining a pattern in the form of spaced-apart metal regions. The method is capable of locating at least one of residues, erosion and dishing conditions on the article. At least one predetermined site on the article is selected for control. This at least one predetermined site is illuminated, and spectral characteristics of light components reflected from this location are detected. Data representative of the detected light components is analyzed for determining at least one parameter of the article within the at least one illuminated site.

Abstract: A method for measuring at least one desired parameter of a patterned structure having a plurality of features defined by a certain process of its manufacturing. The structure represents a grid having at least one cycle formed of at least two locally adjacent elements having different optical properties in respect of an incident radiation. An optical model, based on at lease some of the features of the structure is provided. The model is capable of determining theoretical data representative of photometric intensities of light components of different wavelengths specularly reflected from the structure and of calculating said at least one desired parameter of the structure. A measurement area, which is substantially larger than a surface area of the structure defined by the grid cycle, is illuminated by an incident radiation of a preset substantially wide wavelength range.

Abstract: A test structure is presented to be formed on a patterned structure and to be used for controlling a CMP process applied to the patterned structure, which has a pattern area formed by spaced-apart metal-containing regions representative of real features of the patterned structure. The test structure thus undergoes the same CMP processing as the pattern area. The test structure comprises at least one pattern zone in the form of a metal area with at least one region included in the metal area and made of a material relatively transparent with respect to incident light, as compared to that of the metal.

Abstract: A processing unit for processing at least one semiconductor wafer includes a processing station for processing the wafer, a measuring station for measuring the at least one water, a robot for moving the wafer between the processing and measuring stations, a wafer handling system and a buffer station. The wafer handling system operates in conjunction with the measuring station and moves the wafer to and from a measuring location on the measuring unit. The buffer station is associated with the wafer handling system and receives measured and unmeasured wafers thereby to enable the robot to arrive at and leave the measuring station with at least one wafer thereon.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station.

Abstract: A method for measuring at least one desired parameter of a patterned structure having a plurality of features defined by a certain process of its manufacturing. The structure represents a grid having at least one cycle formed of at least two locally adjacent elements having different optical properties in respect of an incident radiation. An optical model, based on at least some of the features of the structure is provided. The model is capable of determining theoretical data representative of photometric intensities of light components of different wavelengths specularly reflected from the structure and of calculating said at least one desired parameter of the structure. A measurement area, which is substantially larger than a surface area of the structure defined by the grid cycle, is illuminated by an incident radiation of a preset substantially wide wavelength range.

Abstract: An optical system is disclosed for the inspection of wafers during polishing which also includes a measurement system for measuring the thickness of the wafer's top layer. The optical system views the wafer through a window and includes a gripping system, which places the wafer in a predetermined viewing location while maintaining the patterned surface completely under water. The optical system also includes a pull-down unit for pulling the measurement system slightly below the horizontal prior to the measurement and returns the measuring system to the horizontal afterwards.

Abstract: A semiconductor production tool which provides alignment of a wafer at a fab station thereof includes an optical system, a wafer translation mechanism, a field of view translation unit and a unit for determining alignment. The optical system has a field of view which views the wafer. The wafer translation mechanism at least brings the wafer to a predetermined measurement location. In the present invention, the field of view translation unit translates the field of view relative to the wafer so as to view at least a portion of an edge of the wafer during an alignment operation. The unit for determining alignment is operative during the alignment operation and determines the alignment of the wafer from images produced by the optical system when the optical system views at least a portion of the marker.

Abstract: An optical system is disclosed for the inspection of wafers during polishing which also includes a measurement system for measuring the thickness of the wafer's top layer. The optical system views the wafer through a window and includes a gripping system, which places the wafer in a predetermined viewing location while maintaining the patterned surface completely under water. The optical system also includes a pull-down unit for pulling the measurement system slightly below the horizontal prior to the measurement and returns the measuring system to the horizontal afterwards.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining a location on an object without prealignment and for positioning an object, such as a semiconductor, which has an array of generally perpendicular grid lines on its surface and a plurality of directional features. According to one embodiment the method determines the directions for the grid lines relative to the direction of a reference coordinate system, detects a grid junction and detects a direction of a reference coordinate system, detects a grid junction and detects a direction of one of the plurality of directional features, thereby providing a location of the grid junction in the reference coordinate system.

Abstract: A two dimensional beam deflector is disclosed which deflects beams from multiple optical assemblies. The input of beams of the multiple optical assemblies follow parallel optical paths until deflection to a wafer. An ellipsometer using a two-dimensional beam deflector is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is proposed for determining a location on an object and for positioning an object, such as a silicon wafer, which has an array of generally perpendicular grid lines on its surface and a plurality of directional features. The method determines the directions of the grid lines relative to the direction of a reference coordinate system, detects a grid junction and detects a direction of one of the plurality of directional features, thereby providing a location of the grid junction in the reference coordinate system. The object is positioned in accordance with the provided location of the grid junction.

Abstract: An autofocussing mechanism is provided which is useful for all objective lenses and during scanning of the object. The autofocussing mechanism operates with a microscope having a main optical path, an objective lens, an object surface, an image plane and apparatus for changing the distance between the objective lens and the object surface thereby to focus the image of the object. The autofocussing mechanism preferably includes a pattern imaging system, a single image detector and a pattern focus analyzer. The pattern imaging system images at least one pattern through the objective lens along the main optical path and onto the object surface. The image of the pattern is then combined with an image of the object and is reflected along the main optical path towards the image plane. The image detector detects the reflected image and the pattern focus analyzer determines the extent of sharpness of the pattern by analyzing the output of the image detector.

Abstract: A thin film thickness measuring device is disclosed. The device includes an illuminator, a receiver and a beam deflector. The illuminator provides a collimated input light beam along an input axis. The receiver includes a lens and a diaphragm having a pinhole located at a focal point of the lens and receives a collimated output light beam along an output axis parallel to the input axis. The beam deflector is translatable at least along a scanning axis parallel to the input axis. The beam deflector directs the input light beam towards a sample and the output light beam from the sample towards the receiver.