Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide a measuring apparatus and method of a wafer geometry. The measuring apparatus of the wafer geometry includes: an air-bearing chuck, configured to generate an air cushion to keep a wafer to be measured floating up on a top surface of the air-bearing chuck; and an interferometer, disposed on one side, away from the air-bearing chuck, of the wafer, and configured to obtain an interference fringe image of a front surface of the wafer to measure a geometry of the wafer based on the interference fringe image. An air cushion is generated by utilizing an air-bearing chuck to keep a wafer to be measured floating up on a top surface of the air-bearing chuck, thereby avoiding damage of the original shape of the wafer or contamination of the wafer by a clamping tool, and further reducing errors during measurement.

Abstract: An air-bearing chuck includes a nozzle portion and a gas channel portion. The nozzle portion is provided with a plurality of support force nozzles for generating an air cushion on a top surface of the nozzle portion. The gas channel portion includes a first gas channel configured to transmit a first gas to the plurality of support force nozzles to provide support force. Embodiments of the present application can implement that the first gas channel transmits the first gas to the plurality of support force nozzles to provide support force, and an air cushion is generated on the top surface of the nozzle portion by regulating gas flow of the first gas in the first gas channel, thereby keeping a supported object supported by the air cushion stably floating up on one side, away from the top surface of the nozzle portion, of the air cushion.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide a measuring apparatus and method of a wafer geometry. The measuring apparatus of the wafer geometry includes: an air-bearing chuck, configured to generate an air cushion to keep a wafer to be measured floating up on a top surface of the air-bearing chuck; and an interferometer, disposed on one side, away from the air-bearing chuck, of the wafer, and configured to obtain an interference fringe image of a front surface of the wafer to measure a geometry of the wafer based on the interference fringe image. An air cushion is generated by utilizing an air-bearing chuck to keep a wafer to be measured floating up on a top surface of the air-bearing chuck, thereby avoiding damage of the original shape of the wafer or contamination of the wafer by a clamping tool, and further reducing errors during measurement.

Abstract: A semiconductor equipment architecture WGT for wafer shape and flatness measurement is disclosed. The semiconductor equipment architecture WGT includes a reflective air-bearing chuck and a hybrid wafer thickness gauge. Also disclosed are the corresponding methods of measuring wafer shape and flatness using the architecture, the air-bearing chuck and the hybrid wafer thickness gauge.

Abstract: A semiconductor equipment architecture WGT for wafer shape and flatness measurement is disclosed. The semiconductor equipment architecture WGT includes a reflective air-bearing chuck and a hybrid wafer thickness gauge. Also disclosed are the corresponding methods of measuring wafer shape and flatness using the architecture, the air-bearing chuck and the hybrid wafer thickness gauge.

Abstract: A semiconductor equipment architecture WGT for wafer shape and flatness measurement is disclosed. The semiconductor equipment architecture WGT includes a reflective air-bearing chuck and a hybrid wafer thickness gauge. Also disclosed are the corresponding methods of measuring wafer shape and flatness using the architecture, the air-bearing chuck and the hybrid wafer thickness gauge.

Abstract: An inspection system may include a controller coupled to a differential interference contrast imaging tool for generating images of a sample based on illumination with two sheared illumination beams. The controller may determine a first defect-induced phase shift based on a first set of images of a defect on the sample with a first selected illumination spectrum and two or more selected induced phase differences between the two sheared illumination beams, determine a second defect-induced phase shift based a second set of images of the defect with a second selected illumination spectrum and two or more selected induced phase differences between the two sheared illumination beams, and classify the defect as a metal or a non-metal based on a comparison of the first phase shift to the second phase shift.

Abstract: The inspection system includes an illumination source, a TDI-CCD sensor, and a dark field/bright field sensor. A polarizer receives the light from the light source. The light from the polarizer is directed at a Wollaston prism, such as through a half wave plate. Use of the TDI-CCD sensor and the dark field/bright field sensor provide high spatial resolution, high defect detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, and fast inspection speed.

Abstract: The inspection system includes an illumination source, a TDI-CCD sensor, and a dark field/bright field sensor. A polarizer receives the light from the light source. The light from the polarizer is directed at a Wollaston prism, such as through a half wave plate. Use of the TDI-CCD sensor and the dark field/bright field sensor provide high spatial resolution, high defect detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, and fast inspection speed.

Abstract: An inspection system may include a controller coupled to a differential interference contrast imaging tool for generating images of a sample based on illumination with two sheared illumination beams. The controller may determine a first defect-induced phase shift based on a first set of images of a defect on the sample with a first selected illumination spectrum and two or more selected induced phase differences between the two sheared illumination beams, determine a second defect-induced phase shift based a second set of images of the defect with a second selected illumination spectrum and two or more selected induced phase differences between the two sheared illumination beams, and classify the defect as a metal or a non-metal based on a comparison of the first phase shift to the second phase shift.

Abstract: A system includes one or more wafer geometry measurement tools configured to obtain geometry measurements from a wafer. The system also includes one or more processors in communication with the one or more wafer geometry measurement tools. The one or more processors are configured to apply a correction model to correct the geometry measurements obtained by the one or more wafer geometry measurement tools. The correction model is configured to correct measurement errors caused by a transparent film positioned on the wafer.

Abstract: The system includes a dual interferometer sub-system configured to measure flatness across a substrate. The system includes a mass sensor configured to measure the mass of the substrate. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the dual interferometer sub-system and the mass sensor. The controller includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to determine a thickness distribution of at least one of the substrate or a film deposited on the substrate as a function of position across the substrate based on one or more flatness measurements from the dual interferometer sub-system and one or more mass measurements from the mass sensor.

Abstract: The system includes a dual interferometer sub-system configured to measure flatness across a substrate. The system includes a mass sensor configured to measure the mass of the substrate. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the dual interferometer sub-system and the mass sensor. The controller includes one or more processors. The one or more processor are configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in memory, the set of program instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to determine a thickness distribution of at least one of the substrate or a film deposited on the substrate as a function of position across the substrate based on one or more flatness measurements from the dual interferometer sub-system and one or more mass measurements from the mass sensor.

Abstract: A system includes one or more wafer geometry measurement tools configured to obtain geometry measurements from a wafer. The system also includes one or more processors in communication with the one or more wafer geometry measurement tools. The one or more processors are configured to apply a correction model to correct the geometry measurements obtained by the one or more wafer geometry measurement tools. The correction model is configured to correct measurement errors caused by a transparent film positioned on the wafer.

Abstract: A calibration wafer and a method for calibrating an interferometer system are disclosed. The calibration method includes: determining locations of the holes defined in the calibration wafer based on two opposite intensity frame; comparing the locations of the holes against the locations measured utilizing an external measurement device; adjusting a first optical magnification or a second optical magnification at least partially based on the comparison result; defining a first distortion map for each of the first and second intensity frames based on the comparison of the locations of the holes; generating an extended distortion map for each of the first and second intensity frames by map fitting the first distortion map; and utilizing the extended distortion map for each of the first and second intensity frames to reduce at least one of: a registration error or an optical distortion in a subsequent measurement process.

Abstract: A method for enabling more accurate measurements of localized features on wafers is disclosed. The method includes: a) performing high order surface fitting to more effectively remove the low frequency shape components and also to reduce possible signal attenuations commonly observed from SEMI standard high pass, such as Gaussian and Double Gaussian filtering; b) constructing and applying a proper two dimensional LFM window to the residual image from the surface fitting processing stage to effectively reduce the residual artifacts at the region boundaries; c) calculating the metrics of the region using the artifact-reduced image to obtain more accurate and reliable measurements; and d) using site-based metrics obtained from front and back surface data to quantify the features of interest. Additional steps may also include: filtering data from measurements of localized features on wafers and adjusting the filtering behavior according to the statistics of extreme data samples.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for providing environmental control for a vibration sensitive system such as an interferometric measurement system, while minimizing acoustic noise during data acquisition.

Abstract: A method for enabling more accurate measurements of localized features on wafers is disclosed. The method includes: a) performing high order surface fitting to more effectively remove the low frequency shape components and also to reduce possible signal attenuations commonly observed from filtering; b) constructing and applying a proper two dimensional LFM window to the residual image from the surface fitting processing stage to effectively reduce the residual artifacts at the region boundaries; c) calculating the metrics of the region using the artifact-reduced image to obtain more accurate and reliable measurements; and d) using site-based metrics obtained from front and back surface data to quantify the features of interest. A method for filtering data from measurements of localized features on wafers is disclosed. This method includes an algorithm designed to adjust the filtering behavior according to the statistics of extreme data samples.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for providing environmental control for a vibration sensitive system such as an interferometric measurement system, while minimizing acoustic noise during data acquisition.

Abstract: Two or more defect maps may be provided for the same sample surface at different detection sensitivities and/or processing thresholds. The defect maps may then be compared for better characterization of the anomalies as scratches, area anomalies or point anomalies. This can be done without concealing the more significant and larger size defects amongst numerous small and immaterial defects. One or more defect maps can be used to report the anomalies with classified information; the results from this map(s) can be used to monitor the process conditions to obtain better yield.