Rapid semiconductor inspection using different microscope observation methods
The semiconductor inspection of etched wafers and integrated circuits (ICs) during the production process is crucial for identifying and reducing defects. In order to improve the quality control efficiency in the early production stage and ensure the reliable performance of integrated circuit chips, microscope solutions should be combined with different observation methods to provide complete and accurate information about different defects. The observation methods introduced here include bright field, dark field, polarization DIC, Ultraviolet, oblique illumination, and infrared. They are integrated into microscopes for the detection and development of wafers and integrated circuits.
How the semiconductor manufacturing industry benefits from microscopes
Microscope solutions play an important role in efficient and reliable detection, quality control (QC), fault analysis (FA), and research and development (R&D) in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
In the semiconductor manufacturing process, various types of defects may occur at different steps, which can affect the normal operation of the equipment. The earlier these defects are discovered, the better. These defects may be caused by randomly distributed dust particles on the wafer (random defects), or by scratches, detachment, and residue of coatings and photoresist caused by processing conditions (such as during etching), and may occur in specific areas of the wafer. Due to its small size, microscopes are the preferred tool for identifying such defects.
Especially compared to slower and more expensive microscopes such as electron microscopes (EM), optical microscopes (OM) have many advantages. Due to its versatility and ease of use, optical microscopes are commonly used for qualitative and quantitative studies of defects on bare wafers and etched/processed wafers, as well as in the assembly and packaging processes of integrated circuits (ICs).
Different optical microscopy observation methods, such as bright field (BF), dark field (DF), differential interference contrast (DIC), polarization (POL), ultraviolet (UV), oblique illumination, and infrared (IR) transmitted light [1-4], are crucial for rapid and accurate defect detection in wafer and integrated circuit chip inspection processes.
