Development of a Whole-Wafer, Macroscale Inspection Software Method for Semiconductor Wafer Analysis

This report describes the non CRADA-protected results of the project performed between Nova Measuring Systems, Ltd., and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to test and prototype defect signature analysis method for potential incorporation into an in-situ wafer inspection microscope. ORNL's role in this activity was to collaborate with Nova on the analysis and software side of the effort, wile Nova's role was to build the physical microscope and provide data to ORNL for test and evaluation. The objective of this project was to adapt and integrate ORNL's SSA and ADC methods and technologies in the Nova imaging environment. ORNL accomplished this objective by modifying the existing SSA technology for use as a wide-area signature analyzer/classifier on the Nova macro inspection tool (whole-wafer analysis). During this effort ORNL also developed a strategy and methodology for integrating and presenting the results of SSA/ADC analysis to the tool operator and/or data management system (DMS) used by the semiconductor manufacturer (i.e., the end-user)