US 11,719,649 B2
Method for smart conversion and calibration of coordinate
Iyun Leu, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR INC., Zhudong Town (TW)
Filed by ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR INC., Zhudong Town (TW)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/233,227.
Application 17/233,227 is a continuation of application No. 16/134,114, filed on Sep. 18, 2018, granted, now 11,016,035.
Application 16/134,114 is a continuation of application No. 62/559,784, filed on Sep. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0231580 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/95 (2006.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01); G06F 30/398 (2020.01); G06F 30/3323 (2020.01)
CPC G01N 21/9501 (2013.01) [G01N 21/8851 (2013.01); G06F 30/3323 (2020.01); G06F 30/398 (2020.01); G06T 7/001 (2013.01); H01L 22/12 (2013.01); H01L 22/20 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8861 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8864 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8874 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for smart conversion and calibration of coordinate by means of a coordinate conversion and calibration system including a data processing apparatus and a storage apparatus, the method comprising following steps:
providing an integrated circuit design layout file, the integrated circuit design layout file has a plurality of circuit layout patterns and is stored into the storage apparatus;
processing a wafer fabrication process, a semiconductor manufacturing fab forms the plurality of circuit layout patterns on the wafer according to the integrated circuit design layout file;
processing a wafer defect scan and inspection by a defect inspection tool to obtain a defect inspection data, the data processing apparatus transforms the defect inspection data into a defect text and image data file and stores into the storage apparatus, wherein the defect text and image data file includes a plurality of defect data on the wafer, and each of the defect data at least includes a defect coordinate, a defect size, a defect area and a defect intensity value of a defect contour;
retrieving an original coordinate, an alignment reference coordinate, and a dimension unit data of the circuit layout pattern and the defect inspection tool from the storage apparatus;
adjusting dimension units of the defect size, a defect coordinate and the circuit layout pattern to be the same dimension unit by the data processing apparatus;
converting the defect contour onto a correct defect coordinate (X2, Y2) of the circuit layout pattern for a real-time pattern match by the data processing apparatus;
executing a coordinate deviation calibration by the data processing apparatus, which includes:
performing a manual pattern match by a user to measure the coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2), by adjusting the dimension unit of a displayed defect layout pattern and the defect contour to be the same, and manually marking the defect contour location to the corresponding location in the circuit layout pattern as a new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′), wherein the manual pattern match means that the coordinate deviation calibration is accomplished via a mouse cursor manually marking the defect coordinate corresponding to the location in the circuit layout pattern as the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′);
performing a pattern match using a Graphical User Interface by a user to measure the coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2), and to mark the defect contour location to the corresponding location in the circuit layout pattern as the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′), wherein the user moves a mouse cursor to mark the defect contour location at the defect text and image data file mapped to the corresponding location in the circuit layout pattern as the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′), then the defect coordinate (X1, Y1) is converted to the correct defect coordinate (X2, Y2);
performing an auto pattern match between the defect contour in the circuit layout pattern and the defect contour in the defect text and image data file by the data processing apparatus to measure the coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2), and to mark the defect contour location to the corresponding location in the circuit layout pattern as the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′);
obtaining a coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2) by the data processing apparatus, the coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2) includes an average coordinate precision value and a coordinate precision standard deviation value for X-axis and Y-axis, the average coordinate precision value and the coordinate precision standard deviation value are calculated via a statistical analysis;
introducing the average coordinate precision value and the coordinate precision standard deviation value into the coordinate conversion and calibration system in order to overlap or map a defect coordinate (X1, Y1) to the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′) based on the coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2) after the coordinate deviation calibration wherein if the correct defect coordinate (X2, Y2) in a converted defect layout pattern is not at the same location with the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′) in the defect contour, the coordinate deviation calibration must be performed to calibrate the new coordinate location (X2′, Y2′);
executing an overlapping procedure by the data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus overlaps the defect size and the defect area onto the coordinate deviation calibration value (X2′-X2, Y2′-Y2) at a coordinate deviation area of the circuit layout pattern based on the corresponding defect coordinate after the conversion and calibration of coordinate; and
executing a Critical Area Analysis (CAA) by the data processing apparatus, based on the overlapping of the calibrated defect size and defect area onto the mapped circuit layout pattern, the data processing apparatus uses the CAA to analyze a critical area within the coordinate deviation area for each of the defects, and decides a Killer Defect Index (KDI) value.