SCANNING SYSTEM FOR INSPECTING SURFACE ABNORMALITIES

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for detecting abnormalities on the surface of semiconductor wafers.

SOLUTION: In this method, a light beam focused on the system which achieves surface inspection with the highest sensitivity and highest throughput is oriented to the surface under test at total reflection angle. Such a relative movement is brought about that the beam substantially covers all the surfaces between the beam and the surfaces to collect any light scattered on the passage for abnormality inspection. The scanning passage comprises multiple arrays of straight scanning channel segments. The focused light beam illuminates the surface area with width of 5-15 microns range, so this system can inspect 40 or more wafers of 150 mm diameter (6-inch wafer) per hour, 20 or more wafers of 200 mm diameter (8-inch wafer) per hour, and 10 or more wafers of 300 mm diameter (12-inch wafer) per hour.

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