Method for inspecting semiconductor devices on a wafer

摘要

A method is disclosed, which sequentially inspects a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on a semiconductor wafer. This method executes a full inspection analysis on the individual devices on the wafer. The full inspection is carried out based on predetermined inspection criteria to determine whether or not the inspected devices are defective or properly functional. The number of devices determined as good ones during the full inspection analysis is sequentially counted, whereas the counted number is reset to zero whenever any device is determined to be defective during the full inspection routine. A simplified inspection analysis is executed on a predetermined number of devices when the counted number reaches a predetermined value. The simplified inspection is carried out against some of all the predetermined inspection criteria to determine whether or not the inspected devices are defects.