Digital image processing techniques for patterned-wafer inspection

Babak H. Khalaj; Hamid K. Aghajan; Thomas Kailath

doi:10.1117/12.148982

4 August 1993 Digital image processing techniques for patterned-wafer inspection

Babak H. Khalaj, Hamid K. Aghajan, Thomas Kailath

Proceedings Volume 1926, Integrated Circuit Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control VII; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.148982
Event: SPIE'S 1993 Symposium on Microlithography, 1993, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

A new self-reference signal processing technique is proposed for detecting the location of any nonregularities and defects in a periodic two-dimensional signal or image. Using high- resolution spectral estimation algorithms, the proposed technique first extracts the period and structure of repeated patterns from the image to sub-pixel resolution in both directions, and then produces a defect-free reference image for making comparison with the actual image. Since the technique acquires all its needed information from a single image, on the contrary to the existing methods, there is no need for a database image, a scaling procedure, or any a- priori knowledge about the repetition period of the pattern. Results of applying the proposed technique to real images from microlithography are presented.

Citation Download Citation

Babak H. Khalaj, Hamid K. Aghajan, and Thomas Kailath "Digital image processing techniques for patterned-wafer inspection", Proc. SPIE 1926, Integrated Circuit Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control VII, (4 August 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.148982

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