US 12,292,374 B1
Crystallographic defect inspection
Yuval Weissler, Kibutz Ha'Zorea (IL); and Yossi Mangisto, Haifa (IL)
Assigned to Camtek Ltd., Migdal Ha'emek (IL)
Filed by Camtek Ltd., Migdal Ha'emek (IL)
Filed on Apr. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/624,890.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/571,148, filed on Mar. 28, 2024.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/21 (2006.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01); G01N 21/95 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/21 (2013.01) [G01N 21/8806 (2013.01); G01N 21/9505 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8848 (2013.01); G01N 2201/068 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting a polarization-altering defect in a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:
an illumination source to emit radiation;
an objective lens to focus the radiation from the illumination source onto the semiconductor wafer;
a mirror arranged to reflect the radiation that emerges from the semiconductor wafer back through the semiconductor wafer as reflected radiation;
an imaging array to record an image of at least part of the semiconductor wafer produced by at least a portion of the reflected radiation that passes back through the semiconductor wafer; and
a linear polarizer located between the semiconductor wafer and the imaging array, wherein the linear polarizer is oriented to:
block a first portion of the reflected radiation that travels through a first region of the semiconductor wafer that does not include the polarization-altering defect; and
transmit at least part of a second portion of the reflected radiation that travels through a second region of the semiconductor wafer that includes the polarization-altering defect.