Laser Scattering Measurement of Microdefects on Silicon Oxide Wafer

Laser scattering characteristics of typical CMP-induced defects such as particles and microscratches with the size of sub-micron order are investigated using a developed automated scattered light measurement system. The measurement system has an ability to detect three-dimensional distribution of scattered light from the defects with high sensitivity. The angular distributions of scattered light from the standard PSL (Polystyrene latex) spheres and microscratches reveal that scattering characteristics of microscratches are quite different from those of Particles. The scattered light from the PSL sphere is detected mainly ahead. In contrast, the scattered light from the microscratches only exists in the direction perpendicular to its length dimension at an oblique incidence maintaining the sheet-shaped pattern, even if its orientation relative to the incident direction is changed. Optical arrangement for defect detection and classification is suggested based on the experimental results.