Method of Minimizing Inspection Cost by Making Use of Programmed Defect Array

In order to set up the well-balanced defect inspection recipe on right inspection tool, it is important to evaluate the tradeoff between inspection throughput and sensitivity. The sensitivity of defect inspection is difficult to define because it depends not only on defect size but also the shape and material of defects. This paper describes a methodology to quantitatively evaluate the sensitivity as a function of throughput by making use of programmed defect array (PDA). This methodology allows us to assess the risk of changing inspection modes and inspection tool.