Inspection and Measurement is a critical area in semiconductor manufacturing. Chipmaking deals with so many state-of-the-art materials, small features and precision, that the ability to measure and monitor the process is vital.

Measurement is defined as the ability to precisely quantify the physical, dimensional, or electrical properties of materials. There are numerous measurement tools used in the Fab to monitor the quality of the process relative to its designed specifications. Generally, if all materials and processes are within specification, the the chip will operate as designed. Measurement typically applies to such items as wafer flatness, film thickness, electrical properties, critical dimensions (CDs), etc.

Inspection is defined as the ability to observe and quantify defects. These tools include optical instruments and, with shrinking features down at the sub-micron level, scanning electron microscopes (SEM) must be used. As fine geometries get down to below 0.2 micron, the ability to observe these defects becomes more challenging and expensive. Inspection typically applies to such items as reticles (masks), wafers, etc.

As chip densities increase, the volume of inspection and measurement data also increases - hence the need for sophisticated software tools for yield data management and analysis.

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