Patent ID: 8130373
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
1. A method of performing a measurement at a selected location or point on the surface of a semiconductor wafer having thin film features formed in accordance with an integrated circuit design, comprising: identifying a region of the workpiece surface containing the selected location; acquiring a two-dimensional spatial image of said region; processing said spatial image of said region with reference to said integrated circuit design and with reference to said selected location, to determine at least one pixel of said spatial image containing or adjacent said selected location; focusing an addressable micromirror array onto said region whereby individual micromirrors of said array receive light from corresponding individual areas of said selected region, said selected areas corresponding to respective individual pixels of said spatial image; correlating said one pixel with at least one of said micromirrors of said array and orienting said at least one micromirror to reflect light from said wafer surface to a wavelength separation element to generate a wavelength-dispersed image, and directing the remaining micromirrors to not reflect light from said wafer surface to said wavelength separation element; and processing said wavelength dispersed image to deduce the value of a selected characteristic at said selected location of said surface of said wafer.