Patent ID: 7645621

Claim:
An inspection method, said method comprising: adhering an optical blocking layer directly onto and in direct mechanical contact with a semiconductor process wafer using chemical vapor deposition, said optical blocking layer being substantially opaque to a range of wavelengths of light, said optical blocking layer comprising halfnium oxide and having a thickness in a range from about 25 angstroms to about 100 angstroms; applying at least one layer over said optical blocking layer in a semiconductor manufacturing process, wherein a first layer of said at least one layer is adhered directly onto said optical blocking layer, said first layer comprising a hard mask layer comprising a carbon-doped oxide dielectric comprising Si, C, O, and H, said applying said at least one layer over said optical blocking layer comprising adhering an antireflective coating directly onto said hard mask layer and adhering a radiation sensitive resist layer directly onto said antireflective coating layer; patternwise imaging said radiation sensitive resist layer through a mask, exposing at least one region of said radiation sensitive resist layer to radiation, resulting in production of an acid catalyst in said exposed at least one region of said radiation sensitive resist layer; developing said exposed at least one region, resulting in removal of regions of said radiation sensitive resist layer, wherein a relief pattern from said radiation sensitive resist layer remains following said removal; after said developing, inspecting optically at least one wavelength within said range of wavelengths at least one inspection area of said at least one layer, said at least one inspection area having a topographical variation, said optical blocking layer extending substantially throughout said inspection area; obtaining optical inspection data from said inspecting, said optical inspection data comprising scanned image information of said at least one inspection area; identifying based on said optical inspection data a defect in said at least one layer; identifying a step in said semiconductor manufacturing process having caused said defect; responsive to said identifying said step, modifying said step in said semiconductor manufacturing process to prevent said defect; and removing said optical blocking layer using a chemical mechanical polishing process.