Patent ID: 8108805

Claim:
A method for processing a substrate using statistical variance data comprising: using a computer to perform the following: establishing a first defect type for analysis on a first patterned substrate selected from a group of patterned substrates, wherein the first defect type includes a micro-bridging defect, or a line edge roughness (LER) defect, or a line width roughness (LWR) defect; obtaining defect analysis data from a plurality of analysis segments on the first patterned substrate, wherein the defect analysis data includes bright-field data, dark-field data, NLS data, intensity data, intensity difference data, contrast data, or hot-spot data, or any combination thereof; identifying a first potentially-defective analysis segment at a first location on the first patterned substrate using the defect analysis data, wherein the first potentially-defective analysis segment defines a three-dimensional volume that includes the first defect type; calculating first Pooled Polymer De-protection Variance [(PPDV,σ m )] Calc data for the first potentially-defective analysis segment, wherein (m) is a simulation parameter and (σ m ) is a standard deviation of the simulation parameter (m); obtaining first estimated [(PPDV,σ m )] Est data in real-time from a first Pooled Polymer De-protection Variance (PPDV,σ m ) data library to compare with the first calculated [(PPDV,σ m )] Calc data, wherein the [(PPDV,σ m )]data comprises analysis variable data (AVD), average value (<AVD>) data, simulation data, photoresist model data, integrated circuit (IC) data, design rule data, processing sequence data, substrate data, evaluation zone data, or defect type data, or any combination thereof; determining a first difference value using the first calculated [(PPDV,σ m )] Calc data and the first estimated [(PPDV,σ m )] Est data; identifying a first defect in the first potentially-defective analysis segment on the first patterned substrate using at least one defect type associated with the first estimated [(PPDV,σ m )] Est data, when the first difference value is less than or equal to a first accuracy limit; and continuing to analyze the first patterned substrate, when the first difference value is greater than the first accuracy limit.