Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for optimizing a process of polishing semiconductor wafers. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting a configuration of input settings for polishing a semiconductor wafer, based on a causal model that measures current causal relationships between input settings and a quality of semiconductor wafers; ii) receiving a measure of the quality of the semiconductor wafer polished with the configuration of input settings; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of the quality of the semiconductor wafer polished with the configuration of input settings, the causal model.

A method for modeling a wafer profile by a function is provided in which the function is used for calculating a displacement z in a thickness direction of a wafer and is a sum of plural functions. The first function g(r) has a distance r from the center of the wafer as a variable. The second function Arh(N) indicates multiplying a sine or cosine function h(N), with a first angle with reference to a predetermined position in a circumferential direction of the wafer as a variable and an integer N as a constant, by a coefficient A with the distance r. The third function Bri(M(-)) indicates multiplying a sine or cosine function i(M(-)), with the first angle as a variable, a second angle with reference to the predetermined position as a constant, and an integer M as a constant, by a coefficient B and the distance r.

A laser crystallization monitoring device includes a stage that supports a substrate, a laser beam generator that emits a laser beam to the substrate, a mirror that reflects the laser beam emitted from the laser beam generator and that rotates around a rotation axis, a first telecentric f-theta lens located on the laser beam path between the mirror and the substrate, a second telecentric f-theta lens through which the laser beam reflected from the substrate passes, and a monitor that inspects the laser beam passing through the second telecentric f-theta lens.

A wafer stacking method includes the following steps. A first wafer is provided. A second wafer is bonded to the first wafer to form a first wafer stack structure. A first edge defect inspection is performed on the first wafer stack structure to find a first edge defect and measure a first distance in a radial direction between an edge of the first wafer stack structure and an end of the first edge defect away from the edge of the first wafer stack structure. A first trimming process with a range of a first width is performed from the edge of the first wafer stack structure to remove the first edge defect. Herein, the first width is greater than or equal to the first distance.

A method of operating an electronic device that is configured to support manufacturing a semiconductor device includes (i) selecting a height of a stage of the electronic device that is configured to hold the semiconductor device, (ii) generating white light by using a light source of the electronic device, (iii) generating light of a selected wavelength by filtering the white light using a monochromater of the electronic device, (iv) emitting the light of the selected wavelength to the semiconductor device using a beam splitter of the electronic device, and (v) capturing reflection light reflected from the semiconductor device using a camera of the electronic device.

A method for aligning to a pattern on a wafer is disclosed. The method includes the steps of obtaining a first inline image from a first sample wafer, obtaining a first contour pattern of an alignment mark pattern from the first inline image, using the first contour pattern to generate a first synthetic image in black and white pixels of only two grayscale levels, using the first synthetic image as a reference to recognize the alignment mark pattern on a tested wafer, and aligning to a tested pattern on the tested wafer according to a position of the alignment mark pattern on the tested wafer and a coordinate information.

A method of operating a reactor system to provide multi-zone substrate temperature control. The method includes, with a first pyrometer, sensing a temperature of a first zone of a substrate supported in the reactor system, and, with a second pyrometer, sensing a temperature of a second zone of the substrate. The method further includes, with a controller, comparing the temperatures of the first and second zones to setpoint temperatures for the first and second zones and, in response, generating control signals to control heating of the substrate. The method also includes controlling, based on the control signals, operations of a heater assembly operating to heat the substrate.

Methods and apparatus of hybrid bonding with inspection are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of hybrid bonding with inspection includes: cleaning a substrate via a first cleaning chamber and a tape frame having a plurality of chiplets via a second cleaning chamber; inspecting, via a first metrology system, the substrate for pre-bond defects in a first metrology chamber and the tape frame for pre-bond defects in a second metrology chamber; bonding one or more of the plurality of chiplets to the substrate via a hybrid bonding process in a bonder chamber to form a bonded substrate; and performing, via a second metrology system different than the first metrology system, a post-bond inspection of the bonded substrate via a third metrology chamber for post-bond defects.

Method and machine utilizes the real-time recipe to perform weak point inspection on a series of wafers during the fabrication of integrated circuits. Each real-time recipe essentially corresponds to a practical fabrication history of a wafer to be examined and/or the examination results of at least one examined wafer of same lot. Therefore, different wafers can be examined by using different recipes where each recipe corresponds to a specific condition of a wafer to be examined, even these wafers are received by a machine for examining at the same time.

A computer device is provided. The computer device includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor is programmed to store, in the at least one memory device, a model for predicting post-grinding thickness of a wafer; receive scan data of a first inspection of a wafer; execute the model using the scan data as inputs to determine a final thickness of the wafer; compare the final thickness to one or more thresholds; determine if the final thickness exceeds at least one of the one or more thresholds; and cause a grinding station to be adjusted when it is determined that the final thickness exceeds at least one of the one or more thresholds.