System and method for inspecting wafers in a laser marking system

1. A semiconductor wafer inspection system comprising:

a semiconductor wafer handling system for controlling movement of a semiconductor wafer in at least an x direction and a y direction;

an illumination system including a ring light, said illumination system being configured to direct diffuse illumination toward a highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer at an angle α of about 45 degrees to about 75 degrees with respect to the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer; and

an inspection system including a camera that is directed toward the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer from a distance of at least about 100 mm and that is positioned to have an optical path that extends through an opening in the ring light.

2. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said angle α is between about 50 degrees and about 70 degrees.

3. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ring light is positioned a distance of about 100 mm from the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface.

4. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ring light is generally provided along a first plane that is substantially parallel with the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface.

5. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inspection assembly includes a detection system that detects indicia on the back side of the semiconductor wafer using illumination provided by the ring light.

6. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said system further includes a front side inspection system that is directed toward a front surface of the semiconductor wafer.

7. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said system further includes a laser marking system for providing indicia on a semiconductor wafer.

8. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said system further includes a controller for processing image data that is provided by said camera, and said controller is able to distinguish marking indicia from wafer grind lines when the marking indicia has a depth of less than 1 micron.

9. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said ring light is a fluorescent ring light.

10. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said illumination system includes plurality of a fluorescent ring lights.

11. A semiconductor wafer inspection system comprising:

a semiconductor wafer handling system for controlling movement of a semiconductor wafer in at least an x direction and a y direction;

an illumination system including at least one fluorescent ring light that is configured to direct high frequency illumination toward a highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer at an angle α of about50 degrees to about70 degrees with respect to the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the back side of the semiconductor wafer;

an inspection system including a camera that is directed toward the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer from along a z direction at a distance of about 115 mm and that is positioned to have an optical path that extends through an opening in the fluorescent ring light; and

a controller for processing image data that is provided by said camera.

12. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said controller distinguishes marking indicia from wafer grind lines when the marking indicia has a depth of less than 1 micron.

13. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said illumination system includes a plurality of high frequency fluorescent ring lights.

14. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the back side of the semiconductor wafer is ground in a spiral pattern.

15. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said controller for processing said image data applies a template matching threshold of at least 30%.

16. A semiconductor wafer inspection system comprising:

a semiconductor wafer handling system for controlling movement of a semiconductor wafer in at least an x direction and a y direction;

an illumination system including a plurality of high frequency fluorescent ring lights that are configured to direct high frequency illumination toward a highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer at an angle a of about 50 degrees to about 70 degrees with respect to the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the back side of the semiconductor wafer;

an inspection system including a camera that is directed toward the highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the semiconductor wafer from along a z direction at a distance of about 115 mm; and

a controller for processing image data that is provided by said camera.

17. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said camera is positioned to have an optical path that extends through an opening in the high frequency fluorescent ring lights.

18. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said controller distinguishes marking indicia from wafer grind lines when the marking indicia has a depth of less than 1 micron.

19. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said highly reflective and directionally reflective surface of the back side of the semiconductor wafer is ground in a spiral pattern.

20. The semiconductor wafer inspection system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said controller for processing said image data applies a template matching threshold of at least 30%.