背景介绍：

　　At any stage in the fabrication process of semiconductor devices, even single particles of contaminant can result in the failure of the finished die. Advances in fabrication methods (for example the increasing use of SMIFs) and in clean room technology have reduced to a minimum the number of particles that can become “killer defects.” Despite these precautions, however, constant vigilance is required and the process is frequently monitored at all stages when a line first goes on stream. Once the line has been established, routine monitoring is performed to confirm that particulates are being controlled. Sudden reductions in yield require inspection at key stages in the process to identify the cause of the problem.

结论：

　　The SCA-SEM-EDS combination provides a method to characterise comprehensively organic, inorganic, and metallic particles on wafers and dies and offers a unique solution to the requirements of process monitoring and device failure analysis.