Augmenting Metrology: A Framework for Interactive 3D Data Visualization and Contextual Analysis in Semiconductor Manufacturing

This work presents the first application of an Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) environment for the navigation and analysis of complex 3D metrology datasets in chip manufacturing and debugging. Our platform overcomes the limitations of traditional 2D data visualization by facilitating seamless access, navigation, and co-registration of multi-modal datasets acquired through tomographic scanning probe microscopy, 3D rendering software, and finite element simulations. Our goal is to demonstrate the functionality and advantages of such a platform for the analysis of complex 3D datasets, typically generated during the process of failure analysis (FA). First, we describe our platform with details for the access and navigation of existing datasets. Second, we offer the seamless presentation of various co-registered datasets acquired by a combination of tomographic scanning probe microscopy, multiple FA techniques, and 3D finite elements software simulations. Our first-person perspective enables the enhancement of data navigation for each of these tasks. For example, with the simultaneous observation of static 2D information about the sample under study e.g., graphic data stream (GDS) floorplan or scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while offering 3D interactive inspection of an inherently tomographic dataset.