公开(公告)号：US10692690B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-23

申请号：US15639311

申请日：2017-06-30

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Arpit Yati ,  Saravanan Paramasivam ,  Martin Plihal ,  Jincheng Lin

IPC: H01J37/00 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/20

Abstract: Use of care areas in scanning electron microscopes or other review tools can provide improved sensitivity and throughput. A care area is received at a controller of a scanning electron microscope from, for example, an inspector tool. The inspector tool may be a broad band plasma tool. The care area is applied to a field of view of a scanning electron microscope image to identify at least one area of interest. Defects are detected only within the area of interest using the scanning electron microscope. The care areas can be design-based or some other type of care area. Use of care areas in SEM tools can provide improved sensitivity and throughput.

公开(公告)号：US20140133737A1

公开(公告)日：2014-05-15

申请号：US13793709

申请日：2013-03-11

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Martin Plihal ,  Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Saravanan Paramasivam ,  Chris W. Lee

IPC: G06T7/00

CPC classification number: G06T7/0008 ,  F04C2270/0421 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating unbiased wafer defect samples are provided. One method includes selecting the defects detected by each of multiple scans performed on a wafer that have the most diversity in one or more defect attributes such that a diverse set of defects are selected across each scan. In addition, the method may include selecting the defects such that any defect that is selected and is common to two or more of the scans is not selected twice and any defects that are selected are diverse with respect to the common, selected defect. Furthermore, no sampling, binning, or classifying of the defects may be performed prior to selection of the defects such that the sampled defects are unbiased by any sampling, binning, or classifying method.

Abstract translation: 提供了用于产生无偏置晶片缺陷样品的方法和系统。 一种方法包括选择通过在一个或多个缺陷属性中具有最多分集的晶片上执行的多次扫描中检测到的缺陷，从而跨越每个扫描选择不同的缺陷集。 此外，该方法可以包括选择缺陷，使得两个或更多个扫描选择并且是共同的任何缺陷不被选择两次，并且所选择的任何缺陷相对于共同的所选择的缺陷是多种多样的。 此外，在选择缺陷之前，可以不进行采样，分类或缺陷分类，以便通过任何采样，合并或分类方法对采样缺陷进行不偏见。

公开(公告)号：US20180277337A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-27

申请号：US15639311

申请日：2017-06-30

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Arpit Yati ,  Saravanan Paramasivam ,  Martin Plihal ,  Jincheng Lin

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/20

Abstract: Use of care areas in scanning electron microscopes or other review tools can provide improved sensitivity and throughput. A care area is received at a controller of a scanning electron microscope from, for example, an inspector tool. The inspector tool may be a broad band plasma tool. The care area is applied to a field of view of a scanning electron microscope image to identify at least one area of interest. Defects are detected only within the area of interest using the scanning electron microscope. The care areas can be design-based or some other type of care area. Use of care areas in SEM tools can provide improved sensitivity and throughput.

公开(公告)号：US09714905B1

公开(公告)日：2017-07-25

申请号：US14311270

申请日：2014-06-21

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Martin Plihal ,  Deepak Gupta ,  Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Premkumar Vijayaraman ,  Lakshman Deenadayalan

IPC: G01N21/95

CPC classification number: G05B19/41875 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G05B2219/37224 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20 ,  Y02P90/20 ,  Y02P90/22

Abstract: Methods and systems for setting up a wafer inspection recipe are provided. Inspection results produced by complete wafer inspection recipe candidates, each of which includes one or more optical mode candidates with at least one set of defect detection parameters, are compared to determine which of the complete wafer inspection recipe candidates is the best for use as the wafer inspection recipe. The method does not involve making any decisions regarding performance of the complete wafer inspection recipe candidates until after the inspection results have been compared. In other words, the method does not involve selecting optical mode(s) that will be used in the wafer inspection recipe followed by selecting the defect detection parameters for the selected optical mode(s). In this manner, a greater number of optical mode and defect detection parameters can be considered in an efficient manner to determine the best wafer inspection recipe for any given wafer.

公开(公告)号：US20160377561A1

公开(公告)日：2016-12-29

申请号：US15166591

申请日：2016-05-27

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Vijayakumar Ramachandran ,  Ravikumar Sanapala ,  Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Philip Measor ,  Rajesh Manepalli ,  Jing Fang

IPC: G01N23/225 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/95

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/95607 ,  G01N2021/8854 ,  G01N2021/95615 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  G01N2223/646 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20

Abstract: A defect inspection system includes an inspection sub-system and a controller communicatively coupled to the detector. The inspection sub-system includes an illumination source configured to generate a beam of illumination, a set of illumination optics to direct the beam of illumination to a sample, and a detector configured to collect illumination emanating from the sample. The controller includes a memory device and one or more processors configured to execute program instructions. The controller is configured to determine one or more target patterns corresponding to one or more features on the sample, define one or more care areas on the sample based on the one or more target patterns and design data of the sample stored within the memory device of the controller, and identify one or more defects within the one or more care areas of the sample based on the illumination collected by the detector.

Abstract translation: 缺陷检查系统包括检测子系统和通信地耦合到检测器的控制器。 检查子系统包括被配置为产生照射束的照明源，一组用于将照射束引导到样本的照明光学器件，以及被配置为收集从样品发出的照明的检测器。 控制器包括存储器设备和被配置为执行程序指令的一个或多个处理器。 控制器被配置为确定与样本上的一个或多个特征相对应的一个或多个目标模式，基于存储在存储器装置内的样本的一个或多个目标模式和样本的设计数据来定义样本上的一个或多个保养区域 控制器，并且基于由检测器收集的照明来识别样品的一个或多个护理区域内的一个或多个缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US10018571B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-10

申请号：US15166591

申请日：2016-05-27

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Vijayakumar Ramachandran ,  Ravikumar Sanapala ,  Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Philip Measor ,  Rajesh Manepalli ,  Jing Fang

IPC: G01N23/225 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/95 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/95607 ,  G01N2021/8854 ,  G01N2021/95615 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  G01N2223/646 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20

Abstract: A defect inspection system includes an inspection sub-system and a controller communicatively coupled to the detector. The inspection sub-system includes an illumination source configured to generate a beam of illumination, a set of illumination optics to direct the beam of illumination to a sample, and a detector configured to collect illumination emanating from the sample. The controller includes a memory device and one or more processors configured to execute program instructions. The controller is configured to determine one or more target patterns corresponding to one or more features on the sample, define one or more care areas on the sample based on the one or more target patterns and design data of the sample stored within the memory device of the controller, and identify one or more defects within the one or more care areas of the sample based on the illumination collected by the detector.

公开(公告)号：US09582869B2

公开(公告)日：2017-02-28

申请号：US14614202

申请日：2015-02-04

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Martin Plihal ,  Vidyasagar Anantha

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G06K9/62

CPC classification number: G06T7/0004 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N2021/8854 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G06K9/6255 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a defect sample for a wafer are provided. One method includes separating defects detected on a wafer into bins having diversity in values of a first set of one or more first attributes of the defects. The method also includes selecting, independently from one or more of the bins, defects within the bins based on diversity in a second set of one or more second attributes of the defects. The selected defects are then used to create a defect sample for the wafer. In this manner, defects having diverse values of multiple attributes can be easily selected.

Abstract translation: 提供了用于生成晶片缺陷样品的方法和系统。 一种方法包括将在晶片上检测到的缺陷分离成具有缺陷的一个或多个第一属性的第一组的值的多样性的箱。 该方法还包括基于缺陷的一个或多个第二属性的第二组中的多样性来独立于从一个或多个箱中选择箱内的缺陷。 然后使用所选择的缺陷来为晶片创建缺陷样品。 以这种方式，可以容易地选择具有多个属性的不同值的缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US20160110857A1

公开(公告)日：2016-04-21

申请号：US14614202

申请日：2015-02-04

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Martin Plihal ,  Vidyasagar Anantha

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G01N21/95

CPC classification number: G06T7/0004 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N2021/8854 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G06K9/6255 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a defect sample for a wafer are provided. One method includes separating defects detected on a wafer into bins having diversity in values of a first set of one or more first attributes of the defects. The method also includes selecting, independently from one or more of the bins, defects within the bins based on diversity in a second set of one or more second attributes of the defects. The selected defects are then used to create a defect sample for the wafer. In this manner, defects having diverse values of multiple attributes can be easily selected.

Abstract translation: 提供了用于生成晶片缺陷样品的方法和系统。 一种方法包括将在晶片上检测到的缺陷分离成具有缺陷的一个或多个第一属性的第一组的值的多样性的箱。 该方法还包括基于缺陷的一个或多个第二属性的第二组中的多样性来独立于从一个或多个箱中选择箱内的缺陷。 然后使用所选择的缺陷来为晶片创建缺陷样品。 以这种方式，可以容易地选择具有多个属性的不同值的缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US08948494B2

公开(公告)日：2015-02-03

申请号：US13793709

申请日：2013-03-11

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Martin Plihal ,  Vidyasagar Anantha ,  Saravanan Paramasivam ,  Chris W. Lee

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/00

CPC classification number: G06T7/0008 ,  F04C2270/0421 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating unbiased wafer defect samples are provided. One method includes selecting the defects detected by each of multiple scans performed on a wafer that have the most diversity in one or more defect attributes such that a diverse set of defects are selected across each scan. In addition, the method may include selecting the defects such that any defect that is selected and is common to two or more of the scans is not selected twice and any defects that are selected are diverse with respect to the common, selected defect. Furthermore, no sampling, binning, or classifying of the defects may be performed prior to selection of the defects such that the sampled defects are unbiased by any sampling, binning, or classifying method.

Abstract translation: 提供了用于产生无偏置晶片缺陷样品的方法和系统。 一种方法包括选择通过在一个或多个缺陷属性中具有最多分集的晶片上执行的多次扫描中检测到的缺陷，从而跨越每个扫描选择不同的缺陷集。 此外，该方法可以包括选择缺陷，使得两个或更多个扫描选择并且是共同的任何缺陷不被选择两次，并且所选择的任何缺陷相对于共同的所选择的缺陷是多种多样的。 此外，在选择缺陷之前，可以不进行采样，分类或缺陷分类，以便通过任何采样，合并或分类方法对采样缺陷进行不偏见。