公开(公告)号：US10332810B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-25

申请号：US15792705

申请日：2017-10-24

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Bobby R. Bell

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G01N21/95

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing one or more processes on a specimen are provided. One system includes a deposition module incorporated into an existing tool configured to perform an inspection and/or metrology process. The deposition module is configured to deposit one or more materials on a specimen prior to the inspection and/or metrology process performed on the specimen. In some embodiments, the system also includes a stripping module incorporated into the existing tool, and the stripping module is configured to remove material(s) from the specimen subsequent to the inspection and/or metrology process performed on the specimen. The existing tool includes an illumination subsystem configured to direct light having one or more illumination wavelengths to the specimen; a detection subsystem configured to detect light from the specimen; and a computer subsystem configured to determine information for the specimen using output generated by the detection subsystem responsive to the detected light.

公开(公告)号：US10324046B1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-18

申请号：US15241005

申请日：2016-08-18

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Tao-Yi Fu ,  Steve Lange ,  Lisheng Gao ,  Xuguang Jiang ,  Ping Gu ,  Sylvain Muckenhirn

IPC: G01N21/00 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01B11/30 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/88 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a non-defect related characteristic of a patterned wafer are provided. One computer-implemented method includes generating output responsive to light from a patterned wafer using an inspection system. The method also includes determining differences between a value of a non-defect related characteristic of the patterned wafer and a known value of the non-defect related characteristic based on differences between one or more attributes of the output and one or more attributes of other output of the inspection system for a different patterned wafer having the known value of the non-defect related characteristic.

公开(公告)号：US10211025B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-19

申请号：US15233971

申请日：2016-08-11

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Hucheng Lee ,  Govindarajan Thattaisundaram

IPC: H01J37/22 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G06T7/73

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a position of a defect in an electron beam image of a wafer are provided. One method includes determining a second position of a defect with respect to patterns imaged in a test image based on a first position of the defect in a difference image. The method also includes determining a third position of the defect with respect to the patterns in an electron beam image for the defect and determining an association between the first and third positions. In addition, the method includes determining a position of another defect in an electron beam image based on a first position of the other defect in a difference image and the determined association.

公开(公告)号：US10151706B1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-11

申请号：US15481421

申请日：2017-04-06

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Santosh Bhattacharyya ,  Hucheng Lee ,  Bjorn Brauer

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a specimen are provided. One method includes identifying first and second portions of dies on a specimen as edge dies and center dies, respectively. The method also includes determining first and second inspection methods for the first and second portions, respectively. Parameter(s) of comparisons performed in the first and second inspection methods are different. The method further includes detecting defects in at least one of the edge dies using the first inspection method and detecting defects in at least one of the center dies using the second inspection method.

公开(公告)号：US10127653B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-13

申请号：US14804102

申请日：2015-07-20

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Brian Duffy ,  Michael Lennek ,  ChangHo Lee

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T7/32

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining coordinates for an area of interest on a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for, for an area of interest on a specimen being inspected, identifying one or more targets located closest to the area of interest. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for aligning one or more images for the one or more targets to a reference for the specimen. The image(s) for the target(s) and an image for the area of interest are acquired by an inspection subsystem during inspection of the specimen. The computer subsystem(s) are further configured for determining an offset between the image(s) for the target(s) and the reference based on results of the aligning and determining modified coordinates of the area of interest based on the offset and coordinates of the area of interest reported by the inspection subsystem.

公开(公告)号：US10043261B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-07

申请号：US15402094

申请日：2017-01-09

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Kris Bhaskar ,  Jing Zhang ,  Grace Hsiu-Ling Chen ,  Ashok Kulkarni ,  Laurent Karsenti

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F1/86 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating simulated output for a specimen are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a specimen with one or more computer systems. The information includes at least one of an actual optical image of the specimen, an actual electron beam image of the specimen, and design data for the specimen. The method also includes inputting the information for the specimen into a learning based model. The learning based model is included in one or more components executed by the one or more computer systems. The learning based model is configured for mapping a triangular relationship between optical images, electron beam images, and design data, and the learning based model applies the triangular relationship to the input to thereby generate simulated images for the specimen.

公开(公告)号：US09916965B2

公开(公告)日：2018-03-13

申请号：US15394792

申请日：2016-12-29

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Kris Bhaskar ,  Grace Hsiu-Ling Chen ,  Keith Wells ,  Wayne McMillan ,  Jing Zhang ,  Scott Young ,  Brian Duffy

IPC: G01N21/00 ,  H01J37/22 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N23/225 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/222 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N23/2251 ,  G01N2201/12 ,  G01N2223/304 ,  G01N2223/401 ,  G01N2223/418 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  G01N2223/646 ,  G03F7/7065 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/226 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24475 ,  H01J2237/24495 ,  H01J2237/2817 ,  H01L22/20

Abstract: Hybrid inspectors are provided. One system includes computer subsystem(s) configured for receiving optical based output and electron beam based output generated for a specimen. The computer subsystem(s) include one or more virtual systems configured for performing one or more functions using at least some of the optical based output and the electron beam based output generated for the specimen. The system also includes one or more components executed by the computer subsystem(s), which include one or more models configured for performing one or more simulations for the specimen. The computer subsystem(s) are configured for detecting defects on the specimen based on at least two of the optical based output, the electron beam based output, results of the one or more functions, and results of the one or more simulations.

公开(公告)号：US09915625B2

公开(公告)日：2018-03-13

申请号：US15391753

申请日：2016-12-27

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Lisheng Gao ,  Tao Luo ,  Keith Wells ,  Xiaochun Li

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

CPC classification number: G01N21/95607 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2201/12 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/20084 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for generating a rendered image based on information for a design printed on the wafer. The rendered image is a simulation of an image generated by an optical inspection subsystem for the design printed on the wafer. Generating the rendered image includes one or more steps, and the computer subsystem(s) are configured for performing at least one of the one or more steps by executing a generative model. The computer subsystem(s)) are also configured for comparing the rendered image to an optical image of the wafer generated by the optical inspection subsystem. The design is printed on the wafer using a reticle. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for detecting defects on the wafer based on results of the comparing.

公开(公告)号：US09865512B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-09

申请号：US14244859

申请日：2014-04-03

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Thirupurasundari Jayaraman ,  Raghav Babulnath

IPC: G01R31/265 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/95

CPC classification number: H01L22/12 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamic design attributes for wafer inspection are provided. One method includes, at run time of a wafer inspection recipe, prompting a user of a wafer inspection tool on which the wafer inspection recipe is performed for information for a design based binning (DBB) process. The information includes one or more formulae for calculating design attributes from a design for a wafer. The design attributes are used to bin the defects in the DBB process. The method also includes performing inspection of a wafer according to an updated wafer inspection recipe. Performing the inspection includes binning defects detected on the wafer according to the DBB process in the updated wafer inspection recipe.

公开(公告)号：US09767548B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-19

申请号：US15135465

申请日：2016-04-21

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Saibal Banerjee ,  Ashok V. Kulkarni

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/00

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/20021 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying outliers in multiple instances of a pattern of interest (POI) are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for acquiring images generated by an imaging subsystem at multiple instances of a POI within a die formed on the specimen. The multiple instances include two or more instances that are located at aperiodic locations within the die. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for determining a feature of each of the images generated at the multiple instances of the POI. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for identifying one or more outliers in the multiple instances of the POI based on the determined features.