公开(公告)号：US10605744B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-31

申请号：US15865130

申请日：2018-01-08

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Lu Chen ,  Jason Kirkwood ,  Mohan Mahadevan ,  James A. Smith ,  Lisheng Gao ,  Junqing (Jenny) Huang ,  Tao Luo ,  Richard Wallingford

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating output for a wafer by scanning the wafer with an inspection system using first and second optical states of the inspection system. The first and second optical states are defined by different values for at least one optical parameter of the inspection system. The method also includes generating first image data for the wafer using the output generated using the first optical state and second image data for the wafer using the output generated using the second optical state. In addition, the method includes combining the first image data and the second image data corresponding to substantially the same locations on the wafer thereby creating additional image data for the wafer. The method further includes detecting defects on the wafer using the additional image data.

公开(公告)号：US20190333206A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-31

申请号：US16508778

申请日：2019-07-11

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Hucheng Lee ,  Lisheng Gao ,  Jan Lauber ,  Yong Zhang

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/22 ,  G06T5/00

Abstract: The correlation of optical images with SEM images includes acquiring a full optical image of a sample by scanning the sample with an optical inspection sub-system, storing the full optical image, identifying a location of a feature-of-interest present in the full optical image with an additional sources, acquiring an SEM image of a portion of the sample that includes the feature at the identified location with a SEM tool, acquiring an optical image portion at the location identified by the additional source, the image portions including a reference structure, correlating the image portion and the SEM image based on the presence of the feature-of-interest and the reference structure in both the image portions and the SEM image, and transferring a location of the feature-of-interest in the SEM image into the coordinate system of the image portion of the full optical image to form a corrected optical image.

公开(公告)号：US10393671B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-27

申请号：US15140438

申请日：2016-04-27

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Govindarajan Thattaisundaram ,  Hucheng Lee ,  Lisheng Gao

IPC: G01N21/00 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/88

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for acquiring images generated by an imaging subsystem at multiple instances of a pattern of interest (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 generating a POI reference image from two or more of the images generated at the multiple instances of the POI within the die. The computer subsystem(s) are further configured for comparing the images generated at the multiple instances of the POI within the die to the POI reference image and detecting defects in the multiple instances of the POI based on results of the comparing.

公开(公告)号：US10181185B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-15

申请号：US15402197

申请日：2017-01-09

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Allen Park ,  Lisheng Gao ,  Ashok Kulkarni ,  Saibal Banerjee ,  Ping Gu ,  Songnian Rong ,  Kris Bhaskar

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

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting anomalies in images of a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for acquiring images generated of a specimen by an imaging subsystem. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for identifying anomalies in the images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images.

公开(公告)号：US20180348147A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US15828632

申请日：2017-12-01

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Eugene Shifrin ,  Bjorn Brauer ,  Sumit Sen ,  Ashok Mathew ,  Sreeram Chandrasekaran ,  Lisheng Gao

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956

Abstract: Defects from a hot scan can be saved, such as on persistent storage, random access memory, or a split database. The persistent storage can be patch-based virtual inspector virtual analyzer (VIVA) or local storage. Repeater defect detection jobs can determined and the wafer can be inspected based on the repeater defect detection jobs. Repeater defects can be analyzed and corresponding defect records to the repeater defects can be read from the persistent storage. These results may be returned to the high level defect detection controller.

公开(公告)号：US20180342051A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-29

申请号：US15971536

申请日：2018-05-04

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Abdurrahman Sezginer ,  Xiaochun Li ,  Pavan Kumar ,  Junqing Huang ,  Lisheng Gao ,  Grace H. Chen ,  Yalin Xiong ,  Hawren Fang

IPC: G06T7/00

Abstract: Systems and methods increase the signal to noise ratio of optical inspection of wafers to obtain higher inspection sensitivity. The computed reference image can minimize a norm of the difference of the test image and the computed reference image. A difference image between the test image and a computed reference image is determined. The computed reference image includes a linear combination of a second set of images.

公开(公告)号：US20180276808A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-27

申请号：US15858264

申请日：2017-12-29

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Bjorn Brauer ,  Benjamin Murray ,  Shishir Suman ,  Lisheng Gao

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06F17/50

Abstract: Systems and methods of a two-pass inspection methodology that dynamically creates micro care areas for inspection of repeater defects. Micro care areas can be formed around each location of a repeater defect. After inspection, additional repeater defects in the micro care areas can be identified. Attributes of the repeater defects can be compared and any repeater defects with attributes that deviate from an expected group attribute distribution can be classified as nuisance.

公开(公告)号：US10012599B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-03

申请号：US15088081

申请日：2016-03-31

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

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

IPC: G01N21/95 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/66

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2201/061 ,  G01N2201/06113 ,  G01N2201/068 ,  G06T7/0006 ,  G06T7/0008 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01L21/67288 ,  H01L22/12

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 the optical inspection subsystem for the design printed on the wafer. 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：US09846930B2

公开(公告)日：2017-12-19

申请号：US15376486

申请日：2016-12-12

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Kenong Wu ,  Lisheng Gao ,  Grace Hsiu-Ling Chen ,  David W. Shortt

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

CPC classification number: G06T7/0008 ,  G01N21/8806 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N2021/8822 ,  G01N2021/8848 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/34

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a target on a wafer. The target includes a pattern of interest (POI) formed on the wafer and a known defect of interest (DOI) occurring proximate to or in the POI. The method also includes detecting the known DOI in target candidates by identifying potential DOI locations based on images of the target candidates acquired by a first channel of an inspection system and applying one or more detection parameters to images of the potential DOI locations acquired by a second channel of the inspection system. Therefore, the image(s) used for locating potential DOI locations and the image(s) used for detecting defects can be different.

公开(公告)号：US09830421B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-28

申请号：US14983452

申请日：2015-12-29

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Santosh Bhattacharyya ,  Bjorn Braeuer ,  Lisheng Gao

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G06F17/5081 ,  G03F7/70616

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a position of output generated by an inspection subsystem in design data space are provided. One method includes selecting one or more alignment targets from a design for a specimen. At least a portion of the one or more alignment targets include built in targets included in the design for a purpose other than alignment of inspection results to design data space. At least the portion of the one or more alignment targets does not include one or more individual device features. One or more images for the alignment target(s) and output generated by the inspection subsystem at the position(s) of the alignment target(s) may then be used to determine design data space positions of other output generated by the inspection subsystem in a variety of ways described herein.