公开(公告)号：US07283659B1

公开(公告)日：2007-10-16

申请号：US10175229

申请日：2002-06-18

申请人： David R. Bakker ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  James L. Belliveau ,  Chacko C. Neroth

发明人： David R. Bakker ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  James L. Belliveau ,  Chacko C. Neroth

IPC分类号： G06K9/00

CPC分类号： G06K9/6254 ,  G06K9/6272 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T2207/30148

摘要： Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatically organizing and/or analyzing a plurality of defect images without first providing a predefined set of classified images (herein referred to as a training set). In other words, sorting is not based on a training set or predefined classification codes for such defect images. In one embodiment, the defect images each include associated identifying data, such as a fabrication identifier, lot number, wafer number, and layer identifier. Initially, the defect images are sorted according to at least a portion of the associated identifying data into a plurality of “identifying data groups” or image families. The defect data in each identifying data group is then automatically sorted according to defect appearance. That is, similar defect images are associated with a single bin and similar bins are associated with other similar bins. For example, similar bins are arranged next to each other within a graphical user interface (GUI). A representative feature vector (herein referred to as a “centroid”) is then associated with each bin. The centroid generally represents the images within the particular bin. A search for images that “look like” a specified target image may then be efficiently performed on a particular identifying data group using the centroids of each bin. The target image's feature vector is compared with the centroid of each bin that is within the same identifying data group or image family as the target image. The techniques of the present invention may also be applied to wafer maps, as well as defect images.

摘要翻译： 公开了用于自动组织和/或分析多个缺陷图像的方法和装置，而不首先提供预定义的分类图像集（这里称为训练集）。 换句话说，排序不是基于这样的缺陷图像的训练集或预定义的分类代码。 在一个实施例中，缺陷图像各自包括关联的识别数据，例如制造标识符，批号，晶片号和层标识符。 最初，根据关联的识别数据的至少一部分将缺陷图像分类成多个“识别数据组”或图像族。 然后根据缺陷外观自动对每个识别数据组中的缺陷数据进行分类。 也就是说，类似的缺陷图像与单个仓相关联，并且类似的仓与其他相似的仓相关联。 例如，类似的箱体在图形用户界面（GUI）内彼此相邻布置。 然后将代表特征向量（这里称为“质心”）与每个仓相关联。 质心通常表示特定仓内的图像。 然后可以使用每个仓的质心在特定的识别数据组上有效地执行“看起来像”指定的目标图像的图像的搜索。 将目标图像的特征向量与与目标图像相同的识别数据组或图像系列内的每个仓的质心进行比较。 本发明的技术也可以应用于晶片图以及缺陷图像。

公开(公告)号：US06959251B2

公开(公告)日：2005-10-25

申请号：US10298389

申请日：2002-11-14

申请人： David Bruce Coldren ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  David Winslow Randall ,  Sharon Marie McCauley

发明人： David Bruce Coldren ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  David Winslow Randall ,  Sharon Marie McCauley

IPC分类号： H01L21/66 ,  G05B19/418 ,  H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  G06F19/00 ,  G06F17/50

CPC分类号： G05B19/41875 ,  G05B2219/32197 ,  G05B2219/45031 ,  H01L21/67276 ,  Y02P90/20 ,  Y02P90/22

摘要： Techniques for efficiently setting up inspection, metrology, and review systems for operating upon semiconductor wafers are described. Specifically, this involves setting up recipes that allows each system to accurately inspect semiconductor wafers. The invention gathers pertinent information from these tools and presents the information to users in a way that greatly reduces the time required to complete a recipe. One system embodiment includes an inspection system and a review station that is communicatively linked such that the review station can read from and write to an entire set of data stored at the inspection system. The set of data includes image files of features detected by the inspection system.

摘要翻译： 描述了用于有效地设置用于在半导体晶片上操作的检查，计量和检查系统的技术。 具体来说，这涉及设置允许每个系统准确检查半导体晶片的配方。 本发明从这些工具收集相关信息，并以大大减少完成配方所需时间的方式向用户提供信息。 一个系统实施例包括检查系统和通信链接的检查站，使得检查站可以读取和写入存储在检查系统中的整个数据集合。 该组数据包括由检查系统检测到的特征的图像文件。

公开(公告)号：US20120316855A1

公开(公告)日：2012-12-13

申请号：US13156323

申请日：2011-06-08

申请人： Allen Park ,  Ellis Chang ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  Steven R. Lange

发明人： Allen Park ,  Ellis Chang ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  Steven R. Lange

IPC分类号： G06F17/50

CPC分类号： G06F17/5068 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G06F17/5009 ,  G06F2217/12 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

摘要： Various embodiments for using three-dimensional representations for defect-related applications are provided.

摘要翻译： 提供了用于缺陷相关应用的三维表示的各种实施例。

公开(公告)号：US07072786B2

公开(公告)日：2006-07-04

申请号：US11238357

申请日：2005-09-28

申请人： David Bruce Coldren ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  David Winslow Randall ,  Sharon Marie McCauley

发明人： David Bruce Coldren ,  Prashant A. Aji ,  David Winslow Randall ,  Sharon Marie McCauley

IPC分类号： G06F19/00 ,  G06K9/00

CPC分类号： G05B19/41875 ,  G05B2219/32197 ,  G05B2219/45031 ,  H01L21/67276 ,  Y02P90/20 ,  Y02P90/22

摘要： Techniques for efficiently setting up inspection, metrology, and review systems for operating upon semiconductor wafers are described. Specifically, this involves setting up recipes that allows each system to accurately inspect semiconductor wafers. The invention gathers pertinent information from these tools and presents the information to users in a way that greatly reduces the time required to complete a recipe. One system embodiment includes an inspection system and a review station that is communicatively linked such that the review station can read from and write to an entire set of data stored at the inspection system. The set of data includes image files of features detected by the inspection system.

摘要翻译： 描述了用于有效地设置用于在半导体晶片上操作的检查，计量和审查系统的技术。 具体来说，这涉及设置允许每个系统准确检查半导体晶片的配方。 本发明从这些工具收集相关信息，并以大大减少完成配方所需时间的方式向用户提供信息。 一个系统实施例包括检查系统和通信链接的检查站，使得检查站可以读取和写入存储在检查系统中的整个数据集合。 该组数据包括由检查系统检测到的特征的图像文件。