System and Method to Emulate Finite Element Model Based Prediction of In-Plane Distortions Due to Semiconductor Wafer Chucking
Granted: April 17, 2014
Application Number:
20140107998
Systems and methods for prediction of in-plane distortions (IPD) due to wafer shape in semiconductor wafer chucking process is disclosed. A process to emulate the non-linear finite element (FE) contact mechanics model based IPD prediction is utilized in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The emulated FE model based prediction process is substantially more efficient and provides accuracy comparable to the FE model based IPD prediction that utilizes full-scale 3-D…
Detecting Defects on a Wafer Using Defect-Specific Information
Granted: April 17, 2014
Application Number:
20140105482
Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific information are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a target on a wafer. The target includes a pattern of interest formed on the wafer and a known DOI occurring proximate to or in the pattern of interest. The information includes an image of the target on the wafer. The method also includes searching for target candidates on the wafer or another wafer. The target candidates include the pattern…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING SIZE AND LOCATION OF MINIMUM BEAM SPOT
Granted: April 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140098363
The disclosure is directed to a system and method for determining at least one characteristic of an illumination beam emanating from an illumination source. A substrate having a plurality of apertures may be actuated through an illumination beam so that apertures at different spatial offsets are scanned through the illumination beam at one or more levels of focus. Portions of illumination directed through scanned apertures may be received by at least one detector. At least one…
System and Method for Compressed Data Transmission in a Maskless Lithography System
Granted: April 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140097362
Compression, transmission and decompression of gray-tone imagery data includes receiving a gray-tone image suitable for printing at least a portion of a pattern onto a substrate by operation of an electron beam lithography system, aggregating sets of lines of the gray-tone image into trilines, sequentially encoding each of the trilines of the gray-tone image by operation of one or more encoders, the one or more encoders equipped with a codebook configured to store a plurality of triline…
Model-Based Registration and Critical Dimension Metrology
Granted: March 27, 2014
Application Number:
20140086475
A method and system for performing model-based registration and critical dimension measurement is disclosed. The method includes: utilizing an imaging device to obtain at least one optical image of a measurement site specified for a photomask; retrieving a design of photomask and utilizing a computer model of the imaging device to generate at least one simulated image of the measurement site; adjusting at least one parameter of the computer model to minimize dissimilarities between the…
Selecting Parameters for Defect Detection Methods
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140072203
Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and systems for selecting one or more parameters for a defect detection method are provided. One method includes selecting one or more parameters of a defect detection method using an optimization function and information for a set of classified defects, which includes defects of interest and nuisance defects, such that the one or more parameters satisfy an objective for the defect detection method.
Solid State Illumination Source And Inspection System
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140071520
An exemplary illumination source for an inspection system includes a pulsed seed laser having a wavelength of approximately 1104 nm and a continuous wave, Raman seed laser having a wavelength of approximately 1160 nm. An optical coupler can combine outputs of the pulsed seed laser and the continuous wave, Raman seed laser. Pre-amplification stages can receive an output of the optical coupler. A power amplifier can receive an output of the pre-amplification stages. A sixth harmonic can be…
Method and System for Tilt and Height Control of a Substrate Surface in an Inspection System
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140071457
A system for substrate tilt and focus control in an inspection system includes a dynamically actuatable substrate stage assembly including a substrate stage for securing a substrate; a tilt-height detection system including: a height detection sub-system and a tilt detection sub-system. The system further includes a first actuator configured to selectably actuate the substrate along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate at a location of the substrate stage assembly;…
Monitoring Incident Beam Position in a Wafer Inspection System
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140071437
Methods, systems, and structures for monitoring incident beam position in a wafer inspection system are provided. One structure includes a feature formed in a chuck configured to support a wafer during inspection by the wafer inspection system. The chuck rotates the wafer in a theta direction and simultaneously translates the wafer in a radial direction during the inspection. An axis through the center of the feature is aligned with a radius of the chuck such that a position of the axis…
Photoresist Simulation
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140067346
A processor based method for measuring dimensional properties of a photoresist profile by determining a number acid generators and quenchers within a photoresist volume, determining a number of photons absorbed by the photoresist volume, determining a number of the acid generators converted to acid, determining a number of acid and quencher reactions within the photoresist volume, calculating a development of the photoresist volume, producing with the processor a three-dimensional…
DEVICE CORRELATED METROLOGY (DCM) FOR OVL WITH EMBEDDED SEM STRUCTURE OVERLAY TARGETS
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140065736
Aspects of the present disclosure describe a target for use in measuring a relative position between two substantially coplanar layers of a device. The target includes periodic structures in first and second layers. Differences in relative position of the first and the second layers between the first and second periodic structures and the respective device-like structure can be measured to correct the relative position of the first and the second layers between the first and second…
Determining Information for Cells
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140065637
Systems, methods, and devices for determining information for cells are provided. The systems, methods, and devices are configured such that information for more than 100,000 cells can be determined in a single run. The devices are configured to immobilize the cells. The devices also include features that can be used by the systems and methods for determining and tracking the positions of each of the cells in the device on a cell-by-cell basis. The systems and methods are configured for…
Image Intensifier Tube Design for Aberration Correction and Ion Damage Reduction
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140063502
The disclosure is directed to image intensifier tube designs for field curvature aberration correction and ion damage reduction. In some embodiments, electrodes defining an acceleration path from a photocathode to a scintillating screen are configured to provide higher acceleration for off-axis electrons along at least a portion of the acceleration path. Off-axis electrons and on-axis electrons are accordingly focused on the scintillating screen with substantial uniformity to prevent or…
Focus Recipe Determination for a Lithographic Scanner
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140063478
The present disclosure is directed to a method of determining one or more focus values for a lithographic scanner. According to an embodiment, an optical signal including at least a first variable and a second variable is detected by a optical analysis system from at least one test sample for a plurality of programmed focus error values. A first variable value showing sensitivity to focus is selected based upon a corresponding responsiveness of the second variable to change of focus…
Method and Apparatus to Reduce Thermal Stress by Regulation and Control of Lamp Operating Temperatures
Granted: March 6, 2014
Application Number:
20140060792
A fluid input manifold distributes injected fluid around the body of a bulb to cool the bulb below a threshold. The injected fluid also distributes heat more evenly along the surface of the bulb to reduce thermal stress. The fluid input manifold may comprise one or more airfoils to direct a substantially laminar fluid flow along the surface of the bulb or it may comprise a plurality of fluid injection nozzles oriented to produce a substantially laminar fluid flow. An output portion may…
Automated Inspection Scenario Generation
Granted: February 20, 2014
Application Number:
20140050389
Methods and systems for determining inspection scenarios without input from a user are presented. Inspection scenarios include at least one acquisition mode, defect detection parameter values, and classification parameter values. In one example, a number of defect events are determined by a hot inspection of a wafer surface. The defect events are classified and attributes associated with each defect event are identified. The defect events are labeled with this information. Based on the…
Optical Characterization Systems Employing Compact Synchrotron Radiation Sources
Granted: February 20, 2014
Application Number:
20140048707
A compact synchrotron radiation source includes an electron beam generator, an electron storage ring, one or more wiggler insertion devices disposed along one or more straight sections of the electron storage ring, the one or more wiggler insertion devices including a set of magnetic poles configured to generate a periodic alternating magnetic field suitable for producing synchrotron radiation emitted along the direction of travel of the electrons of the storage ring, wherein the one or…
Laser Sustained Plasma Bulb Including Water
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140042336
A wafer inspection system includes a laser sustained plasma (LSP) light source that generates light with sufficient radiance to enable bright field inspection. Reliability of the LSP light source is improved by introducing an amount of water into the bulb containing the gas mixture that generates the plasma. Radiation generated by the plasma includes substantial radiance in a wavelength range below approximately 190 nanometers that causes damage to the materials used to construct the…
Optical System Polarizer Calibration
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140043608
An apparatus to calibrate a polarizer in a polarized optical system at any angle of incidence. The apparatus decouples the polarization effect of the system from the polarization effect of the sample. The apparatus includes a substrate with a polarizer disposed on the surface. An indicator on the substrate indicates the polarization orientation of the polarizer, which is in a predetermined orientation with respect to the substrate.
TDI Sensor Modules With Localized Driving And Signal Processing Circuitry For High Speed Inspection
Granted: February 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140043463
An inspection system for inspecting a surface of a wafer/mask/reticle can include a modular array. The modular array can include a plurality of time delay integration (TDI) sensor modules, each TDI sensor module having a TDI sensor and a plurality of localized circuits for driving and processing the TDI sensor. At least one of the localized circuits can control a clock associated with the TDI sensor. At least one light pipe can be used to distribute a source illumination to the plurality…
