Using Three-Dimensional Representations for Defect-Related Applications
Granted: December 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120316855
Various embodiments for using three-dimensional representations for defect-related applications are provided.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THREE DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION OF WAFER SAW MARKS
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120300039
An apparatus (1) and a method for the three dimensional inspection of saw marks (2) on at least one surface (3) of a wafer (4) are disclosed. At least one camera (6) is required to capture an image of the entire surface (3) of the wafer (4). At least one line projector (8) provides a light bundle (5), centered about a central beam axis (9). The line projector (8) is arranged such that the central beam axis (9) is at an acute angle (?) with regard to the plane (P) of the wafer (4). A line…
Reconfigurable Spectroscopic Ellipsometer
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120287433
A Mueller ellipsometer of the type having a first rotating element on an incident beam side of a sample and a second rotating element on a reflected beam side of the sample and a detector having an integration time, having a controller for selectively and separately adjusting (1) a first angular frequency of the first rotating element and (2) a second angular frequency of the second rotating element.
HEAT SHIELD MODULE FOR SUBSTRATE-LIKE METROLOGY DEVICE
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120287574
A heat shield module includes top and bottom portions made of a high heat material. The top and bottom portions attached to each other and form an enclosure with an opening sized to receive an electronic component package with no intervening insulating material between a component and the top and bottom portions. One or more legs are mounted to either the top portion or the bottom portion. The legs are configured to attach the enclosure to a substrate and to form a gap between the bottom…
Systems and Methods for Determining One or More Characteristics of a Specimen Using Radiation in the Terahertz Range
Granted: November 8, 2012
Application Number:
20120281275
Systems and methods for determining one or more characteristics of a specimen using radiation in the terahertz range are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to illuminate the specimen with radiation. The system also includes a detection subsystem configured to detect radiation propagating from the specimen in response to illumination of the specimen and to generate output responsive to the detected radiation. The detected radiation includes radiation in the…
PRE AND POST CLEANING OF MASK, WAFER, OPTICAL SURFACES FOR PREVENTION OF CONTAMINATION PRIOR TO AND AFTER INSPECTION
Granted: November 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120274924
A method and apparatus for preventing or minimizing contamination on a critical surface is disclosed. The method and apparatus for preventing or minimizing contamination on the critical surface may be an integrated component of an inspection system, and the cleaning process may be applied prior to the inspection process (may be referred to as pre-cleaning) which may greatly reduce photon-induced contamination. In addition, the cleaning process in accordance with the present disclosure…
Systems and Methods for Detecting Defects on a Wafer
Granted: October 25, 2012
Application Number:
20120268735
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…
APPARATUS FOR ILLUMINATING SUBSTRATES IN ORDER TO IMAGE MICRO CRACKS, PINHOLES AND INCLUSIONS IN MONOCRYSTALLINE AND POLYCRYSTALLINE SUBSTRATES AND METHOD THEREFORE
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120262566
Apparatus for illuminating monocrystalline and polycrystalline substrates (10) is disclosed in order to image micro cracks, pinholes and inclusions in the substrates (10). A first illumination system (1) illuminates a first line (11) of light on the front surface (31) of the substrate (10). A second illumination system (2) illuminates a second line (12) of light on the front surface (31) of the substrate (10). The first line (11) of light and the second line (12) of light are oriented…
LED Solar Illuminator
Granted: October 11, 2012
Application Number:
20120256559
An apparatus for illuminating a target surface, the apparatus having a plurality of LED arrays, where each of the arrays has a plurality of individually addressable LEDs, and where at least one of the arrays is disposed at an angle of between about forty-five degrees and about ninety degrees relative to the target surface, where all of the arrays supply light into a light pipe, the light pipe having interior walls made of a reflective material, where light exiting the light pipe…
Design-Based Inspection Using Repeating Structures
Granted: September 27, 2012
Application Number:
20120243773
Systems and methods for design-based inspection using repeating structures are provided.
Magnet Strength Measurement
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120234109
An apparatus for determining an integral strength of a magnet, including a magnetically attractive specimen, a force-sensing device for receiving the specimen and determining a magnitude of a first force applied by the specimen against the force-sensing device in the presence of the magnet and a magnitude of a second force applied by the specimen against the force-sensing device in the absence of the magnet, and a platform for receiving the magnet and for positioning the magnet at a…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING A REFLECTIVE LITHOGRAPHIC MASK BLANK AND IMPROVING MASK QUALITY
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120238096
An EUV integrated circuit fabrication method and system EUV that includes blank inspection, defect characterization, simulation, pattern compensation, modification of the mask writer database, inspection and simulation of patterned masks, and patterned mask repair. The system performs blank inspection to identify defects at multiple focal planes within the blank. The mask can be relocated on the blank and alterations to the pattern can be developed to compensate for the defects prior to…
SOURCE MULTIPLEXING ILLUMINATION FOR MASK INSPECTION
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120236281
Methods and systems for source multiplexing illumination for mask inspection are disclosed. Such illumination systems enable EUV sources of small brightness to be used for EUV mask defect inspection at nodes below the 22 nm. Utilizing the multiple plane or conic mirrors that are either attached to a continuously rotating base with different angles or individually rotating to position for each pulse, the reflected beams may be directed through a common optical path. The light may then be…
EUV ACTINIC RETICLE INSPECTION SYSTEM USING IMAGING SENSOR WITH THIN FILM SPECTRAL PURITY FILTER COATING
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120235049
An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) actinic reticle imaging system suitable for discharge produced plasma (DPP) or laser produced plasma (LPP) reticle imaging systems using a thin film coating spectral purity filter (SPF) positioned on or proximate to the EUV imaging sensor; an EUV imaging sensor carrying this SPF; and methods for making and using the SPF for reticle inspection. The coating may be applied to the imaging sensor in any manner suitable for the particular coating selected. The…
Surface Scanning Inspection System With Adjustable Scan Pitch
Granted: September 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120229802
A surface scanning wafer inspection system with independently adjustable scan pitch and associated methods of operation are presented. The scan pitch may be adjusted independently from an illumination area on the surface of a wafer. In some embodiments, scan pitch is adjusted while the illumination area remains constant. For example, defect sensitivity is adjusted by adjusting the rate of translation of a wafer relative to the rate of rotation of the wafer without additional optical…
DESIGN BASED DEVICE RISK ASSESSMENT
Granted: August 23, 2012
Application Number:
20120216169
The present invention includes defining a multiple patterns of interest utilizing design data of the device; generating a design based classification database, the DBC database including design data associated with each of the POIs; receiving one or more inspection results; comparing the inspection results to each of the plurality of POIs in order to identify an occurrence of at least one of the POIs in the inspection results; determining yield impact of each POI utilizing process yield…
OPTICAL IMAGING SYSTEM WITH LASER DROPLET PLASMA ILLUMINATOR
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120205546
A wafer inspection system includes a laser droplet plasma (LDP) light source that generates light with sufficient radiance to enable bright field inspection at wavelengths down to 40 nanometers. Light generated by the LDP source is directed to the wafer and light from the illuminated wafer is collected by a high NA objective with all reflective elements. A detector detects the collected light for further image processing. The LDP source includes a droplet generator that dispenses…
STRUCTURED ILLUMINATION FOR CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT IN OVERLAY METROLOGY
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120206729
Contrast enhancement in a metrology tool may include generating a beam of illumination, directing a portion of the generated beam onto a surface of a spatial light modulator (SLM), directing at least a portion of the generated beam incident on the surface of the SLM through an aperture of an aperture stop and onto one or more target structures of one or more samples, and generating a selected illumination pupil function of the illumination transmitted through the aperture utilizing the…
Methods and Systems for Creating or Performing a Dynamic Sampling Scheme for a Process During Which Measurements Are Performed on Wafers
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120208301
Various methods and systems for creating or performing a dynamic sampling scheme for a process during which measurements are performed on wafers are provided. One method for creating a dynamic sampling scheme for a process during which measurements are performed on wafers includes performing the measurements on all of the wafers in at least one tot at all measurement spots on the wafers. The method also includes determining an optimal sampling scheme, an enhanced sampling scheme, a…
PROCESS CONDITION MEASURING DEVICE (PCMD) AND METHOD FOR MEASURING PROCESS CONDITIONS IN A WORKPIECE PROCESSING TOOL CONFIGURED TO PROCESS PRODUCTION WORKPIECES
Granted: August 9, 2012
Application Number:
20120203495
A process condition measuring device (PCMD) may include first and second substrate components. One or more temperature sensors are embedded within each substrate component. The first and second substrate components are sandwiched together such that each temperature sensor in the second substrate component is aligned in tandem with a corresponding temperature sensor located in the first substrate component. Alternatively first and second temperature sensors may be positioned in parallel…
