Automatic supervised classifier setup tool for semiconductor defects
Granted: August 12, 2004
Application Number:
20040156540
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for efficiently setting up and maintaining a defect classification system. In general terms, the setup procedure optionally includes automatically grouping a set of provided defects (e.g., defect images) and presenting a representative set from each defect group to the user for classification. Alternatively, a representative set from the whole defect set may be presented to the user for classification without first grouping the defects into groups. The…
Method and apparatus for scanning, stitching, and damping measurements of a double-sided metrology inspection tool
Granted: July 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040145733
A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a damping arrangement which filters unwanted acoustic and seismic vibration, including an optics arrangement which scans a first portion of the specimen and a translation or rotation arrangement for translating or rotating the specimen to a position where the optics arrangement can scan the remaining portion(s) of the specimen. The system further includes…
Concurrent measurement and cleaning of thin films on silicon-on-insulator (SOI)
Granted: July 8, 2004
Application Number:
20040130718
A system for performing single wavelength ellipsometry (SWE) on a thin film on a multi-layer substrate such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) applies a measurement beam having an absorption distance less than the thickness of the superficial layer of the multi-layer substrate. For example, for an SOI substrate, the measurement beam is selected to have a wavelength that results in an absorption distance that is less than the superficial silicon layer thickness. The system can include a…
Methods and systems for determining a presence of macro defects and overlay of a specimen
Granted: June 17, 2004
Application Number:
20040115843
Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple…
Apparatus and methods for removing optical abberations during an optical inspection
Granted: May 27, 2004
Application Number:
20040100629
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for altering the phase and/or amplitude of an optical beam within an inspection system using one or more spatial light modulator(s) (SLMs). In one embodiment, an apparatus for optically inspecting a sample with an optical beam is disclosed. The apparatus includes a beam generator for directing an incident optical beam onto the sample whereby at least a first portion of the incident optical beam is directed from the sample as an output beam and a…
System and method for determining reticle defect printability
Granted: May 20, 2004
Application Number:
20040096094
A method and software program for determining printability of a defect on a reticle or photomask onto a substrate during processing. That is performed by creating a pixel grid image having a plurality of individual pixel images showing the defect. A gray scale value is assigned to each pixel image of the pixel grid image and a probable center pixel of the defect is selected. Then the polarity of the defect is determined, with a coarse center pixel of the defect optionally selected using…
Methods and systems for determining a critical dimension and a thin film characteristic of a specimen
Granted: April 15, 2004
Application Number:
20040073398
Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple…
Process for identifying defects in a substrate having non-uniform surface properties
Granted: April 8, 2004
Application Number:
20040066507
A surface inspection method of the invention includes scanning an inspection surface taking surface measurements. Determinations of various noise levels in the surface are made based on variations in the surface measurements. A dynamic threshold is then determined. The dynamic threshold adapts to the noise levels in the inspection surface to provide a varying threshold that can provide areas of high and low defect sensitivity on the same inspection surface. Defects are then identified by…
Optical compensation in high numerical aperture photomask inspection systems for inspecting photomasks through thick pellicles
Granted: March 4, 2004
Application Number:
20040042002
An objective lens system having reconfigurable optical components that enable the inspection of inspection surfaces in the absence of a pellicle or through a thin membrane pellicle, and using the same system, also enabling the inspection of inspection surfaces through a thick pellicle. An objective lens system includes a first group and a second group of optical elements. The first group of optical elements enables high numerical aperture and beam contraction. The second group of optical…
Method and apparatus for endpoint detection in electron beam assisted etching
Granted: March 4, 2004
Application Number:
20040043621
Techniques for detecting endpoints during semiconductor dry-etching processes are described. The dry-etching process of the present invention involves using a combination of a reactive material and a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam. In another embodiment, a photon beam is used to facilitate the etching process. The endpoint detection techniques involve monitoring the emission levels of secondary electrons and backscatter electrons together with the current within the…
Simultaneous multi-spot inspection and imaging
Granted: March 4, 2004
Application Number:
20040042001
A compact and versatile multi-spot inspection imaging system employs an objective for focusing an array of radiation beams to a surface and a second reflective or refractive objective having a large numerical aperture for collecting scattered radiation from the array of illuminated spots. The scattered radiation from each illuminated spot is focused to a corresponding optical fiber channel so that information about a scattering may be conveyed to a corresponding detector in a remote…
Methods and apparatus for electron beam inspection of samples
Granted: March 4, 2004
Application Number:
20040041095
Methods and apparatus are providing for inspecting a test sample. An electron beam is tuned to cause secondary electron emissions upon scanning a target area. Reactive substances are introduced to etch and remove materials and impurities from the scan target. Residual components are evacuated. In one example, a laser is used to irradiate and area to assist in the removal of residual components with poor vapor pressure.
Inspection system setup techniques
Granted: February 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040038454
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…
Use of overlay diagnostics for enhanced automatic process control
Granted: February 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040038455
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for analyzing the quality of overlay targets. In one embodiment, a method of extracting data from an overlay target is disclosed. Initially, image information or one or more intensity signals of the overlay target are provided. An overlay error is obtained from the overlay target by analyzing the image information or the intensity signal(s) of the overlay target. A systematic error metric is also obtained from the overlay target by analyzing the image…
Use of overlay diagnostics for enhanced automatic process control
Granted: February 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040040003
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for analyzing the quality of overlay targets. In one embodiment, a method of extracting data from an overlay target is disclosed. Initially, image information or one or more intensity signals of the overlay target are provided. An overlay error is obtained from the overlay target by analyzing the image information or the intensity signal(s) of the overlay target. A systematic error metric is also obtained from the overlay target by analyzing the image…
Multi-detector microscopic inspection system
Granted: February 12, 2004
Application Number:
20040027688
Techniques for utilizing a microscope inspection system capable of inspecting specimens at high throughput rates are described. The inspection system achieves the higher throughput rates by utilizing more than one detector array and a large field of view to scan the surface of the semiconductor wafers. The microscope inspection system also has high magnification capabilities, a high numerical aperture, and a large field of view. By using more than one detector array, more surface area of…
Method and system for detecting phase defects in lithographic masks and semiconductor wafers
Granted: January 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040016897
Provided are apparatus and methods for detecting phase defects. The invention relies generally on the distortion of light as it passes through defects in phase shift masks to detect these defects. Light traveling through a defect, such as a bump in an etched area will travel at a different angle than light traveling through air. In order to enhance the signals generated from the defects, the invention in several embodiments provides a multiple element detector having at least four…
Inspection system with multiple illumination sources
Granted: January 22, 2004
Application Number:
20040012774
The present invention pertains to techniques for increasing the available illumination light, increasing the resolution, and optimizing the spectrum of optical inspection systems. These techniques involve combining the light beams from two or more separate illumination sources. In one embodiment, this performed by utilizing two separate illumination sources wherein one of the illumination sources compensates the other illumination source in the wavelength range where illumination light…
Spectroscopic measurement system using an off-axis spherical mirror and refractive elements
Granted: January 15, 2004
Application Number:
20040008349
Achromatic optics may be employed in spectroscopic measurement systems. The achromatic optics comprises a spherical mirror receiving a beam of radiation in a direction away from its axis and a pair of lenses: a positive lens and a negative meniscus lens. The negative meniscus lens corrects for the spherical aberration caused by off-axis reflection from the spherical mirror. The positive lens compensates for the achromatic aberration introduced by the negative lens so that the optics, as…
Methods and systems for lithography process control
Granted: January 8, 2004
Application Number:
20040005507
Methods and systems for evaluating and controlling a lithography process are provided. For example, a method for reducing within wafer variation of a critical metric of a lithography process may include measuring at least one property of a resist disposed upon a wafer during the lithography process. A critical metric of a lithography process may include, but may not be limited to, a critical dimension of a feature formed during the lithography process. The method may also include…
