| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| RE37740 |
Method and apparatus for optical inspection of substrates |
June 11, 2002 |
| Substrate inspection apparatus and methods, and illumination apparatus. The inspection apparatus and method includes memory for storing the desired features of the surface of the substrate, focussed illuminator for substantially uniformly illuminating a region of the surface of the s |
| 7465913 |
System and method for sensing using adjustable modulation transfer function (MTF) with voltage v |
December 16, 2008 |
| A variable modulated transfer function (MTF) design employing a variable gate voltage source for use in inspecting specimens is disclosed. The design applies a variable gate voltage to each pixel of a sensor, wherein applying the variable gate voltage to each pixel adjusts the MTF of the |
| 7457034 |
High NA system for multiple mode imaging |
November 25, 2008 |
| A system for multiple mode imaging is disclosed. The catadioptric system has an NA greater than 0.65, and preferably greater than 0.9, highly corrected for low and high order monochromatic aberrations. The system employs unique illumination entrances and optics to collect reflected, |
| 7456964 |
Detector configurations for optical metrology |
November 25, 2008 |
| An apparatus is disclosed for obtaining ellipsometric measurements from a sample. A probe beam is focused onto the sample to create a spread of angles of incidence. The beam is passed through a quarter waveplate retarder and a polarizer. The reflected beam is measured by a detector. |
| 7453571 |
Dimensional calibration standards |
November 18, 2008 |
| A calibration standard, for calibrating lateral or angular dimensional measurement systems, is provided. The standard may include a first substrate spaced from a second substrate. The standard may be cross-sectioned in a direction substantially perpendicular or substantially non-perp |
| 7453562 |
Ellipsometry measurement and analysis |
November 18, 2008 |
| A method of performing a measurement of properties of a sample, by directing a first beam of light at the sample, where a combination of the wavelength, energy, and length of time is sufficient to cause temporary damage to the sample. The first beam is reflected from the sample. The |
| 7446416 |
Barrier material formation in integrated circuit structures |
November 4, 2008 |
| A method of forming an electrically conductive via. A first electrically conductive layer is formed, and a second layer is formed on the first layer. The second layer has desired barrier layer properties. A third non electrically conductive layer is formed on the second layer. A via hole |
| 7440640 |
Image data storage |
October 21, 2008 |
| A system having a sensor array adapted to provide image data. A process node is connected to the sensor array, and analyzes portions of the image data. A job manager is connected to the process node, and instructs the process node to send the portions of the image data to a storage node. |
| 7440607 |
Outlier substrate inspection |
October 21, 2008 |
| A method of detecting anomalies in a test image. Test features of pixels within the test image are selected, and reference features of pixels within at least one reference image are also selected. A signal distribution of test features and reference features in a multi-dimensional fe |
| 7436527 |
Systems and methods for immersion metrology |
October 14, 2008 |
| Fluid immersion technology can be utilized to increase the resolution and angular range of existing metrology systems. An immersion fluid placed between the metrology optics and the sample can reduce the refraction at the sample interface, thereby decreasing the spot size of the beam on |
| 7436506 |
Method and apparatus for scanning, stitching, and damping measurements of a double-sided metrolo |
October 14, 2008 |
| 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 speci |
| 7433047 |
Runout characterization |
October 7, 2008 |
| Runout characterization is performed on a moving body by positioning a light source and optical sensor at a nominal distance from the moving body, with a beam directed from the light source against a surface of the moving body. The reflected light is detected at a sampling rate with the |
| 7423805 |
Ultra-broadband UV microscope imaging system with wide range zoom capability |
September 9, 2008 |
| An ultra-broadband ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging microscope system with wide-range zoom capability. The microscope system, which comprises a catadioptric lens group and a zooming tube lens group, has high optical resolution in the deep UV wavelengths, continuously adjustable |
| 7423757 |
Modulated reflectance measurement system with multiple wavelengths |
September 9, 2008 |
| A modulated reflectance measurement system includes three monochromatic diode-based lasers. Each laser can operate as a probe beam or as a pump beam source. The laser outputs are redirected using a series of mirrors and beam splitters to reach an objective lens. The objective lens focuse |
| 7399950 |
Confocal wafer inspection method and apparatus using fly lens arrangement |
July 15, 2008 |
| A semiconductor wafer inspection system and method is provided which uses a multiple element arrangement, such as an offset fly lens array. The preferred embodiment uses a laser to transmit light energy toward a beam expander, which expands the light energy to create an illumination fiel |
| 7394534 |
Process excursion detection |
July 1, 2008 |
| A method for analyzing defect information on a substrate, including logically dividing the substrate into zones, and detecting defects on the substrate to produce the defect information. The defect information from the substrate is analyzed on a zone by zone basis to produce defect level |
| 7382940 |
Fast bus image coprocessing |
June 3, 2008 |
| An inspection system having a sensor array that provides image data. A process node includes a memory to receive the image data, a commercially available central processing unit to receive and coprocess at least a first portion of the image data within the memory, and a field program |
| 7381975 |
In plane drift compensation |
June 3, 2008 |
| A microscope that produces magnified images of a sample. An observing component generates image data from the sample, and a moving component generates relative movement between the sample and the observing component. A sensor independently generates position data directly from the sa |
| 7379847 |
High bandwidth image transfer |
May 27, 2008 |
| The above and other needs are met by an inspection system having a sensor array that is connected to a high speed network connection, and is adapted to provide image data in regard to images of a substrate. A process node is also connected to the high speed network connection, and is |
| 7379838 |
Programmable image computer |
May 27, 2008 |
| An inspection system for detecting anomalies on a substrate. A first network is coupled to a sensor array and communicates data. Process nodes are coupled to the first network, and process the data to produce reports. Each process node has an interface card that formats the data for |
| 7379173 |
High throughput brightfield/darkfield wafer inspection system using advanced optical techniques |
May 27, 2008 |
| The broadband brightfield/darkfield wafer inspection system provided receives broadband brightfield illumination information via a defect detector, which signals for initiation of darkfield illumination. The defect detector forms a two dimensional histogram of the defect data and a d |
| 7375828 |
Modal method modeling of binary gratings with improved eigenvalue computation |
May 20, 2008 |
| A method of determining actual properties of layered media. An incident beam of light is directed towards the layered media, such that the incident beam of light is reflected from the layered media as a reflected beam of light. The actual properties of the reflected beam of light are |
| 7375810 |
Overlay error detection |
May 20, 2008 |
| An overlay target with gratings thereon is illuminated and radiation scattered by the target is imaged onto detectors. A phase difference is then detected between the outputs of the detectors to find the mis-alignment error. In another aspect, an overlay target with gratings or box-i |
| 7369235 |
Method and system for measuring deep trenches in silicon |
May 6, 2008 |
| A spectroscopic ellipsometry system directs a near infra-red (NIR) probe beam at a test sample to allow metrology to be performed on vertical structures within the test sample. Because silicon is relatively transparent to NIR light, structural information can be determined from the p |
| 7362441 |
Modulated reflectance measurement system using UV probe |
April 22, 2008 |
| A modulated reflectance measurement system includes lasers for generating an intensity modulated pump beam and a UV probe beam. The pump and probe beams are focused on a measurement site within a sample. The pump beam periodically excites the measurement site and the modulation is impart |
| 7355708 |
Normal incidence rotating compensator ellipsometer |
April 8, 2008 |
| A normal incidence rotating compensator ellipsometer includes an illumination source that produces a broadband probe beam. The probe beam is redirected by a beam splitter to be normally incident on a sample under test. Before reaching the sample, the probe beam is passed through a ro |
| 7352457 |
Multiple beam inspection apparatus and method |
April 1, 2008 |
| Disclosed is an optical inspection system for inspecting the surface of a substrate. The optical inspection system includes a light source for emitting an incident light beam along an optical axis and a first set of optical elements arranged for separating the incident light beam into a |
| 7352451 |
System method and structure for determining focus accuracy |
April 1, 2008 |
| Within a lithography process having a critical dimension, a method, system and structure for determining a focus deviation value relative to an ideal focus position said is disclosed. By projecting a series of lines or spots characterized by the constant pitch size which is greater than |
| 7342672 |
Detection system for nanometer scale topographic measurements of reflective surfaces |
March 11, 2008 |
| A linear position array detector system is provided which imparts light energy to a surface of a specimen, such as a semiconductor wafer, receives light energy from the specimen surface and monitors deviation of the retro or reflected beam from that expected to map the contours on the |
| 7330260 |
Method for measuring ion-implanted semiconductors with improved repeatability |
February 12, 2008 |
| The repeatability of wafer uniformity measurements can be increased by taking spatially averaged measurements of wafer response. By increasing the time over which measurements are obtained, the amount of noise can be significantly reduced, thereby improving the repeatability of the m |
| 7324198 |
Edge bead removal inspection by reflectometry |
January 29, 2008 |
| A method and apparatus for enhancing image contrast between resist-covered and bare silicon regions of a wafer, applicable to Edge Bead Removal inspection. The wafer is illuminated separately by s-polarized light and p-polarized light impinging at near the Brewster angle of silicon or |
| 7315365 |
System and methods for classifying anomalies of sample surfaces |
January 1, 2008 |
| Two or more defect maps may be provided for the same sample surface at different detection sensitivities and/or processing thresholds. The defect maps may then be compared for better characterization of the anomalies as scratches, area anomalies or point anomalies. This can be done w |
| 7280199 |
System for detecting anomalies and/or features of a surface |
October 9, 2007 |
| A cylindrical mirror or lens is used to focus an input collimated beam of light onto a line on the surface to be inspected, where the line is substantially in the plane of incidence of the focused beam. An image of the beam is projected onto an array of charge-coupled devices parallel to |
| 7278301 |
System for sensing a sample |
October 9, 2007 |
| A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing |
| 7274814 |
Overlay marks, methods of overlay mark design and methods of overlay measurements |
September 25, 2007 |
| An overlay mark for determining the relative shift between two or more successive layers of a substrate is disclosed. The overlay mark includes at least one test pattern for determining the relative shift between a first and a second layer of the substrate in a first direction. The test |
| 7259844 |
High throughput darkfield/brightfield wafer inspection system using advanced optical techniques |
August 21, 2007 |
| The broadband brightfield/darkfield wafer inspection system provided receives broadband brightfield illumination information via a defect detector, which signals for initiation of darkfield illumination. The defect detector forms a two dimensional histogram of the defect data and a d |
| 7230443 |
Non-contact mobile charge measurement with leakage band-bending and dipole correction |
June 12, 2007 |
| Corona charges are used to bias a wafer to push down mobile charges and then pull them up during temperature cycles. Mobile charge is measured from the drops in the corona voltage due to the mobile charges. Corrections are made in the measurements for dipole potentials, leakage and s |
| 7209227 |
Backside contamination inspection device |
April 24, 2007 |
| A system for simultaneously inspecting the frontsides and backsides of semiconductor wafers for defects is disclosed. The system rotates the semiconductor wafer while the frontside and backside surfaces are generally simultaneously optically scanned for defects. Rotation is induced b |
| 7177457 |
Overlay marks, methods of overlay mark design and methods of overlay measurements |
February 13, 2007 |
| An overlay mark for determining the relative shift between two or more successive layers of a substrate via scanning is disclosed. The overlay mark includes at least one test pattern for determining the relative shift between a first and a second layer of the substrate in a first dir |
| 7175945 |
Focus masking structures, focus patterns and measurements thereof |
February 13, 2007 |
| Methods and device structures used to determine the focus quality of a photolithographic pattern or a photolithographic system are disclosed. One aspect of the invention relates to focus masking structures configured to form focus patterns that contain focus information relating to t |
| 7173715 |
Reduced coherence symmetric grazing incidence differential interferometer |
February 6, 2007 |
| A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a diffraction grating that widens and passes nth order (n>0) wave fronts to the specimen surface and a reflective surface for each channel of the |
| 7154605 |
Method for characterizing defects on semiconductor wafers |
December 26, 2006 |
| A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimen |
| 7116413 |
Inspection system for integrated applications |
October 3, 2006 |
| A compact surface inspection optical head is disclosed which comprises a frame with two rings of apertures therein. The first set of apertures surrounding and close to a normal direction to the surface to be inspected is connected to fibers used to collect scattered radiation useful |
| 7109458 |
Confocal wafer depth scanning inspection method |
September 19, 2006 |
| A semiconductor wafer inspection system and method is provided which uses a multiple element arrangement, such as an offset fly lens array. The preferred embodiment uses a laser to transmit light energy toward a beam expander, which expands the light energy to create an illumination fiel |
| 7102744 |
Process and assembly for non-destructive surface inspections |
September 5, 2006 |
| A light beam is directed towards a surface along a direction normal to the surface. The surface is caused to move so that the beam scans the surface along a spiral path. An ellipsoidal mirror is placed with its axis along the surface normal to collect light scattered by the surface and a |
| 7100430 |
Dual stage instrument for scanning a specimen |
September 5, 2006 |
| A dual stage scanning instrument includes a sensor for sensing a parameter of a sample and coarse and fine stages for causing relative motion between the sensor and the sample. The coarse stage has a resolution of about 1 micrometer and the fine stage has a resolution of 1 nanometer or |
| 7084967 |
Scanning system for inspecting anomalies on surfaces |
August 1, 2006 |
| A high sensitivity and high throughput surface inspection system directs a focused beam of light at a grazing angle towards the surface to be inspected. Relative motion is caused between the beam and the surface so that the beam scans a scan path covering substantially the entire surface |
| 7075637 |
Optical scanning system for surface inspection |
July 11, 2006 |
| In an optical scanning system for detecting particles and pattern defects on a sample surface, a light beam is focused to an illuminated spot on the surface and the spot is scanned across the surface along a scan line. A detector is positioned adjacent to the surface to collect scattered |
| 7072034 |
Systems and methods for inspection of specimen surfaces |
July 4, 2006 |
| Systems and methods for contact image sensor based inspection of specimens are provided. A system configured to inspect a specimen may include a contact image sensor. The contact image sensor may include a light source configured to direct light toward a surface of the specimen and a lin |
| 7070476 |
In-situ metalization monitoring using eddy current measurements during the process for removing |
July 4, 2006 |
| A method for measuring conductance of a sample using an eddy current probe with a sensing coil. The method includes N repetitions of measuring first and second voltage pairs including in-phase and quadrature components of an induced AC voltage in the sensing coil, calibrating the first s |
