Applied Materials Israel Limited

Adi Boehm

Amit Batikoff

Zvi Goren

Dror Shemesh

Eugene T Bullock

Gurjeet Singh

A method for determining a defect material element, the method includes (a) acquiring, by a charged particle beam system and by applying a spectroscopy process, an electromagnetic emission spectrum of a part of a defect; (b) acquiring, by the charged particle beam system, a backscattered electron (BSE) image of an area that includes the defect; and (c) determining a defect material element. The determining of the defect material element includes: determining whether an ambiguity exists in the electromagnetic emission spectrum, and resolving the ambiguity based on the BSE image, when it is determined that the ambiguity exists.

Process monitoring

Data indicative of location information of a potential defect of interest revealed in a specimen and of one or more layers of the specimen corresponding to the potential defect of interest may be received. A die layout clip may be generated in accordance with the data by deriving the die layout clip based on the location information of the potential defect of interest and the one or more layers of the specimen corresponding to the potential defect of interest. The die layout clip may include information indicative of one or more patterns characterizing an inspection area that includes the potential defect of interest of the specimen. The generated die layout clip may be transmitted to a semiconductor inspection unit where an inspection by the semiconductor inspection unit of a semiconductor wafer that includes the specimen corresponding to the potential defect of interest is based on the one or more patterns of the die layout clip.

Method of inspecting a specimen and system thereof

There is provided an inspection system for inspecting a specimen, an inspection unit capable to operate in conjunction with an inspection machine unit, a die layout clipping unit, methods of inspecting a specimen, and a method of providing a die layout clip. The method of inspecting a specimen comprises: obtaining location information indicative of coordinates of a potential defect of interest revealed in the specimen and of one or more inspected layers corresponding to the potential defect of interest; sending to a die layout clipping unit a first data indicative of the location information and dimensions of an inspection area containing the potential defect of interest; receiving a die layout clip generated in accordance with the first data; specifying at least one inspection algorithm of the inspection area using information comprised in the die layout clip; and enabling inspection of the inspection area using the specified inspection algorithm.

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Ramat Gan, Israel

Adi Boehm