Applied Materials, Inc.

National Engineering Research Center for Optical Instrumentation

Bin Lin

Waheb Bishara

Jian Bai

Yu Cao

Stephanie W Chen

Xiangqun Cao

Xinhuo Xiao

One or more images of a device feature are acquired using an imaging tool. A geometrical shape is defined encompassing the relevant pixels of each image, where the geometrical shape is represented in terms of one or more parameters. A cost function is defined whose variables comprise the one or more parameters of the geometrical shape. For each image, numerical optimization is applied to obtain optimal values of the one or more parameters for which the cost function is minimized. The optimal values of the one or more parameters are reported as metrology data pertaining to the device feature.

Optimization-based image processing for metrology

An optical guide has at least two diffraction gratings in serial in front of a light source in order to diffract a light beam from the light source twice. The first diffraction grating could split the light beam into several parallel light beams along a first axis, and the second diffraction grating could split the light beams into several points of light along a second axis, and so on and so forth. By rotating the diffraction gratings relative to one another and by adjusting the distance between the diffraction gratings, a user of the optical guide could adjust the angle of the axis points and adjust a relative distance of the points of light relative to one another. These light beams could provide convenient guides for users in a variety of applications.

Spectrum-generation system based on multiple-diffraction optical phasometry

Growing community of inventors

Hangzhou, China

Bin Lin