Synopsys, Inc.

Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Luminescent Technologies, Inc.

Changqing Hu

Linyong Pang

Thomas Christopher Cecil

Vikram Tolani

Masaki Satake

Kangjia Liao

Tatung Chow

Donghwan Son

Daniel Ping Peng

David H Kim

Jing Jiao

Dongxue Chen

Methods and systems for determining information for a specimen are provided. One system includes a computer subsystem configured for removing one or more patterns in a specimen image that do not touch a defect detected in the specimen image thereby generating a modified specimen image. The computer subsystem is also configured for generating one or more hash codes for the modified specimen image. In addition, the computer subsystem is configured for assigning the specimen image to one of multiple groups based on a distance between the one or more hash codes and one or more other hash codes generated for a second modified specimen image generated for a second specimen image.

Fast and fuzzy pattern grouping

A technique for determining a set of surface profiles in a multilayer stack during a fabrication process may be determined using a model of this fabrication process, a geometry of the multilayer stack (such as a pre-defined geometry of the multilayer stack) and a surface profile in the multilayer stack (such as a measured surface profile of the top surface or a bottom surface of the multilayer stack). For example, the model of the fabrication process may be based on a generalized Eikonal equation. In conjunction with deposition rates and/or physical properties of the layers in the multilayer stack, deposition or growth of the multilayer stack may be simulated. Based on the determined set of surface profiles, an acceptance condition of the multilayer stack (such as a multilayer stack in a photo-mask for use in extreme ultra-violet photolithography) may be determined and/or a remedial action may be recommended.

Film-growth model using level sets

A technique for reconstructing an electron-beam (EB) image, which can be a scanning-electron-microscope (SEM) image or an EB-inspection image, is described. This reconstruction technique may involve an inverse electro-optical calculation that corrects for the influence of an electro-optical transfer function associated with an EB system on the EB image. In particular, in the inverse calculation a multi-valued representation of an initial EB image is at an image plane in the model of the electro-optical transfer function and a resulting EB image is at an object plane in the model of the electro-optical transfer function. Furthermore, the model of the electro-optical transfer function may have an analytical derivative and/or may be represented by a closed-form expression.

Electron-beam image reconstruction

During a calculation technique, at least a portion of a target pattern associated with an integrated-circuit design is modified so that polygons in the target pattern, which represent features in the design, result in acceptable accuracy during a photolithographic process that fabricates the target pattern on a semiconductor die. In particular, a set of polygon parameters associated with the polygons are modified, as needed, so that a cost function that corresponds to a difference between a modified target pattern and an estimated target pattern produced during the photolithographic process meets a termination criterion. A mask pattern that can fabricate the modified target pattern on the semiconductor die is calculated using an inverse optical calculation in which the modified target pattern is at an image plane of an optical path associated with the photolithographic process and the mask pattern is at an object plane of the optical path.

Lithographically enhanced edge determination

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Changqing Hu