Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation

Chun Lee

Damon Floyd Kvamme

Wu Jiang

David Alles

Donald Pettibone

Stan Stokowski

Methods and apparatus relating to electromagnetic beam (e.g., laser beam) conditioning are described. In an embodiment, electromagnetic beam conditioning may be performed utilizing reflectors to temporally differentiate electromagnetic beam subsections and sub-beams resulting in reduced spatial coherence of the beam. Other embodiments are also described.

Beam conditioning to reduce spatial coherence

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 elements, arranged in a radially symmetric configuration. Individual elements of the detector are selected to form a differential signal based on the configuration of pattern lines in the area proximate to the defect. The resulting differential signal is used to generate an image signal and to identify phase defects.

Method and system for detecting phase defects in lithographic masks and semiconductor wafers

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Chun Lee