Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Donald J Parker

James Norman Wiley

Zain Saidin

Sterling G Watson

Thomas Vavul

Anthony Vacca

Marian Mankos

One embodiment disclosed relates to a method of electron beam inspection or review of a substrate having insulating materials therein. An area of the substrate is simultaneously exposed to a lower-energy electron beam and an overlapping higher-energy electron beam. The area is subsequently inspected with another electron beam. Another embodiment disclosed relates to an electron beam tool for examination of a substrate having insulating materials therein. A first cathode is configured as an electron source for a lower-energy electron beam, and a second cathode is configured as an electron source for a higher-energy electron beam. At least one electron lens is configured to focus the lower-energy electron beam and the higher-energy electron beam onto an overlapping area of a substrate. An electron beam column is subsequently used to examine the substrate.

Dual-energy electron flooding for neutralization of charged substrate

A method and software program for determining printability of a defect on a reticle or photomask onto a substrate during processing. That is performed by creating a pixel grid image having a plurality of individual pixel images showing the defect. A gray scale value is assigned to each pixel image of the pixel grid image and a probable center pixel of the defect is selected. Then the polarity of the defect is determined, with a coarse center pixel of the defect optionally selected using the probable center defect and polarity of the defect. If a coarse center pixel is selected, then a fine center of the defect can optionally be selected from the coarse center pixel and polarity of the defect. From the center pixel the physical extent of the defect can be determined followed by the determination the transmissivity energy level of the physical extent of the defect. Optionally, the proximity of the defect to a pattern edge on the reticle or photomask can be determined using the physical extent and polarity of the defect. Then the printability of the defect can be determined from the transmissivity energy level of the defect and characteristics of the wafer fabrication process being used to produce the substrate from the reticle or photomask.

System and method for determining reticle defect printability

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Donald J Parker