Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Ultrapointe Corporation

Hans J Hansen

Christopher F Bevis

David W Shortt

Daniel Ivanov Kavaldjiev

Rodney C Smedt

Paul J Sullivan

George J Kren

Ken K Lee

Christopher R Fairley

Dale E Crane

Bruce W Worster

Mehdi Vaez-Iravani

Andrew V Hill

Yuval Ben-Dov

Yingjian Wang

Zheng-wu Li

Courosh Mehanian

Kurt Zimmermann

Geroge Kren

A system is provided herein for inspecting a specimen. In one embodiment, the system may include a dual-channel microscope, two illuminators, each coupled for illuminating a different channel of the dual-channel microscope and two detectors, each coupled to a different channel of the dual-channel microscope for acquiring images of the specimen. Means are provided for separating the channels of the dual-channel microscope, so that the two detectors can acquire the images of the specimen at substantially the same time. In one embodiment, the channels of the dual-channel microscope may be spectrally separated by configuring the two illuminators, so that they produce light in two substantially non-overlapping spectral ranges. In another embodiment, the channels of the dual-channel microscope may be spatially separated by positioning the two detectors, so that the illumination light do not overlap and the fields of view of the two detectors do not overlap within a field of view of an objective lens included within the system.

Systems and method for simultaneously inspecting a specimen with two distinct channels

A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a damping arrangement which filters unwanted acoustic and seismic vibration, including an optics arrangement which scans a first portion of the specimen and a translation or rotation arrangement for translating or rotating the specimen to a position where the optics arrangement can scan the remaining portion(s) of the specimen. The system further includes means for stitching the scans together, thereby providing both damping of the specimen and the need for smaller and less expensive optical elements.

Method and apparatus for scanning, stitching and damping measurements of a double sided metrology inspection tool

Method and apparatus for scanning, stitching, and damping measurements of a double-sided metrology inspection tool

A laser imaging system is used to analyze defects on semiconductor wafers that have been detected by patterned wafer defect detecting systems (wafer scanners). The laser imaging system replaces optical microscope review stations now utilized in the semiconductor fab environment to examine detected optical anomalies that may represent wafer defects. In addition to analyzing defects, the laser imaging system can perform a variety of microscopic inspection functions including defect detection and metrology. The laser imaging system uses confocal laser scanning microscopy techniques, and operates under class 1 cleanroom conditions and without exposure of the wafers to operator contamination or airflow. Unlike scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) that have previously been used for defect analysis, the laser imaging system will not damage samples or slow processing, costs significantly less to implement than an SEM, can produce a three dimensional image which provides quantitative dimensional information, and allows sub-surface viewing of defects lying beneath dielectric layers. The laser imaging system is adaptable to cluster or in-situ applications, where examination of defects or structures during on-line processing can be performed.

Laser imaging system for inspection and analysis of sub-micron particles

A beam steering apparatus including a base, an input block slidably connected to the base, and an output block slidably connected to the base. An input mirror is connected to the input block and an output mirror is connected to the output block. The input mirror is positioned to receive a light beam and to steer the light beam to the output mirror, and the output mirror is positioned to redirect the light beam to a target. The terminal portion of the light beam is adjustable in a first orthogonal direction by sliding the input block relative to the base, and in a second orthogonal direction by sliding the output block relative to the base. The input mirror is rotatably connected to the input block and the output mirror is rotatably connected to the output block. An angle of incidence of the output beam relative to the target is adjustable in a first plane by rotating the input mirror relative to the input block, and is adjustable in a second plane by rotating the output mirror relative to the output block. Adjustments of the input and output blocks relative to the base and rotation of the input and output mirrors relative to the input and output blocks, respectively, are performed in a minimum space and using a minimum number of tools.

Beam steering apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Hans J Hansen