Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Oplink Communications, Inc.

Capsovision Inc.

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Ushio Inc.

Mark Shi Wang

Yevgeniy Churin

Yung-Ho Alex Chuang

John Fielden

Gordon Cook Wilson

David Lee Brown

Jamie Michael Sullivan

Jingjing Zhang

Zhimin Liu

Shiyu Zhang

Charles Nenghe Wang

Kai Cao

Wenjian Cai

Ralph T Johnson

Rex Runyon

Joshua Wittenberg

Meier Yitzhak Brender

Keith Lyon

Yong-Mo Moon

Hyoseok Daniel Yang

Andrew V Hill

Shifang Li

Hwan J Jeong

Wenhui Wang

Wei-Zhong Li

Grace Hsiu-Ling Chen

Grace H Chen

Jingyu Xu

Xiumei Liu

Sumeet Kumar

Vaibhav Gaind

Qibiao Chen

Yanbin Shao

Rajkeshar Singh

Shinichiro Nozaki

Amrit Poudel

Chris Kirk

Andrey Kharisov

Xianzhao Peng

Yoshio Kagebayashi

An imaging system may include an imaging metrology tool with an illumination source, one or more illumination optics to direct illumination from the illumination source to a sample, a detector, one or more collection optics to image the sample onto the detector; and one or more aberration-controlling components. The one or more aberration-controlling components may provide aberration correction for imaging the sample onto the detector according to one or more degrees of freedom, where the one or more degrees of freedom include at least a defocus of the imaging system, and where the one or more aberration-controlling components are integrated with at least one of the one or more illumination optics, the one or more collection optics, or the detector.

Three-dimensional imaging with enhanced resolution

A method of forming a high-pressure plasma lamp includes providing a lamp bulb. The lamp bulb includes a top channel and a bottom channel. The method includes inserting a top electrode element into the top channel of the lamp bulb. The method includes providing a glass tubular structure attached to a bottom electrode element. The method includes filling the lamp bulb with a liquified gas through the bottom channel of the lamp bulb. The method includes inserting the bottom electrode element and the glass tubular structure into the bottom channel.

Method of fabricating a high-pressure laser-sustained-plasma lamp

A semiconductor-inspection tool scans a semiconductor die using a plurality of optical modes. A plurality of defects on the semiconductor die are identified based on results of the scanning. Respective defects of the plurality of defects correspond to respective pixel sets of the semiconductor-inspection tool. The scanning fails to resolve the respective defects. The results include multi-dimensional data based on pixel intensity for the respective pixel sets, wherein each dimension of the multi-dimensional data corresponds to a distinct mode of the plurality of optical modes. A discriminant function is applied to the results to transform the multi-dimensional data for the respective pixel sets into respective scores. Based at least in part on the respective scores, the respective defects are divided into distinct classes.

Multimode defect classification in semiconductor inspection

A plasma lamp for use in a broadband plasma source of an inspection tool is disclosed. The plasma lamp includes a plasma bulb configured to contain a gas and generate a plasma within the plasma bulb. The plasma bulb is formed from a material at least partially transparent to illumination from a pump laser and at least a portion of broadband radiation emitted by the plasma. The plasma bulb includes a conical pocket. The conical pocket is configured to disrupt a plume rising from the plasma.

Conical pocket laser-sustained plasma lamp

A multi-mirror laser sustained plasma broadband light source is disclosed. The light source may include a gas containment structure for containing a gas. The light source includes a pump source configured to generate pump illumination and a first reflector element configured to direct a portion of the pump illumination into the gas to sustain a plasma. The first reflector is configured to collect a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma. The light source also includes one or more additional reflector elements positioned opposite of the first reflector. The one or more additional reflector elements are configured to reflect unabsorbed pump illumination and broadband light uncollected by the first reflector element back to the plasma.

Multi-mirror laser sustained plasma light source

Pixel aperture size adjustment in a linear sensor is achieved by applying more negative control voltages to central regions of the pixel's resistive control gate, and applying more positive control voltages to the gate's end portions. These control voltages cause the resistive control gate to generate an electric field that drives photoelectrons generated in a selected portion of the pixel's light sensitive region into a charge accumulation region for subsequent measurement, and drives photoelectrons generated in other portions of the pixel's light sensitive region away from the charge accumulation region for subsequent discard or simultaneous readout. A system utilizes optics to direct light received at different angles or locations from a sample into corresponding different portions of each pixel's light sensitive region. Multiple aperture control electrodes are selectively actuated to collect/measure light received from either narrow or wide ranges of angles or locations, thereby enabling rapid image data adjustment.

Sensor with electrically controllable aperture for inspection and metrology systems

A method of scanning a sample includes simultaneously forming a plurality of co-linear scans. Each scan is formed by a sweep of a spot by an acousto-optical device (AOD). The co-linear scans are separated by a predetermined spacing. A first plurality of swaths are formed by repeating the simultaneous forming of the plurality of co-linear scans in a direction perpendicular to the co-linear scans. The first plurality of swaths have an inter-swath spacing that is the same as the predetermined spacing. The predetermined spacing can be a scan length or an integral number of scan lengths. A second plurality of swaths can be formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths. Forming the second plurality of swaths can be performed in an opposite direction to that of the first plurality of swaths or in a same direction. An inspection system can implement this method by including a diffractive optical element (DOE) path after a magnification changer.

Interleaved acousto-optical device scanning for suppression of optical crosstalk

A line scan wafer inspection system includes a confocal slit aperture filter to remove sidelobes and enhance resolution in the scanning direction. A position detector associated with the slit aperture filter monitors and corrects illumination line image positions relative to the slit aperture to keep image position variations within tolerable limits. Each detector measures a line position and then uses the line position signal to adjust optical, mechanical, and electronic components in the collection path in a feedback loop. The feedback loop may be employed in a runtime calibration process or during inspection to enhance stability.

Confocal line inspection optical system

One embodiment relates to an oblique illuminator. The oblique illuminator includes a light source emitting a light beam, a first reflective surface, and a second reflective surface. The first reflective surface has a convex cylindrical shape with a projected parabolic profile along the non-powered direction which is configured to reflect the light beam from the light source and which defines a focal line. The second reflective surface has a concave cylindrical shape with a projected elliptical profile which is configured to reflect the light beam from the first reflective surface and which defines first and second focal lines. The focal line of the first reflective surface is coincident with the first focal line of the second reflective surface. The first and second focal lines of the second reflective surface may be a same line in which case the elliptical curvature is a projected spherical profile. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Oblique illuminator for inspecting manufactured substrates

A method of scanning a sample includes simultaneously forming a plurality of co-linear scans. Each scan is formed by a sweep of a spot by an acousto-optical device (AOD). The co-linear scans are separated by a predetermined spacing. A first plurality of swaths are formed by repeating the simultaneous forming of the plurality of co-linear scans in a direction perpendicular to the co-linear scans. The first plurality of swaths have an inter-swath spacing that is the same as the predetermined spacing. A second plurality of swaths can be formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths. Forming the second plurality of swaths can be performed in an opposite direction to that of the first plurality of swaths or in a same direction. An inspection system can implement this method by including a diffractive optical element (DOE) path after a magnification changer.

Methods and systems for variable polarization wafer inspection are provided. One system includes one or more polarizing components position in one or more paths of light scattered from a wafer and detected by one or more channels of an inspection system. The polarizing component(s) are configured to have detection polarization(s) that are selected from two or more polarization settings for the polarizing component(s).

Variable polarization wafer inspection

An optical imaging system having a folded optical axis.

Capsule imaging system having a folded optical axis

An imaging system having a folded optical axis that is accomplished through the effect of a first lens group, a prism, and a second lens group wherein a second surface of the prism is a mirror wherein the folded imaging system exhibits a horizontal field of view (HFOV) greater than 160 degrees and a vertical field of view (VFOV) greater than 80 degrees. Further aspects include a conjugate ratio of the lenses to be substantially 5.47 and a ratio of the entire lens focal length to the focal length of the first lens to be substantially &#x2212;0.309.

Imaging system having a folded optical axis

Growing community of inventors

San Ramon, CA, United States of America

Mark Shi Wang