Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Qing Luo

Kenong Wu

Eugene Shifrin

Lisheng Gao

Bjorn Brauer

Hong Chen

Hucheng Lee

Xiaochun Li

James A Smith

Yan Xiong

Nurmohammed Patwary

Ramon Ynzunza

Shuo Sun

Michael Cook

Wei Si

Leon Yu

Neil Troy

Systems and methods for detecting defects on a reticle are provided. One system includes computer subsystem(s) configured for performing at least one repeater defect detection step in front-end processing during an inspection process performed on a wafer having features printed in a lithography process using a reticle. The at least one repeater defect detection step performed in the front-end processing includes identifying any defects detected at corresponding locations in two or more test images by double detection and any defects detected by stacked defect detection as first repeater defect candidates. One or more additional repeater defect detections may be performed on the first repeater defect candidates to generate final repeater defect candidates and identify defects on the reticle from the final repeater defect candidates.

Print check repeater defect detection

Systems and methods for detecting defects on a specimen based on structural information are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for separating the output generated by a detector of an inspection subsystem in an array area on a specimen into at least first and second segments of the output based on characteristic(s) of structure(s) in the array area such that the output in different segments has been generated in different locations in the array area in which the structure(s) having different values of the characteristic(s) are formed. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for detecting defects on the specimen by applying one or more defect detection methods to the output based on whether the output is in the first segment or the second segment.

Defect detection using structural information

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Qing Luo