Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Kla Corporation

Ramon Ynzunza

Kenong Wu

Lisheng Gao

Ashok V Kulkarni

Ingrid B Peterson

David Winslow Randall

Michal Kowalski

Ariel Tribble

Kourosh Nafisi

Bjorn Brauer

Eugene Shifrin

Hong Chen

Xiaochun Li

James A Smith

Nurmohammed Patwary

Qing Luo

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

Various computer-implemented methods are provided. One method for sorting defects in a design pattern of a reticle includes searching for defects of interest in inspection data using priority information associated with individual defects in combination with one or more characteristics of a region proximate the individual defects. The priority information corresponds to modulation levels associated with the individual defects. The inspection data is generated by comparing images of the reticle generated for different values of a lithographic variable. The images include at least one reference image and at least one modulated image. A composite reference image can be generated from two or more reference images. The method also includes assigning one or more identifiers to the defects of interest. The identifier(s) may include, for example, a defect classification and/or an indicator identifying if the defects of interest are to be used for further processing.

Computer-implemented methods for detecting and/or sorting defects in a design pattern of a reticle

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Ramon Ynzunza