Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Ron Rudoi

Avner Safrani

Shai Mark

Adi Pahima

A reticle inspection system and a method of handling a reticle in a reticle inspection system are provided. The reticle inspection system includes an active reticle carrier and an inspection tool. The reticle is disposed on the active reticle carrier, and the inspection tool is configured to determine an orientation of the reticle when the active reticle carrier is disposed on a reticle stage. The active reticle carrier is movable between a loading station and the reticle stage and is configured to rotate the reticle to reorient the reticle based on the orientation of the reticle while the active carrier is disposed on the reticle stage.

Active reticle carrier for in situ stage correction

A notch detection system receives images of a sample from the imaging detector, in which the sample includes a notched surface and an un-notched surface bounded by a sidewall and further includes at least one notch known notch specifications. The images are generated such that illumination unobstructed by the sample is received by the detector and the sample prevents incident illumination from reaching the detector. The system further determines whether each image includes a notch, identifies the notched surface, and directs a sample positioner to position the sample with the notched surface in a selected direction when a notch is identified in at least one image of the one or more images.

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Haifa, Israel

Ron Rudoi