Kla Tencor Corporation

Shuo Sun

Kenong Wu

Eugene Shifrin

Lisheng Gao

Hong Chen

Hucheng Lee

Robert M Danen

Masatoshi Yamaoka

Raghav Babulnath

Yan Xiong

Satya Kurada

Gangadharan Sivaraman

Qing Luo

Thomas Boatwright

Methods and systems for selecting optical modes suitable for defect inspection are disclosed. A method may include: scanning a full-stack wafer of the particular type utilizing a set of optical modes to obtain a set of full-stack wafer images; and de-processing the full-stack wafer to produce a de-processed wafer based on a location of a potential defect of interest indicated by the set of full-stack wafer images to facilitate selection of optical modes suitable for defect inspection of wafers of the particular type.

Methods and systems for selecting recipe for defect inspection

Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating test image(s) for at least a portion of an array region in die(s) on a wafer from frame image(s) generated by scanning the wafer with an inspection system. The method also includes generating a reference image for cell(s) in the array region from frame images generated by the scanning of the wafer. In addition, the method includes determining difference image(s) for at least one cell in the at least the portion of the array region in the die(s) by subtracting the reference image from portion(s) of the test image(s) corresponding to the at least one cell. The method further includes detecting defects on the wafer in the at least one cell based on the difference image(s).

Repeater 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

Shuo Sun