The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 2018
Filed:
Jul. 06, 2017
Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Pavel Kolchin, Fremont, CA (US);
Richard Wallingford, Forsyth, MO (US);
Lisheng Gao, Saratoga, CA (US);
Grace H. Chen, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Markus B. Huber, Oakland, CA (US);
Robert M. Danen, Pleasanton, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for optimizing a mode of an inspection tool. A first image or signal for each of a plurality of first apertures of the inspection tool is obtained, and each first image or signal pertains to a defect area. For each of a plurality of combinations of the first apertures and their first images or signals, a composite image or signal is obtained. Each composite image or signal is analyzed to determine an optimum one of the combinations of the first apertures based on a defect detection characteristic of each composite image. In one aspect, determining an optimum one of the combinations of the first apertures includes selecting a set of one or more individual apertures that result in the highest signal to noise ratio for the defect area, and the method includes setting the optimum combination of the first apertures on the inspection tool and inspecting a sample using such optimum combination of the first apertures.