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.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 03, 2026

Filed:

Aug. 17, 2021
Applicant:

Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;

Inventors:

Anton J. Devilliers, Clifton Park, NY (US);

Anthony R. Schepis, Averill Park, NY (US);

David Conklin, Saratoga Springs, NY (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 7/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/956 (2006.01); G03F 9/00 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06T 7/33 (2017.01); G06T 7/73 (2017.01); G06V 10/24 (2022.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01); H01L 23/544 (2006.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); G03F 7/70466 (2013.01); G03F 7/7065 (2013.01); G03F 7/70683 (2013.01); G03F 7/7085 (2013.01); G03F 9/7046 (2013.01); G03F 9/7073 (2013.01); G03F 9/7084 (2013.01); G03F 9/7088 (2013.01); G06T 7/001 (2013.01); G06T 7/337 (2017.01); G06T 7/74 (2017.01); G06V 10/245 (2022.01); H01L 22/20 (2013.01); H01L 23/544 (2013.01); G01N 21/95607 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10048 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10152 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01); G06V 2201/06 (2022.01); H01L 2223/54426 (2013.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01);
Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure provide an inspection system, which can include an image module and processing circuitry. The imaging module can image a wafer with a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam can be coaxially aligned with the second light beam, and image a first pattern located on a front side of a wafer to form a first image. The second light beam can image a second pattern located below the first pattern to form a second image via quantum tunneling imaging or infrared transmission imaging. The second light beam can have power sufficient to pass through at least a portion of a thickness of the wafer and reach the second pattern. The processing circuitry can perform image analysis on the first image and the second image to calculate an overlay value of the first and second patterns and/or defects of the wafer.


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