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:
Aug. 11, 2026
Filed:
Feb. 11, 2022
Applicant:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Inventors:
Chih-Kai Yang, Taipei, TW;
Tung-Chin Wu, Hsinchu, TW;
Yu-Tien Shen, Tainan, TW;
Hsiang Ming Chang, Hsinchu, TW;
Chun-Yen Chang, Hsinchu, TW;
Ya Hui Chang, Hsinchu, TW;
Zengqin Zhao, Zhubei, TW;
Assignee:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H10P 74/20 (2026.01); G01N 21/95 (2006.01); G06T 1/00 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); H10P 14/61 (2026.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H10P 74/203 (2026.01); G01N 21/9501 (2013.01); G06T 1/0007 (2013.01); G06T 7/0006 (2013.01); H10P 14/61 (2026.01); G01N 2021/8887 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20081 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01);
Abstract
A method includes patterning a hard mask over a target layer, capturing a low resolution image of the hard mask, and enhancing the low resolution image of the hard mask with a first machine learning model to produce an enhanced image of the hard mask. The method further includes analyzing the enhanced image of the hard mask with a second machine learning model to determine whether the target layer has defects.