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. 05, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
Li Xu, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Richard Barnard, Fremont, CA (US);
Assignee:
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G21K 1/08 ; H01J 3/14 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G21K 1/08 ; H01J 3/14 ;
Abstract
Embodiments in accordance with the invention provide respectively for auto-focus, auto-contrast, and auto-correction of astigmatism in both x and y directions, are independent of focus-induced-image-rotation, sample feature orientation and image deformation, and focus-induced-image magnification change, and are insensitive to various kinds of noise. Poor image contrast is handled by an auto-contrast capability. Embodiments in accordance with the invention can achieve high reliability and repeatability, while providing for faster operation than most prior-art methods.