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:
May. 02, 2006
Filed:
May. 18, 2004
Lionel Kuhlmann, Charlottenlund, DK;
Jianbo Gao, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Mark C. Sweeney, San Jose, CA (US);
Lionel Kuhlmann, Charlottenlund, DK;
Jianbo Gao, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Mark C. Sweeney, San Jose, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for analyzing the Raze data provided by an optical inspection tool. The Haze data is analyzed so as to detect defects associated with the specimen surface. In general, the Haze data is first conditioned so that background noise which corresponds to low frequency variation on the specimen is separated or removed from the Haze data prior to analysis of such Haze data. In a specific embodiment, low frequency variations in the specimen surface are characterized, in effect, as an optical surface upon which an incident beam is directed. The Haze data that conforms to this resulting polynomial equation is then subtracted from the original Haze data to result in residual data, where slow variations in surface roughness are subtracted out, leaving possible defect information in the residual Haze data. This residual Haze data may then be analyzed to determine whether the specimen contains a defect.