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. 07, 2006
Filed:
May. 08, 2001
Boaz Kenan, Rehovot, IL;
Yair Eran, Rehovot, IL;
Avner Karpol, Nes Ziona, IL;
Emanuel Elyasaf, Rehovot, IL;
Ehud Tirosh, Jerusalem, IL;
Boaz Kenan, Rehovot, IL;
Yair Eran, Rehovot, IL;
Avner Karpol, Nes Ziona, IL;
Emanuel Elyasaf, Rehovot, IL;
Ehud Tirosh, Jerusalem, IL;
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A reticle inspection system for inspecting reticles can be used as an incoming inspection tool, and as a periodic and pre-exposure inspection tool. Mask shops can use it as an inspection tool compatible to their customers, and as a printable error detection tool. The inventive system detects two kinds of defects: (1) line width errors in the printed image; (2) surface defects. The line width errors are detected on the die area. The detection is performed by acquiring the image of the reticle under the same optical conditions as the exposure conditions, (i.e. wavelength, numerical aperture, sigma, and illumination aperture type) and by comparing multiple dies to find errors in the line width. Surface defects are detected all over the reticle. The detection of surface defects is performed by acquiring transmission and dark-field reflection images of the reticle and using the combined information to detect particles, and other surface defects.