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:
Nov. 14, 2017

Filed:

Jan. 19, 2016
Applicant:

Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);

Inventors:

Grace H. Chen, Los Gatos, CA (US);

Keith Buckley Wells, Santa Cruz, CA (US);

Markus B. Huber, Oakland, CA (US);

Se Baek Oh, Millbrae, CA (US);

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01); G01N 21/95 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/8851 (2013.01); G01N 21/9501 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8887 (2013.01);
Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting defects in a semiconductor sample. An inspection tool is used to collect intensity data sets at a plurality of focus settings from each of a plurality of xy positions of the sample. A polynomial equation having a plurality of coefficients is extracted for each of the xy position's collected intensity data sets as a function of focus setting. Each of the coefficients' set of values for the plurality of xy positions is represented with a corresponding coefficient image plane. A target set of coefficient image planes and a reference set of coefficient image planes are then analyzed to detect defects on the sample.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…