公开(公告)号：WO2018183096A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-04

申请号：PCT/US2018/023910

申请日：2018-03-23

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： ANANTHA, Vidyasagar ,  YATI, Arpit ,  PARAMASIVAM, Saravanan ,  PLIHAL, Martin ,  LIN, Jincheng

IPC: H01L21/66

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: Use of care areas in scanning electron microscopes or other review tools can provide improved sensitivity and throughput. A care area is received at a controller of a scanning electron microscope from, for example, an inspector tool. The inspector tool may be a broad band plasma tool. The care area is applied to a field of view of a scanning electron microscope image to identify at least one area of interest. Defects are detected only within the area of interest using the scanning electron microscope. The care areas can be design-based or some other type of care area. Use of care areas in SEM tools can provide improved sensitivity and throughput.

公开(公告)号：WO2016149287A1

公开(公告)日：2016-09-22

申请号：PCT/US2016/022499

申请日：2016-03-15

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： PLIHAL, Martin

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: G03F7/7065 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a process window for a process performed on a specimen are provided. In general, the embodiments preferentially sample locations in an instance of at least a portion of a device formed on a specimen at a value of a parameter of a process performed on the specimen that is closest to an edge of a determined process window for the process. If defects are detected at the sampled locations, then the sampling may be performed again but for a different instance of the device formed at a value of the parameter that is closer to nominal than the previously used value. When no defects are detected at the sampled locations, then the sampling may be ended, and the determined process window may be modified based on the value of the parameter corresponding to the instance of the device in which no defects were detected.

Abstract translation: 提供了用于确定对样本进行的处理的处理窗口的方法和系统。 通常，实施例优选地在形成在样本上的装置的至少一部分的情况下以在最接近所确定的处理窗口的边缘的样本上执行的处理的参数的值来采样位置 。 如果在采样位置处检测到缺陷，则可以再次执行采样，但是对于在比该先前使用的值更接近标称值的参数值处形成的设备的不同实例。 当在采样位置没有检测到缺陷时，可以结束采样，并且可以基于与其中没有检测到缺陷的设备的实例相对应的参数的值来修改所确定的处理窗口。

公开(公告)号：WO2016073638A1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-12

申请号：PCT/US2015/059085

申请日：2015-11-04

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： CHEN, Hong ,  WU, Kenong ,  PLIHAL, Martin ,  PANDITA, Vidur ,  SANAPALA, Ravikumar ,  BHAGAT, Vivek ,  LAKHAWAT, Rahul ,  BARIS, Oksen ,  RAMACHANDRAN, Rajesh ,  HAQUE, Noashin

IPC: H01L21/66

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/8854 ,  G01N2021/8883 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/7065 ,  H01J2237/24592

Abstract: Systems and methods for discovering defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes detecting defects on a wafer by applying a threshold to output generated by a detector in a first scan of the wafer and determining values for features of the detected defects. The method also includes automatically ranking the features, identifying feature cut-lines to group the defect into bins, and, for each of the bins, determining one or more parameters that if applied to the values for the features of the defects in each of the bins will result in a predetermined number of the defects in each of the bins. The method also includes applying the one or more determined parameters to the output generated by the detector in a second scan of the wafer to generate a defect population that has a predetermined defect count and is diversified in the values for the features.

Abstract translation: 提供了发现晶片缺陷的系统和方法。 一种方法包括通过在晶片的第一次扫描中施加由检测器产生的输出的阈值来检测晶片上的缺陷，并确定检测到的缺陷的特征的值。 该方法还包括对特征进行自动排序，识别特征切割线以将缺陷分组成箱，并且对于每个箱，确定一个或多个参数，如果应用于每个中的缺陷的特征的值 箱将导致每个箱中预定数量的缺陷。 该方法还包括将一个或多个确定的参数应用于在晶片的第二次扫描中由检测器产生的输出，以产生具有预定缺陷计数并且在特征值中多样化的缺陷总体。

公开(公告)号：WO2019191342A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-03

申请号：PCT/US2019/024445

申请日：2019-03-28

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： PLIHAL, Martin ,  PARAMASIVAM, Saravanan ,  JAIN, Ankit ,  UPPALURI, Prasanti ,  KONURU, Raghavan

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting a mode for inspection of a specimen are provided. One method includes determining how separable defects of interest (DOIs) and nuisances detected on a specimen are in one or more modes of an inspection subsystem. The separability of the modes for the DOIs and nuisances is used to select a subset of the modes for inspection of other specimens of the same type. Other characteristics of the performance of the modes may be used in combination with the separability to select the modes. The subset of modes selected based on the separability may also be an initial subset of modes for which additional analysis is performed to determine the final subset of the modes.

公开(公告)号：WO2019046428A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-07

申请号：PCT/US2018/048546

申请日：2018-08-29

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： PLIHAL, Martin ,  DUFFY, Brian ,  VON DEN HOFF, Mike ,  CROSS, Andrew ,  SAH, Kaushik ,  MANI, Antonio

IPC: H01L21/66

Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying nuisances and defects of interest (DOIs) in defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes acquiring metrology data for the wafer generated by a metrology tool that performs measurements on the wafer at an array of measurement points. In one embodiment, the measurement points are determined prior to detecting the defects on the wafer and independently of the defects detected on the wafer. The method also includes determining locations of defects detected on the wafer with respect to locations of the measurement points on the wafer and assigning metrology data to the defects as a defect attribute based on the locations of the defects determined with respect to the locations of the measurement points. In addition, the method includes determining if the defects are nuisances or DOIs based on the defect attributes assigned to the defects.

公开(公告)号：WO2019182923A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-26

申请号：PCT/US2019/022656

申请日：2019-03-18

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： PLIHAL, Martin

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G01N21/95

Abstract: The present disclosure enables a semiconductor manufacturer to determine more accurately the presence of defects that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. It may be embodied as a system, method, or apparatus for novel defect discovery. The present disclosure may comprise providing a nuisance bin in a nuisance filter, partitioning the defect population into a defect population partition, segmenting the defect population partition into a defect population segment, selecting from the defect population segment a selected set of defects, computing one or more statistics of the signal attributes of the defects in the defect population segment, replicating the selected set of defects to yield generated defects, shifting the generated defects outside of the defect population segment, creating a training set, and training a binary classifier.

公开(公告)号：EP2449390A1

公开(公告)日：2012-05-09

申请号：EP10794564.4

申请日：2010-06-23

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： HUET, Patrick ,  DUFFY, Brian ,  PLIHAL, Martin ,  TRAUTZSCH, Thomas ,  MAHER, Chris

IPC: G01R31/26

CPC classification number: G01R31/2656 ,  G01R31/2894 ,  G05B19/41875 ,  G05B2219/37224 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  Y02P90/22 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring time-varying classification performance are disclosed. A method may include, but is not limited to: receiving one or more signals indicative of one or more properties of one or more samples from one or more scanning inspection tools; determining populations of one or more defect types for the one or more samples according an application of one or more classification rules to the one or more signals received from the one or more scanning inspection tools; determining populations of the one or more defect types for the one or more samples using one or more high-resolution inspection tools; and computing one or more correlations between populations of one or more defect types for one or more samples determined from application of one or more classification rules applied to one or more signals received from the one or more scanning inspection tools and populations of the one or more defect types for the one or more samples determined using the one or more high-resolution inspection tools.

公开(公告)号：EP2917861A1

公开(公告)日：2015-09-16

申请号：EP13854032.3

申请日：2013-11-08

Applicant: Kla-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： PLIHAL, Martin ,  ANANATHA, Vidyasagar ,  PARAMASIVAM, Saravanan ,  LEE, Christopher W.

IPC: G06F19/00 ,  H01L21/66

CPC classification number: G06T7/0008 ,  F04C2270/0421 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating unbiased wafer defect samples are provided. One method includes selecting the defects detected by each of multiple scans performed on a wafer that have the most diversity in one or more defect attributes such that a diverse set of defects are selected across each scan. In addition, the method may include selecting the defects such that any defect that is selected and is common to two or more of the scans is not selected twice and any defects that are selected are diverse with respect to the common, selected defect. Furthermore, no sampling, binning, or classifying of the defects may be performed prior to selection of the defects such that the sampled defects are unbiased by any sampling, binning, or classifying method.

公开(公告)号：WO2018132480A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-19

申请号：PCT/US2018/013178

申请日：2018-01-10

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： PLIHAL, Martin ,  JAIN, Ankit

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium are provided for training and applying defect classifiers in wafers having deeply stacked layers. In use, a plurality of images generated by an inspection system for a location of a defect detected on a wafer by the inspection system are acquired. The location on the wafer is comprised of a plurality of stacked layers, and each image of the plurality of images is generated by the inspection system at the location using a different focus setting. Further, a classification of the defect is determined, utilizing the plurality of images.

公开(公告)号：WO2016191712A1

公开(公告)日：2016-12-01

申请号：PCT/US2016/034718

申请日：2016-05-27

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： PARAMASIVAM, Saravanan ,  PLIHAL, Martin

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N2021/8858 ,  G05B19/00 ,  G05B23/0227 ,  G05B23/0275 ,  G05B2219/45031 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20

Abstract: A method for production line monitoring during semiconductor device fabrication includes acquiring a plurality of inspection results from a plurality of reference samples with an inspection sub-system. The method includes storing the acquired inspection results and geometric pattern codes for each of the reference samples in a database. The method includes acquiring an additional inspection result from an additional sample, where the additional inspection result includes an additional set of geometric pattern codes for identifying each defect identified within the additional inspection result from the additional sample. The method also includes correlating the set of geometric pattern codes of the additional sample with the geometric pattern codes from the reference set of samples to identify at least one of one or more new patterns or one or more patterns displaying a frequency of occurrence above a selected threshold.

Abstract translation: 一种在半导体器件制造期间的生产线监测的方法包括从具有检查子系统的多个参考样本获取多个检查结果。 该方法包括将获取的检查结果和每个参考样本的几何图案代码存储在数据库中。 该方法包括从另外的样本获取额外的检查结果，其中附加检查结果包括用于识别来自附加样本的附加检查结果中识别的每个缺陷的附加组的几何图案代码。 该方法还包括将附加样本的几何模式代码集合与来自参考样本集的几何模式代码进行关联，以识别一个或多个新模式中的至少一个或者显示出所选出的上述发生频率的一个或多个模式 阈。