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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6141038 | Alignment correction prior to image sampling in inspection systems A method and apparatus, and variations of each, for inspecting a wafer defining at least one die thereon is disclosed. The present invention first obtains the electronic image equivalent of two die, and then determines the x and y offset between those ele... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6133576 | Broad spectrum ultraviolet inspection methods employing catadioptric imaging Broad spectrum ultraviolet inspection methods employ an achromatic catadioptric system to image the surface of an object, such as a semiconductor wafer or photomask, at multiple ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths over a large flat field (with a size on the orde... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6079256 | Overlay alignment measurement of wafers The present invention is a method and apparatus that uses a microscopic height variation positioned relative to a semiconductor device to scan a target on the device to produce an electrical signal representative of height variations of first and second p... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6078386 | Inspection system simultaneously utilizing monochromatic darkfield and broadband brightfield illumination sources A method and inspection system to inspect a first pattern on a specimen for defects against a second pattern that is intended to be the same where the second pattern has known responses to at least one probe. The inspection is performed by applying at lea... | 06/20/2000 |
| 5991699 | Detecting groups of defects in semiconductor feature space Techniques for improving manufacturing process control based on inspection of manufactured items at intermediate process steps, based on clustering and binning of defect data. Additionally, the using the defect data produced by inspection machines to impr... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5956174 | Broad spectrum ultraviolet catadioptric imaging system An ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging system, with broad spectrum correction of primary and residual, longitudinal and lateral, chromatic aberrations for wavelengths extending into the deep UV (as short as about 0.16 μm), comprises a focusing lens gro... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5889593 | Optical system and method for angle-dependent reflection or transmission measurement An angle-dependent reflectometer or transmissometer includes an optical imaging array in the incident and reflected or transmitted light path that breaks up an incident light beam into mutually spatially incoherent light bundles. The individual light bund... | 03/30/1999 |
| 5822055 | Optical inspection of a specimen using multi-channel responses from the specimen using bright and darkfield detection A method and inspection system to inspect a first pattern on a specimen for defects against a second pattern that is intended to be the same where the second pattern has known responses to at least one probe. The inspection is performed by applying at lea... | 10/13/1998 |
| 5737072 | Automated photomask inspection apparatus and method A method and apparatus for inspecting patterned transmissive substrates, such as photomasks, for unwanted particles and features occurring on the transmissive, opaque portions and at the transition regions of the opaque and transmissive portions of the su... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5717518 | Broad spectrum ultraviolet catadioptric imaging system An ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging system, with broad spectrum correction of primary and residual, longitudinal and lateral, chromatic aberrations for wavelengths extending into the deep UV (as short as about 0.16 μm), comprises a focusing lens gro... | 02/10/1998 |
| 5717204 | Inspecting optical masks with electron beam microscopy An apparatus scans an electron beam across an optical phase shift mask and automatically inspects the mask to determine the features of the phase shift mask and classification of defects. An electron beam is directed at the surface of a mask for scanning ... | 02/10/1998 |
| 5665968 | Inspecting optical masks with electron beam microscopy There is disclosed an apparatus to scan an electron beam across an optical phase shift mask and automatically inspect the mask to determine the features of the phase shift mask and classification of defects. An electron beam is directed at the surface of ... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5640237 | Method and apparatus for detecting non-uniformities in reflective surafaces Method and apparatus for detecting non-uniformities in reflective surfaces, including an electro-luminescent panel for providing a substantially uniform illumination of the reflective surface of a planar object, such as a silicon wafer to be inspected, a ... | 06/17/1997 |
| 5578821 | Electron beam inspection system and method A method and apparatus for a charged particle scanning system and an automatic inspection system, including wafers and masks used in microcircuit fabrication. A charged particle beam is directed at the surface of a substrate for scanning that substrate an... | 11/26/1996 |
| 5572598 | Automated photomask inspection apparatus An automated photomask inspection apparatus including an XY state (12) for transporting a substrate (14) under test in a serpentine path in an XY plane, an optical system (16) comprising a laser (30), a transmission light detector (34), a reflected light ... | 11/05/1996 |
| 5563702 | Automated photomask inspection apparatus and method A method and apparatus for inspecting patterned transmissive substrates, such as photomasks, for unwanted particles and features occurring on the transmissive, opaque portions and at the transition regions of the opaque and transmissive portions of the su... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5537669 | Inspection method and apparatus for the inspection of either random or repeating patterns The present invention is a hybrid technique for finding defects on digitized device images using a combination of spatial domain and frequency domain techniques. The two dimensional spectra of two images are found using Fourier like transforms. Any strong... | 07/16/1996 |
| 5502306 | Electron beam inspection system and method There is disclosed numerous embodiments of a method and apparatus for a particle scanning system and an automatic inspection system. In each of these a particle beam is directed at the surface of a substrate for scanning that substrate. Also included are ... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5438413 | Process for measuring overlay misregistration during semiconductor wafer fabrication A process for measuring overlay misregistration during semiconductor wafer fabrication including the use of an interferometric microscope in combination with a camera, a wafer transport stage, and data processing electronics to form an inspection system w... | 08/01/1995 |
| 5112129 | Method of image enhancement for the coherence probe microscope with applications to integrated circuit metrology A method whereby the image produced in a coherence probe microscope is modified by means of a certain specific additive electronic transformation for the purpose of improving the measurement of selected features. The technique improves measurement accurac... | 05/12/1992 |
| 5031976 | Catadioptric imaging system An improved catadioptric imaging system is presented which produces a flat accessible final image, and is particularly effective at high speed in the deep ultraviolet spectral range. The lenses of the system are formed from a single glass type, fused sili... | 07/16/1991 |
| 5030008 | Method and apparatus for the automated analysis of three-dimensional objects An optomechanical system for illuminating and imaging selected portions of a three dimensional object having specularly reflective surfaces, including a two dimensional image sensor for receiving light reflected from the selected portions and producing an... | 07/09/1991 |
| 5014627 | Stable instrument bench with replicated precision surface An instrument table having two features is disclosed. The first is a stable instrument bench that is constructed of sections of precast reinforced concrete. Each of these sections are then moisture sealed with a plastic coat or paint, then assembled using... | 05/14/1991 |
| 4889676 | Method of molding a precision surface on an instrument table An instrument table having two features is disclosed. The first is a stable instrument bench that is constructed of sections of precast reinforced concrete. Each of these sections are then moisture sealed with a plastic coat or paint, then assembled using... | 12/26/1989 |
| 4877326 | Method and apparatus for optical inspection of substrates Substrate inspection apparatus and methods, and illumination apparatus. The inspection apparatus and method includes memory for storing the desired features of the surface of the substrate, focussed illuminator for substantially uniformly illuminating a r... | 10/31/1989 |
