Did You Know...
...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8178860 | Image collection An inspection system for creating images of a substrate. A light source directs an incident light onto the substrate, and a light source timing control controls a pulse timing of the incident light. A stage holds the substrate and moves the substrate under the incid... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8169768 | Electrostatic chuck An electrostatic chuck for retaining a substrate. The chuck has a clamping surface for receiving the substrate, where the clamping surface is formed of a hard polymeric material filled with carbon nanotubes. Electrodes are disposed beneath the clamping surface, for ... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8165837 | Multi-scale classification of defects A computerized method for categorizing defects on a substrate. A list of defects on the substrate is received as input to a processor, where each defect is represented by a defect location and an associated micro-defect code. The input is analyzed with the processor... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8165384 | Defect classification A method for classifying images from a set of test images, including comparing each of the test images to reference images. Each of the test images is grouped with one of the reference images. All of the images in each group can be classified with a single classific... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8155428 | Memory cell and page break inspection A method of inspecting an array having memory blocks and page breaks. The array is imaged, and the image is divided into sections. Sections that include the memory blocks are selected into a candidate image. Pixels within a boundary horizontal line of pixels are ins... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8134698 | Dynamic range extension in surface inspection systems In one embodiment, a surface analyzer system comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target a radiation beam onto a surface; and a scattered radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation scattered from the surface. The radiation targeting assembly genera... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8121396 | Assessing critical dimension and overlay tolerance A method for constructing an error map for a lithography process, by constructing a first error map using spatial error data compiled on a lithography tool used in the lithography process, and constructing a second error map using spatial error data compiled on a ma... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8120776 | Measuring characteristics of ultra-shallow junctions Carrier activation and end-of-range defect density of ultra-shallow junctions in integrated circuits are determined using modulated optical reflectance signals, DC reflectances of pump or probe laser beams, and in-phase and quadrature signal processing. A method for... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8111399 | System and method for performing photothermal measurements and relaxation compensation A device and methods for performing a photothermal measurement and relaxation compensation of a sample are disclosed. The device may include a probe beam source, a pump beam source, a sample, and a detector array. A method may include adjusting an intensity modulate... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8111384 | Method for measuring thermo-optically induced material phase-change response in a multiple layer thin film structure using visible and ultraviolet spectroscopy A method and device for facilitating measurement of thermo-optically induced material phase change response in a thin planar or a grating film stack is disclosed. The method may include using small-spot visible and ultraviolet spectra (ellipsometric or reflectance) ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8110799 | Confocal secondary electron imaging One embodiment relates to an apparatus using electrons for inspection or metrology of a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus includes an electron source, electron lenses, scan deflectors, an objective electron lens, a collection electron lens, a pin-hole filter, d... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8108328 | Neural network based hermite interpolator for scatterometry parameter estimation Generation of a meta-model for scatterometry analysis of a sample diffracting structure having unknown parameters. A training set comprising both a spectral signal evaluation and a derivative of the signal with respect to at least one parameter across a parameter sp... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8106355 | Automated inspection using cell-cell subtraction perpendicular to stage motion direction One embodiment relates to an apparatus for automated inspection of a semiconductor substrate. Processor-executable code is configured to control the stage electronics to move the substrate using a continuous motion in a substrate-translation direction and is configu... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8103086 | Reticle defect inspection with model-based thin line approaches Provided are novel inspection methods and systems for inspecting photomasks to identify various defects using a model-based approach and information obtained from modeled images. Modeled or simulation images are generated directly from test or reference images. Some... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8092927 | Shielding, particulate reducing high vacuum components A method of forming a gate valve for use in a high vacuum environment of an electron gun by machining a core of non-magnetic nickel-chromium-molybdenum-iron-tungsten-silicon-carbon alloy that is weldable with nickel alloys and has a tensile strength of about 750 meg... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8090558 | Optical parametric model optimization A method is presented for selecting the order in which parameters are evaluated for inclusion in a model of a film stack, which is by ranking them according to measurement precision. Further, a method is presented for determining which parameters are to be floated, ... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8090189 | Detection of thin line for selective sensitivity during reticle inspection Methods and apparatus relating to the inspection of photomasks are described. In an embodiment, detection of thin line or sub-resolution assist features may be used for selective sensitivity during photomask inspection. Other embodiments are also described. ... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8089051 | Electron reflector with multiple reflective modes One embodiment relates to a method of controllably reflecting electrons from an array of electron reflectors. An incident electron beam is formed from an electron source, and the incident beam is directed to the array of electron reflectors. A first plurality of the... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8089038 | Reticle image generation using polarizers and metamaterial filters Methods and apparatus relating to generating reticle inspection images are described. In an embodiment, a reticle inspection image is generated by filtering incident light through a metamaterial filter. Other embodiments are also described. ... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8065109 | Localized substrate geometry characterization A system for evaluating the metrological characteristics of a surface of a substrate, the system including an optical substrate measurement system, a data analyzing system for analyzing data in an evaluation area on the substrate, applying feature-specific filters t... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8063365 | Non-shot-noise-limited source for electron beam lithography or inspection One embodiment relates to an electron source apparatus for an electron beam lithography tool or an electron beam inspection tool. A cathode is configured to emit electrons, and an anode is configured to accelerate the electrons so as to create an electron beam. Ther... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8059886 | Adaptive signature detection A processor-based method for detecting defects in an integrated circuit, by creating an image of at least a portion of the integrated circuit with a sensor, grouping pixels of the image into bins based at least in part on a common characteristic of the pixels that a... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8059268 | Inspecting a workpiece using polarization of scattered light A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a proc... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8049903 | High resolution monitoring of CD variations An optical metrology method is disclosed for evaluating the uniformity of characteristics within a semiconductor region having repeating features such a memory die. The method includes obtaining measurements with a probe laser beam having a spot size on the order of... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8046193 | Determining process condition in substrate processing module A sensor network collects time-series data from a process tool and supplies the data to an analysis system where pattern analysis techniques are used to identify structures and to monitor subsequent data based on analysis instructions or a composite model. Time-seri... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8014973 | Distance histogram for nearest neighbor defect classification A method for constructing a distance histogram for nearest neighbor classification. A training sample is determined for each of two classes. For each defect, a distance is measured in the feature space between the defect and the training sample for each of the class... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7995832 | Photomask inspection and verification by lithography image reconstruction using imaging pupil filters A method and tool for generating reconstructed images that model the high NA effects of a lithography tool used to image patterns produced by a mask. Comparison of the reconstructed images with reference images characterize the mask. The method involves providing a ... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7992877 | Non contact substrate chuck A chuck for releasably retaining a substrate, where the chuck has a body with a substrate receiving surface disposed in an X-Y coordinate plane and adapted to receive the substrate. The body has gas pressure delivery channels and gas vacuum drawing channels, where t... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7989729 | Detecting and repairing defects of photovoltaic devices An apparatus for both detecting and repairing a shunt defect in a solar cell substrate. A shunt detection module detects the shunt defect in the substrate, using at least one of lock-in thermography and current-voltage testing. A process diagnostic module determines... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7987057 | Intelligent stitching boundary defect inspection A method of inspecting a pattern on a substrate, by extracting boundary locations from design data for repeating blocks within the pattern, inspecting the substrate at only the boundary locations of the repeating blocks, detecting alignment errors at the boundary lo... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7958464 | Electron beam patterning A method for creating an electron beam pattern exposure, where a pattern of shapes is generated, including at least one of lines and vias. To each shape there is assigned a set of exposure pixels and edge placement constraints. An intensity at each exposure pixel is... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7951672 | Measurement and control of strained devices A method that includes measuring stress on at least one of a monitor substrate, a production substrate, and a proxy device on a production substrate to produce stress data, measuring shape on at least one of a proxy device on a production substrate and a production ... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7940386 | Scatterometry target employing non-periodic defect features to enhance or optimize target sensitivity to a parameter of interest Embodiments of the invention include a target having a lattice of many periodically spaced and uniformly configured metrology features arranged in an array pattern over a target region. The lattice includes at least one defect region in the lattice, the defect regio... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7933026 | High resolution monitoring of CD variations An optical metrology method is disclosed for evaluating the uniformity of characteristics within a semiconductor region having repeating features such a memory die. The method includes obtaining measurements with a probe laser beam having a spot size on the order of... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7932004 | Feature identification for metrological analysis A method for selecting a set of features for monitoring a lithography process using a reticle, by identifying a set of candidate features, defining control regions around the candidate features, performing substrate level analysis using the reticle with different se... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7929667 | High brightness X-ray metrology An x-ray metrology tool having only one x-ray source. The x-ray source includes a liquid metal source for heating and melting at least one metal and producing a liquid metal jet, a liquid metal collector for acquiring the liquid metal jet, a liquid metal circulation... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7928390 | Infrared metrology A spectroscopic instrument of the type providing an infrared light beam from an infrared light source along an infrared light path, where the infrared light beam includes a wide range of wavelengths of radiation within a target range of from about two microns to abo... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7926959 | Beam conditioning to reduce spatial coherence Methods and apparatus relating to electromagnetic beam (e.g., laser beam) conditioning are described. In an embodiment, electromagnetic beam conditioning may be performed utilizing reflectors to temporally differentiate electromagnetic beam subsections and sub-beams... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7919193 | Shielding, particulate reducing high vacuum components A component for use in a high vacuum environment, the component including a core of non-magnetic Hastelloy with a cladding of nickel-iron covering the core at least in part. The component can be, for example, at least one of a gate valve for use in a high vacuum env... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7916985 | Integrated visible pilot beam for non-visible optical waveguide devices In one embodiment, a radiation based analysis system comprises a first radiation source to generate first radiation having a wavelength outside the visible spectrum, a second radiation source to generate second radiation having a wavelength within the visible spectr... | 03/29/2011 |
