System and methods of generating comparable regions of a lithographic mask
US11263741B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 24, 2020 |
| Grant date | Mar 1, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 22, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30148
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Implementations of the disclosure provide methods for generating an in-die reference for die-to-die defect detection techniques. The inspection methods using in-die reference comprise finding similar blocks of a lithographic mask, the similar blocks are defined by similar CAD information. A comparison distance is selected based on (i) areas of the similar blocks and (ii) spatial relationships between the similar blocks. The similar blocks are aggregated, based on the comparison distance, to provide multiple aggregated areas; and comparable regions of the lithographic mask are defined based on the multiple aggregate blocks. Images of at least some of the comparable regions of the lithographic mask are acquired using an inspection module. The acquired images are compared.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.