Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and methods for collecting global data during a reticle inspection

US6654489B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
25References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 4, 2002
Grant dateNov 25, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 4, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30148
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of inspecting a reticle defining a circuit layer pattern that is used within a corresponding semiconductor process to generate corresponding patterns on a semiconductor wafer. A test image of the reticle is provided, and the test image has a plurality of test characteristic values. A baseline image containing an expected pattern of the test image is also provided. The baseline image has a plurality of baseline characteristic values that correspond to the test characteristic values. The test characteristic values are compared to the baseline characteristic values such that a plurality of difference values are calculated for each pair of test and baseline characteristic values. Statistical information is also collected.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.