Flexible hybrid defect classification for semiconductor manufacturing

US7142992B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp. · US

Inventors

• Patrick Huet · San Jose, US
• Maruti Shanbhag · Bengaluru, IN
• Sandeep Bhagwat · Milpitas, US
• Michal Kowalski · Santa Cruz, US
• Vivekanand Kini · Sunnyvale, US
• David Randall · Sunnyvale, US
• Sharon McCauley · San Jose, US
• Tong Huang · College Station, US
• Jianxin Zhang · Acton, US
• Kenong Wu · Davis, US
• Lisheng Gao · معلمی نژاد, US
• Ariel Tribble · Fremont, US
• Ashok Kulkarni · San Jose, US
• Cecelia Campochiaro · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 2004
• Grant date: Nov 28, 2006
• Expiry date: Sep 30, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30148
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Hybrid methods for classifying defects in semiconductor manufacturing are provided. The methods include applying a flexible sequence of rules for defects to inspection data. The sequence of rules includes deterministic rules, statistical rules, hybrid rules, or some combination thereof. The rules included in the sequence may be selected by a user using a graphical interface. The method also includes classifying the defects based on results of applying the sequence of rules to the inspection data.