Patent · US Active

Defect inspection method and apparatus

US8107717B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
28References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 25, 2011
Grant dateJan 31, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 25, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30148
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Arrangements for inspecting a specimen on which plural patterns are formed; capturing a first image of a first area; capturing a second image of a second area in which patterns which are essentially the same with the patterns formed in the first area; creating data relating to corresponding pixels of the first and second images, for each pixel; determining a threshold for each pixel for detecting defects directly in accordance with the first and second images; and detecting defects on the specimen by processing the first and second images by using the threshold for each pixel and information of a scattered diagram of brightness of the first and second images, wherein the threshold is determined by using information of brightness of a local region of at least one of the first and second images, with the local region including an aimed pixel and peripheral pixels of the aimed pixel.

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