Patent · US Active

Methods and systems for generating an inspection process for a wafer

US8112241B2 · kind B2 · utility

29Cited by
243References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 13, 2009
Grant dateFeb 7, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 23, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/8854
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating an inspection process for a wafer are provided. One computer-implemented method includes separately determining a value of a local attribute for different locations within a design for a wafer based on a defect that can cause at least one type of fault mechanism at the different locations. The method also includes determining a sensitivity with which defects will be reported for different locations on the wafer corresponding to the different locations within the design based on the value of the local attribute. In addition, the method includes generating an inspection process for the wafer based on the determined sensitivity. Groups may be generated based on the value of the local attribute thereby assigning pixels that will have at least similar noise statistics to the same group, which can be important for defect detection algorithms. Better segmentation may lead to better noise statistics estimation.

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