# US 12,007,703 B2 · Mark detection method and apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,703 B2 - Document ID: US12007703B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/310,644 - Filed: 2021-03-25 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-31 - Assignees: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Yan Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007703B2 ## CPC - G03F 1/42: Alignment or registration features, e.g. alignment marks on the mask substrates - G03F 9/7088: {Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection} - G03F 1/84: Inspecting - G03F 9/7076: {Mark details, e.g. phase grating mark, temporary mark} - G06T 7/00: Image analysis - H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass - H10W 46/00: Marks applied to devices, e.g. for alignment or identification - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A mark detection method includes: acquiring on-off information of marks on a photomask to be manufactured; comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information to determine whether the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information; and, correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information when it is determined that the on-off information is inconsistent with the preset on-off information. The mark detection method and apparatus and the computer-readable storage medium according to the present disclosure can automatically detect whether the on-off of marks is accurate, thereby improving the detection accuracy and reducing labor cost. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mark detection method, comprising: acquiring on-off information of marks on a photomask to be manufactured; comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information to determine whether the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information; and correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information when it is determined that the on-off information is inconsistent with the preset on-off information; wherein the acquiring on-off information of marks on a photomask to be manufactured comprises: acquiring on-off information of N marks on a photomask to be manufactured, the N marks containing M mark types, both N and M being integers greater than 1; wherein before the comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information, the method further comprises: establishing M blocks according to the M mark types, one of the blocks containing a plurality of marks belonging to a same mark type; and merging the M blocks, and setting M identification layers according to the M blocks, one block corresponding to one identification layer; wherein the comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information comprises: comparing the on-off information of the marks in the merged blocks with preset on-off information according to the identification layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mark detection method according to claim 1, wherein the M mark types comprise at least one of: overlay mark, alignment mark, and detection mark. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mark detection method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing M blocks according to the M mark types comprises: determining, according to the mark types, distribution regions of the marks on the photomask to be manufactured; and generating the blocks according to the distribution regions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mark detection method according to claim 3, wherein the distribution regions comprise a plurality of mark strip-shaped regions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The mark detection method according to claim 4, wherein a number of marks and mark type of marks contained in different mark strip-shaped regions in a same block are same. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mark detection method according to claim 1, wherein the preset on-off information is acquired by: acquiring sub preset on-off information of each mark; and integrating the sub preset on-off information to generate the preset on-off information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mark detection method according to claim 6, wherein the sub preset on-off information is integrated by scripts, and the on-off information of the marks in the merged blocks is compared with the preset on-off information by scripts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mark detection method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information comprises: inputting the on-off information and the preset on-off information into a preset detection program; and comparing the on-off information with the preset on-off information according to the detection program. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mark detection method according to claim 1, after the correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information, further comprising: determining whether the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information again; and when it is determined that the on-off information is inconsistent with the preset on-off information, correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information until the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A mark detection apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and, a memory in communicative connection to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores instructions performable by the at least one processor, the instructions are performed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor to perform the mark detection method according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer programs, when the computer programs are executed by a processor, the mark detection method according to claim 1 is realized. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the M mark types comprise at least one of: overlay mark, alignment mark, and detection mark. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the establishing M blocks according to the M mark types comprises: determining, according to the mark types, distribution regions of the marks on the photomask to be manufactured; and generating the blocks according to the distribution regions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the distribution regions comprise a plurality of mark strip-shaped regions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein a number of marks and mark type of marks contained in different mark strip-shaped regions in a same block are same. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the preset on-off information is acquired by: acquiring sub preset on-off information of each mark; and integrating the sub preset on-off information to generate the preset on-off information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the sub preset on-off information is integrated by scripts, and the on-off information of the marks in the merged blocks is compared with the preset on-off information by scripts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the comparing the on-off information with preset on-off information comprises: inputting the on-off information and the preset on-off information into a preset detection program; and comparing the on-off information with the preset on-off information according to the detection program. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein after the correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information, the method further comprises: determining whether the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information again; and when it is determined that the on-off information is inconsistent with the preset on-off information, correcting the on-off information according to the preset on-off information until the on-off information is consistent with the preset on-off information.