Apparatus and methods for setting up optical inspection parameters

A computer readable medium containing program instructions for setting up one or more ranges of one or more inspection parameters in an optical inspection system, the computer readable medium comprising:

• (a) computer readable code for receiving a set of values of a inspection parameter, wherein the set of values corresponds to set-up areas of a set-up image obtained from a sample;
• (b) computer readable code for constructing a test image comprising multiple test areas such that locations of the test areas corresponds to locations of the set-up areas and colors of the test areas are determined by corresponding values in the set;
• (c) computer readable code for displaying the test image and a range diagram on a user interface of the optical inspection system,
• wherein the range diagram corresponds to the inspection parameter and comprises a nominal limit and a variation limit,
• wherein the nominal limit and the variation limit define a range corresponding to a color that does not overlap with an outside range corresponding to an outside color, and
• wherein the test areas have the color if the corresponding values in the set fall within the range or the outside color if the corresponding values in the set fall within the outside range;
• (d) computer readable code for receiving an adjustment of the limit and/or the nominal limit based on the test image;
• and
• (e) computer readable code for repeating (b)-(d) until the test image reaches predetermined criteria.

An optical inspection system for setting up one or more ranges of one or more inspection parameters, comprising at least one memory and at least one processor that are configured to perform the following operations:

• (a) receiving a set of values of a inspection parameter, wherein the set of values corresponds to set-up areas of a set-up image obtained from a sample;
• (b) constructing a test image comprising multiple test areas such that locations of the test areas corresponds to locations of the set-up areas and colors of the test areas are determined by corresponding values in the set;
• (c) displaying the test image and a range diagram on a user interface of the optical inspection system,
• wherein the range diagram corresponds to the inspection parameter and comprises a nominal limit and a variation limit,
• wherein the nominal limit and the variation limit define a range corresponding to a color that does not overlap with an outside range corresponding to an outside color, and
• wherein the test areas have the color if the corresponding values in the set fall within the range or the outside color if the corresponding values fall within the outside range;
• (d) receiving an adjustment of the limit and/or the nominal limit based on the test image;
• and
• (e) repeating (b)-(d) until the test image reaches predetermined criteria.