Method and System for Hybrid Reticle Inspection
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorsCarl Hess, John D. Miller, Shan Xue, Patrick LoPresti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor inspection apparatus performs a hybrid inspection process including cell-to-cell inspection, die-to-die inspection and die-to-golden or die-to-database inspection. The apparatus creates a golden image of a reticle complimentary to portions of the reticle that can be inspected by cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection. Alternatively, the apparatus creates a reduced database complimentary to portions of the reticle that can be inspected by cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection.
Claims27
A inspection apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
- memory connected to the processor;
- computer executable program code configured to execute on the processor, wherein the computer executable program code is configured to:
- produce a reduced database containing portions of a semiconductor design database unsuitable for at least one of a cell-to-cell inspection or a die-to-die inspection;
- and
- store the reduced database.
A inspection apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
- memory connected to the processor;
- an imaging device connected to the processor, configured to image a reticle;
- and
- computer executable program code configured to execute on the processor, wherein the computer executable program code is configured to:
- produce a reduced golden image comprising portions of a reticle unsuitable for at least one of a cell-to-cell inspection or a die-to-die inspection;
- and
- store the reduced golden image.
A inspection apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
- memory connected to the processor;
- an imaging device connected to the processor, configured to image a reticle;
- and
- computer executable program code configured to execute on the processor, wherein the computer executable program code is configured to retrieve a reference, such reference configured to:
- identify at least one region of a reticle, such region being suitable for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection;
- and
- provide suitable data to perform an inspection of one or more additional regions of a reticle, such one or more additional regions being unsuitable for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection.
A method for producing a reference for a hybrid inspection, such method comprising:
- identifying at least one region of a reticle appropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection;
- identifying one or more additional regions of the a reticle inappropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection;
- producing a reference,
- wherein the reference:
- identifies the at least one region of the reticle appropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection;
- and
- contains data sufficient to perform an inspection of the one or more additional regions of the reticle inappropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection.
A method for producing a reference for a hybrid inspection, such method comprising:
- retrieving a reference;
- identifying at least one region of a reticle appropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection based on the reference;
- performing at least one of a cell-to-cell inspection or a die-to-die inspection of the identified region;
- and
- performing a defect/contamination inspection of one or more additional regions of the a reticle identified as inappropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection by comparing an image of the a reticle to data contained in the reference,
- wherein the reference:
- identifies the at least one region of a reticle appropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection;
- and
- contains data sufficient to perform an inspection of the one or more additional regions of the a reticle inappropriate for at least one of cell-to-cell inspection or die-to-die inspection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.