Adaptive Nuisance Filter

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program instructions executed on a computer system for performing a computer-implemented method for generating inspection results for a specimen with an adaptive nuisance filter, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

• acquiring results of an inspection of a specimen and parameters of a nuisance filter for the inspection, wherein the results comprise values for one or more features for events detected during the inspection, and wherein the values are determined during the inspection;
• generating a sample of the events by selecting a portion of the events having the values for at least one of the one or more features that are closer to at least one value of at least one of the parameters of the nuisance filter than the values for the at least one of the one or more features of another portion of the events;
• acquiring output of an output acquisition subsystem for the sample of the events, wherein the output acquisition subsystem comprises at least an energy source and a detector, wherein the energy source is configured to generate energy that is directed to the specimen, and wherein the detector is configured to detect energy from the specimen and to generate the output responsive to the detected energy;
• classifying the events in the sample based on the acquired output;
• determining if one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter should be modified based on results of the classifying;
• when it is determined that the one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter should not be modified, applying the nuisance filter to the results of the inspection for the specimen to generate final inspection results for the specimen;
• and
• when it is determined that the one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter should be modified:
• modifying the nuisance filter by modifying the one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter based on the results of the classifying;
• and
• applying the modified nuisance filter to the results of the inspection for the specimen to generate the final inspection results for the specimen, wherein acquiring the results, generating the sample, acquiring the output, classifying the events, said determining, applying the nuisance filter, modifying the nuisance filter, and applying the modified nuisance filter are performed by one or more computer subsystems.

A computer-implemented method for generating inspection results for a specimen with an adaptive nuisance filter, comprising:

• acquiring results of an inspection of a specimen and parameters of a nuisance filter for the inspection, wherein the results comprise values for one or more features for events detected during the inspection, and wherein the values are determined during the inspection;
• generating a sample of the events by selecting a portion of the events having the values for at least one of the one or more features that are closer to at least one value of at least one of the parameters of the nuisance filter than the values for the at least one of the one or more features of another portion of the events;
• acquiring output of an output acquisition subsystem for the sample of the events, wherein the output acquisition subsystem comprises at least an energy source and a detector, wherein the energy source is configured to generate energy that is directed to the specimen, and wherein the detector is configured to detect energy from the specimen and to generate the output responsive to the detected energy;
• classifying the events in the sample based on the acquired output;
• determining if one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter should be modified based on results of the classifying;
• when is determined that the one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter should not be modified, applying the nuisance filter to the results of the inspection for the specimen to generate final inspection results for the specimen;
• and
• when it is determined that the one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter should be modified:
• modifying the nuisance filter by modifying the one or more of the parameters of the nuisance filter based on the results of the classifying;
• and
• applying the modified nuisance filter to the results of the inspection for the specimen to generate the final inspection results for the specimen, wherein acquiring the results, generating the sample, acquiring the output, classifying the events, said determining, applying the nuisance filter, modifying the nuisance filter, and applying the modified nuisance filter are performed by one or more computer subsystems.