Pattern inspecting system and pattern inspecting method
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsHaruo Yoda, Mari Nozoe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Patterns on the surface of a workpiece are inspected by calculating characteristic quantities of the patterns, classifying detected defects automatically in clusters; calculating an occurrence distribution function for each cluster, and estimating the clusters automatically from the condition of a mass of defects that occurred in a characteristic space, if the defect occurrence distribution is unknown. Some of the defects in each of the clusters are reinspected after the classifying.
Claims8
A method of defect clustering in inspection patterns on the surface of a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of:
- classifying detected defects automatically in clusters by calculated characteristic quantities of the patterns;
- and
- estimating the clusters automatically from the condition of a mass of defects that occurred in a characteristic space, if a defect occurrence distribution is unknown.
A method of defect clustering in inspection patterns on the surface of a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of:
- classifying detected defects automatically in clusters by calculated characteristic quantities of the patterns;
- and
- estimating the clusters automatically from the condition of a mass of defects that occurred in a characteristic space, if a defect occurrence distribution is unknown;
- reinspecting some of said defects in each said cluster.
A method of defect clustering in inspection patterns on the surface of a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of:
- classifying detected defects automatically in clusters by calculated characteristic quantities of the patterns;
- determining an occurrence probability function for each cluster on the basis of a result of said classifying step;
- calculating an occurrence distribution function for each said cluster, wherein if the defect occurrence distribution is unknown, the clusters are automatically estimated from the condition of a mass of occurred defects in a characteristic space;
- and
- clustering in the next inspection on the basis of the calculated distribution function.
A pattern inspecting system for inspecting patterns on the surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a calculating circuit for calculating characteristic quantities of the patterns;
- and
- a control computer programmed to:
- classify detected defects automatically in clusters;
- calculate an occurrence distribution function for each of said clusters, and
- estimate the clusters automatically from the condition of a mass of defects that occurred in a characteristic space, if the defect occurrence distribution is unknown.
A pattern inspecting system for inspecting patterns on the surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a calculating circuit for calculating characteristic quantities of the patterns;
- and
- a control computer programmed to:
- classify detected defects automatically in clusters;
- calculate an occurrence distribution function for each cluster, and
- estimate the clusters automatically from the condition of a mass of defects that occurred in a characteristic space, if the defect occurrence distribution is unknown;
- wherein said system reinspects some of said defects in each said cluster after said classifying.
A pattern inspecting system for inspecting patterns on the surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a calculating circuit for calculating characteristic quantities of the patterns;
- and
- a control computer programmed to:
- classify detected defects automatically in clusters;
- calculate an occurrence distribution function for each cluster on the basis of a result of said classifying, and
- estimate the clusters automatically from the condition of a mass of defects that occurred in a characteristic space, if the defect occurrence distribution is unknown;
- and
- clustering in the next inspection on the basis of the calculated distribution function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.