Machine learning method and apparatus for inspecting reticles
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorsAbdurrahman Sezginer, Gang Pan, Bing Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for inspecting a specimen are disclosed. An inspection tool is used at one or more operating modes to obtain images of a plurality of training regions of a specimen, and the training regions are identified as defect-free. Three or more basis training images are derived from the images of the training regions. A classifier is formed based on the three or more basis training images. The inspection system is used at the one or more operating modes to obtain images of a plurality of test regions of a specimen. Three or more basis test images are derived from to the test regions. The classifier is applied to the three or more basis test images to find defects in the test regions.
Claims26
A method of inspecting a specimen, the method comprising:
- using an inspection system at one or more operating modes, obtaining images of a plurality of training regions of a specimen, wherein the training regions are identified as defect-free;
- deriving three or more basis training images from the images of the training regions;
- forming a classifier by constructing a manifold approximating points in a feature space, the feature space having three or more dimensions corresponding to three or more basis images;
- using the inspection system at the one or more operating modes, obtaining images of a plurality of test regions of a specimen;
- deriving three or more basis test images from the test regions;
- and
- applying the classifier to the three or more basis test images to find defects in the test regions.
An inspection system for inspecting a specimen, the system comprising at least one memory and at least one processor that are configured to perform the following operations:
- at one or more operating modes of the inspection system, obtaining images of a plurality of training regions of a specimen, wherein the training regions are identified as defect-free;
- deriving three or more basis training images from the images of the training regions;
- forming a classifier by constructing a manifold approximating points in a feature space, the feature space having three or more dimensions corresponding to three or more basis images;
- at the one or more operating modes, obtaining images of a plurality of test regions of a specimen;
- and
- deriving three or more basis test images from the test regions;
- and
- applying the classifier to the three or more basis test images to find defects in the test regions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.