Image based specimen process control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system configured to detect anomalies in images of a specimen, comprising:
- an imaging subsystem configured for generating images of a specimen by directing energy to and detecting energy from the specimen, wherein the imaging subsystem comprises at least one energy source configured for generating the energy directed to the specimen and at least one detector configured for detecting the energy from the specimen; and
one or more computer subsystems coupled to the imaging subsystem, wherein the one or more computer subsystems are configured for;
acquiring the images generated of the specimen, wherein the acquired images comprise optical images or electron beam images;
determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images; and
identifying anomalies in the optical images or the electron beam images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a predetermined defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images, andwherein the one or more computer subsystems comprise one or more components executed by the one or more computer subsystems, and wherein the one or more components comprise a learning based model configured for performing said determining the one or more characteristics of the acquired images and for identifying the one or more characteristics that are determined for the acquired images.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for detecting anomalies in images of a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for acquiring images generated of a specimen by an imaging subsystem. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for identifying anomalies in the images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images.
63 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system configured to detect anomalies in images of a specimen, comprising:
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an imaging subsystem configured for generating images of a specimen by directing energy to and detecting energy from the specimen, wherein the imaging subsystem comprises at least one energy source configured for generating the energy directed to the specimen and at least one detector configured for detecting the energy from the specimen; and one or more computer subsystems coupled to the imaging subsystem, wherein the one or more computer subsystems are configured for; acquiring the images generated of the specimen, wherein the acquired images comprise optical images or electron beam images; determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images; and identifying anomalies in the optical images or the electron beam images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a predetermined defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images, and wherein the one or more computer subsystems comprise one or more components executed by the one or more computer subsystems, and wherein the one or more components comprise a learning based model configured for performing said determining the one or more characteristics of the acquired images and for identifying the one or more characteristics that are determined for the acquired images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program instructions executable on one or more computer systems for performing a computer-implemented method for detecting anomalies in images of a specimen, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:
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generating images of a specimen by directing energy to and detecting energy from the specimen with an imaging subsystem, wherein the imaging subsystem comprises at least one energy source configured for generating the energy directed to the specimen and at least one detector configured for detecting the energy from the specimen; acquiring the images generated of the specimen, wherein the acquired images comprise optical images or electron beam images; determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images; and identifying anomalies in the optical images or the electron beam images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a predetermined defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images, wherein said acquiring, said determining, and said identifying are performed by one or more computer subsystems coupled to the imaging subsystem, wherein the one or more computer subsystems comprise one or more components executed by the one or more computer subsystems, and wherein the one or more components comprise a learning based model configured for performing said determining the one or more characteristics of the acquired images and for identifying the one or more characteristics that are determined for the acquired images.
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35. A computer-implemented method for detecting anomalies in images of a specimen, comprising
generating images of a specimen by directing energy to and detecting energy from the specimen with an imaging subsystem, wherein the imaging subsystem comprises at least one energy source configured for generating the energy directed to the specimen and at least one detector configured for detecting the energy from the specimen; -
acquiring the images generated of the specimen, wherein the acquired images comprise optical images or electron beam images; determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images; and identifying anomalies in the optical images or the electron beam images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a predetermined defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images, wherein said acquiring, said determining, and said identifying are performed by one or more computer subsystems coupled to the imaging subsystem, wherein the one or more computer subsystems comprise one or more components executed by the one or more computer subsystems, and wherein the one or more components comprise a learning based model configured for performing said determining the one or more characteristics of the acquired images and for identifying the one or more characteristics that are determined for the acquired images.
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Specification