Virtual inspection systems for process window characterization
First Claim
1. A system configured to detect defects on a specimen, comprising:
- an inspection system configured for scanning energy over a physical version of a specimen while detecting energy from the specimen to thereby generate images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system generates the images for the specimen with two or more modes defined by values of parameters of the inspection system used for generating the images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system comprises an illumination subsystem configured to direct the energy to the specimen, a scanning subsystem configured to cause the energy to be scanned over the specimen, and one or more detection channels comprising a detector configured to detect the energy from the specimen, wherein the two or more modes have one or more different parameters of the illumination subsystem, one or more different parameters of the one or more detection channels, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least two dies are formed on the physical version of the specimen with different values of one or more parameters of a fabrication process performed on the specimen;
a storage medium configured for storing the images for the specimen generated by the inspection system, wherein the stored images are generated using the two or more modes of the inspection system; and
one or more computer subsystems configured for;
comparing portions of the stored images generated at locations on the specimen at which patterns having the same as-designed characteristics are formed with at least two of the different values of the one or more parameters of the fabrication process, wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared are not constrained by locations of the dies on the specimen, locations of the patterns within the dies, or locations of the patterns on the specimen, and wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared comprise the portions of the stored images generated using only one of the two or more modes; and
detecting defects at the locations based on results of said comparing, wherein said comparing and said detecting are separately performed for the portions of the stored images generated at the locations on the specimen with only another of the two or more modes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for detecting defects on a specimen are provided. One system includes a storage medium configured for storing images for a physical version of a specimen generated by an inspection system. At least two dies are formed on the specimen with different values of one or more parameters of a fabrication process performed on the specimen. The system also includes computer subsystem(s) configured for comparing portions of the stored images generated at locations on the specimen at which patterns having the same as-designed characteristics are formed with at least two of the different values. The portions of the stored images that are compared are not constrained by locations of the dies on the specimen, locations of the patterns within the dies, or locations of the patterns on the specimen. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for detecting defects at the locations based on results of the comparing.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system configured to detect defects on a specimen, comprising:
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an inspection system configured for scanning energy over a physical version of a specimen while detecting energy from the specimen to thereby generate images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system generates the images for the specimen with two or more modes defined by values of parameters of the inspection system used for generating the images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system comprises an illumination subsystem configured to direct the energy to the specimen, a scanning subsystem configured to cause the energy to be scanned over the specimen, and one or more detection channels comprising a detector configured to detect the energy from the specimen, wherein the two or more modes have one or more different parameters of the illumination subsystem, one or more different parameters of the one or more detection channels, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least two dies are formed on the physical version of the specimen with different values of one or more parameters of a fabrication process performed on the specimen; a storage medium configured for storing the images for the specimen generated by the inspection system, wherein the stored images are generated using the two or more modes of the inspection system; and one or more computer subsystems configured for; comparing portions of the stored images generated at locations on the specimen at which patterns having the same as-designed characteristics are formed with at least two of the different values of the one or more parameters of the fabrication process, wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared are not constrained by locations of the dies on the specimen, locations of the patterns within the dies, or locations of the patterns on the specimen, and wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared comprise the portions of the stored images generated using only one of the two or more modes; and detecting defects at the locations based on results of said comparing, wherein said comparing and said detecting are separately performed for the portions of the stored images generated at the locations on the specimen with only another of the two or more modes. - 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)
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26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program instructions executable on a computer system for performing a computer-implemented method for detecting defects on a specimen, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:
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generating images for a physical version of a specimen with an inspection system by scanning energy over the physical version of the specimen while detecting energy from the specimen to thereby generate the images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system generates the images for the specimen with two or more modes defined by values of parameters of the inspection system used for generating the images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system comprises an illumination subsystem configured to direct the energy to the specimen, a scanning subsystem configured to cause the energy to be scanned over the specimen, and one or more detection channels comprising a detector configured to detect the energy from the specimen, wherein the two or more modes have one or more different parameters of the illumination subsystem, one or more different parameters of the one or more detection channels, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least two dies are formed on the physical version of the specimen with different values of one or more parameters of a fabrication process performed on the specimen; storing the images for the specimen generated by the inspection system with a storage medium, wherein the stored images are generated using the two or more modes of the inspection system; comparing portions of the stored images generated at locations on the specimen at which patterns having the same as-designed characteristics are formed with at least two of the different values of the one or more parameters of the fabrication process, wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared are not constrained by locations of the dies on the specimen, locations of the patterns within the dies, or locations of the patterns on the specimen, and wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared comprise the portions of the stored images generated using only one of the two or more modes; and detecting defects at the locations based on results of said comparing, wherein said comparing and said detecting are separately performed for the portions of the stored images generated at the locations on the specimen with only another of the two or more modes.
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27. A method for detecting defects on a specimen, comprising:
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generating images for a physical version of a specimen with an inspection system by scanning energy over the physical version of the specimen while detecting energy from the specimen to thereby generate the images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system generates the images for the specimen with two or more modes defined by values of parameters of the inspection system used for generating the images for the specimen, wherein the inspection system comprises an illumination subsystem configured to direct the energy to the specimen, a scanning subsystem configured to cause the energy to be scanned over the specimen, and one or more detection channels comprising a detector configured to detect the energy from the specimen, wherein the two or more modes have one or more different parameters of the illumination subsystem, one or more different parameters of the one or more detection channels, or a combination thereof, and wherein at least two dies are formed on the physical version of the specimen with different values of one or more parameters of a fabrication process performed on the specimen; storing the images for the specimen generated by the inspection system with a storage medium, wherein the stored images are generated using the two or more modes of the inspection system; comparing portions of the stored images generated at locations on the specimen at which patterns having the same as-designed characteristics are formed with at least two of the different values of the one or more parameters of the fabrication process, wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared are not constrained by locations of the dies on the specimen, locations of the patterns within the dies, or locations of the patterns on the specimen, and wherein the portions of the stored images that are compared comprise the portions of the stored images generated using only one of the two or more modes; and detecting defects at the locations based on results of said comparing, wherein said comparing and said detecting are separately performed for the portions of the stored images generated at the locations on the specimen with only another of the two or more modes, and wherein said comparing and said detecting are performed by a computer system.
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Specification