User interface for wafer data analysis and visualization

• US 7,945,085 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Luque, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter; Aaron W
• Application Number:
  US12/772,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 382141-152, 250306-311, 250/223, 348 86- 95, 348125-134, 700 35- 40, 715716-726
• US Class Current: 382/145
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps

Abstract

A wafer viewer system is provided for graphical presentation and analysis of a wafer and a wafer series. More specifically, the wafer viewer system includes a graphical user interface for displaying a wafer, graphically selecting regions of the wafer for analysis, performing analysis on the selected regions of the wafer, and displaying results of the analysis.

Claims

1. A method for generating a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system for performing a profile analysis, comprising:

displaying an electronic microscope image in the graphical user interface on the display;

providing controls in the graphical user interface on the display for adjusting the electronic microscope image;

providing a graphical measurement control in the graphical user interface on the display; and

providing controls in the graphical user interface on the display for calibrating the graphical measurement control, wherein the controls for calibrating the graphical measurement control include a first calibration slider and a second calibration slider, and a calibration distribution select field to enable user assignment of a distance value to a displayed distance between the first and second calibration sliders, wherein the first and second calibration sliders are displayed in the graphical user interface along an edge of the displayed electronic microscope image, and wherein the first and second calibration sliders are independently movable in a linearly constrained manner along the edge of the displayed electronic microscope image.

2. A method for generating a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a graphical pointer in the graphical user interface on the display to obtain cartesian coordinates relative to main axes based on the distance value assigned to the displayed distance between the first and second calibration sliders.

3. A method for generating a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a profile over the electronic microscope image in the graphical user interface on the display.

4. A method for generating a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 1, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes an image zoom control and an image position control.

5. A method for generating a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 1, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes a rotation select field to enable rotation of the electronic microscope image.

6. A method for generating a graphical user interface on a display of a computer system for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 1, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes a drift select field to enable correction of distortions in the electronic microscope image.

7. A data storage device for storing data to be read by a computer system including program instructions for providing a graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis, comprising:

program instructions for displaying an electronic microscope image;

program instructions for providing controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image;

program instructions for providing a graphical measurement control; and

program instructions for providing controls for calibrating the graphical measurement control, wherein the controls for calibrating the graphical measurement control include a first calibration slider and a second calibration slider, and a calibration distribution select field to enable user assignment of a distance value to a displayed distance between the first and second calibration sliders, wherein the first and second calibration sliders are displayed in the graphical user interface along an edge of the displayed electronic microscope image, and wherein the first and second calibration sliders are independently movable in a linearly constrained manner along the edge of the displayed electronic microscope image.

8. A data storage device for storing data to be read by a computer system including program instructions for providing a graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

program instructions for providing a graphical pointer to obtain cartesian coordinates relative to main axes based on the distance value assigned to the displayed distance between the first and second calibration sliders.

9. A data storage device for storing data to be read by a computer system including program instructions for providing a graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

program instructions for displaying a profile over the electronic microscope image.

10. A data storage device for storing data to be read by a computer system including program instructions for providing a graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 7, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes an image zoom control and an image position control.

11. A data storage device for storing data to be read by a computer system including program instructions for providing a graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 7, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes a rotation select field to enable rotation of the electronic microscope image.

12. A data storage device for storing data to be read by a computer system including program instructions for providing a graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 7, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes a drift select field to enable correction of distortions in the electronic microscope image.