Pattern inspection apparatus and method

Details Pattern inspection apparatus and method Pattern inspection apparatus and method

2011-07-19

2011-07-19

Carter, Aaron W (Department: 2624)

Image analysis

Applications

Manufacturing or product inspection

C382S199000, C382S209000, C348S086000, C348S125000, C356S237100

Reexamination Certificate

active

07983471

ABSTRACT:
A pattern inspection apparatus is used for inspecting a fine pattern, such as a semiconductor integrated circuit (LSI), a liquid crystal panel, and a photomask (reticle) for the semiconductor or the liquid crystal panel, which are fabricated based on data for fabricating the fine pattern such as design data. The pattern inspection apparatus includes a reference pattern generation device configured to generate a reference pattern represented by one or more lines, comprising one of a line segment and a curve, from the data, an image generation device configured to generate the image of the pattern to-be-inspected, a detecting device configured to detect an edge of the image of the pattern to-be-inspected, and an inspection device configured to inspect the pattern to-be-inspected by comparing the edge of the image of the pattern to-be-inspected with the one or more lines of the reference pattern.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4589139 (1986-05-01), Hada et al.
patent: 4805123 (1989-02-01), Specht et al.
patent: 4958374 (1990-09-01), Tokita et al.
patent: 5046109 (1991-09-01), Fujimori et al.
patent: 5129009 (1992-07-01), LeBeau
patent: 5137362 (1992-08-01), LeBeau
patent: 5379350 (1995-01-01), Shimazu et al.
patent: 5398292 (1995-03-01), Aoyama
patent: 5479537 (1995-12-01), Hamashima et al.
patent: 5563702 (1996-10-01), Emery et al.
patent: 5600734 (1997-02-01), Okubo et al.
patent: 5801965 (1998-09-01), Takagi et al.
patent: 6023530 (2000-02-01), Wilson
patent: 6040911 (2000-03-01), Nozaki et al.
patent: 6047083 (2000-04-01), Mizuno
patent: 6072897 (2000-06-01), Greenberg et al.
patent: 6868175 (2005-03-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 7181059 (2007-02-01), Duvdevani et al.
patent: 7206443 (2007-04-01), Duvdevani et al.
patent: 7234128 (2007-06-01), Gau et al.
patent: 7388978 (2008-06-01), Duvdevani et al.
patent: 7796801 (2010-09-01), Kitamura et al.
patent: 7817844 (2010-10-01), Kitamura et al.
patent: 2004/0081350 (2004-04-01), Kitamura et al.
patent: 2004/0120571 (2004-06-01), Duvdevani et al.
patent: 2004/0126005 (2004-07-01), Duvdevani et al.
patent: 2005/0146714 (2005-07-01), Kitamura et al.
patent: 2005/0226494 (2005-10-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 2006/0245636 (2006-11-01), Kitamura et al.
patent: 198 03 021 (1998-07-01), None
patent: 0 930 499 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 63-88682 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 4-194702 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 8-76359 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 8-110305 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 2747105 (1998-02-01), None
patent: 10-307917 (1998-11-01), None
patent: 10-312461 (1998-11-01), None
patent: 11-231507 (1999-08-01), None
patent: 2001-338304 (2001-12-01), None
“Automated Failure Part Tracing Method for a Logic LSI Using an Electron Beam Tester”, NEC Technical Report, vol. 50, No. 6, 1997, pp. 20-31 (partial English translation).
Robert M. Haralick et al., “Digital Step Edges from Zero Crossing of Second Directional Derivatives”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. PAMI-6, No. 1 Jan. 1984, pp. 58-68.
Carsten Steger et al., “An Unbiased Detector of Cuvilineau Structures”, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 20, No. 2, Feb. 1998, pp. 113-125.
Theodosios Pavlidis et al., “Segmentation of Plane Curves”, IEEE Transactions on Computers, vol. C-23, No. 8, Aug. 1974, pp. 860-870.
M. Hashimoto et al., “High Speed Template Matching Algorithm Using Information of Contour Points,” Systems and Computers in Japan vol. 23, No. 9, pp. 78-87, 1992.
Official Notice of Rejection, Japanese Patent Office, dated Feb. 21, 2003 for Patent Application No. 2000-258234, with English Translation.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/434,797 Notice of Allowance mailed May 10, 2010, 7 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/058,616 Notice of Allowance mailed Jun. 14, 2010, 6 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/058,616 Response to Office Action filed Apr. 26, 2010, 26 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Notice of Allowance dated Sep. 25, 2009, 9 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Terminal Disclaimer dated Aug. 11, 2009, 3 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Response to Office Action dated Jul. 31, 2009, 13 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Office Action dated Jun. 12, 2009, 22 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Response to Office Action dated Mar. 25, 2009, 16 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Office Action dated Dec. 11, 2008, 20 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Response to Office Action dated Aug. 29, 2008, 16 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/044,159, Office Action dated Apr. 30, 2008, 11 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Notice of Allowance dated Oct. 28, 2004, 7 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Response and Amendment dated Sep. 3, 2004, 14 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Office Action dated Jun. 3, 2004, 7 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Preliminary Amendment and Response to Restriction Requirement dated Mar. 18, 2004, 15 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Restriction Requirement dated Feb. 19, 2004, 5 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Response to Office Action dated Dec. 12, 2003, 31 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 09/648,372, Office Action dated Aug. 13, 2003, 7 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/058,616, Office Action mailed Aug. 14, 2009, 22 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/058,616, Response to Office Action filed Nov. 9, 2009, 28 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/058,616, Office Action mailed Jan. 13, 2010, 7 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/434,797 Office Action mailed Jan. 15, 2010, 7 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 11/434,797 Response to Office Action filed Apr. 14, 2010, 16 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 12/852,314, Response to Office Action filed Dec. 16, 2011, 20 pages.
U.S. Appl. No. 12/852,314, Office Action mailed Nov. 19, 2010, 17 pages.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Pattern inspection apparatus and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Pattern inspection apparatus and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pattern inspection apparatus and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2631650