Optics: measuring and testing – Inspection of flaws or impurities
Reexamination Certificate
2006-05-16
2006-05-16
Toatley, Jr., Gregory J. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
Inspection of flaws or impurities
C356S237200, C356S237400, C356S237500
Reexamination Certificate
active
07046352
ABSTRACT:
The present invention discloses methods of conducting surface inspections using summed light. One method includes the steps of measuring summed light intensity values for the substrate, generating comparison values for the substrate, and then comparing the measured summed light intensity values with the comparison values to determine whether there are defects in the substrate. In another embodiment, a method includes the steps of generating a reference cluster using measured summed light intensity values for selected portions of the inspection surface. Other summed light intensity values are measured and then compared with the reference cluster. Using this comparison, a determination is made as to whether a defect is present. Another embodiment uses a constant baseline signal which is compared to actual light intensity values to determine whether a substrate defect is present. In yet another embodiment a substrate is inspected for the presence of defects by conducting a pixel-by-pixel summed light inspection of the substrate.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4247203 (1981-01-01), Levy et al.
patent: 4555798 (1985-11-01), Broadbent et al.
patent: 4669885 (1987-06-01), Ina
patent: 5204910 (1993-04-01), Lebeau
patent: 5327286 (1994-07-01), Sampsell et al.
patent: 5563702 (1996-10-01), Emery et al.
patent: 6268093 (2001-07-01), Kenan et al.
patent: 6466315 (2002-10-01), Karpol et al.
patent: 6727987 (2004-04-01), Yonezawa
Burn J. Lin, “Phase-Shifting and Other Challenges in Optical Mask Technology”, SPIE vol. 1496 10thAnnual Symposium on Microlithography (1990), pp. 54-79.
J. R. Parker, “Algorithms for Image Processing and Computer Vision”, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., ISBN 0-471-14056-2 (1997), pp. 70-71, 103-104.
Bruning et al., “An Automated Mask Inspection System—AMIS”, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. ED-22, No. 7, Jul. 1975, pp. 487-495.
Alles David S.
Chen George Q.
Dayal Aditya
Beyer Weaver&Thomas,LLP
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
Stock, Jr. Gordon J.
Toatley , Jr. Gregory J.
LandOfFree
Surface inspection system and method using summed light... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Surface inspection system and method using summed light..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Surface inspection system and method using summed light... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3635589