Bruce William Worster

6661515, Dec 9, 2003

Sep 11, 2001

09/953742

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA

KLA-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

G01B 1100

356394

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or âprimitives,â that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

7154605, Dec 26, 2006

May 8, 2003

10/434131

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA, US
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA, US

KLA-Tencor Corporation - san Jose CA

G01N 356/435

356435

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or “primitives,” that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

7384806, Jun 10, 2008

Dec 21, 2006

11/614835

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA, US
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA, US

KLA-Tencor Corporation - San Jose

H01L 21/66

438 18

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or “primitives,” that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

58087354, Sep 15, 1998

Nov 26, 1996

8/756420

Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA
Ke Han - San Francisco CA
Lakshman Srinivasan - San Jose CA
Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA

Ultrapointe Corporation - San Jose CA

G01N 2100

356237

10A method is described for detecting and characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer. A three-dimensional image of the test surface is aligned and compared with a three-dimensional image of a defect-free reference surface. Intensity differences between corresponding pixels in the two images that exceed a predefined threshold value are deemed defect pixels. According to the method, the pixels of the reference image are grouped according to their respective z values (elevation) to identify different physical layers of the reference surface. Because different surface layers can have different image properties, such as reflectance and image texture, the groups of pixels are analyzed separately to determine an optimal threshold value for each of the groups, and therefore for each layer of the reference surface.

61671487, Dec 26, 2000

Jun 30, 1998

9/107653

Louis D. Calitz - Los Gatos CA
Kexing Cecilia Du - Mountain View CA
M. Kent Norton - Los Gatos CA
Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA

Ultrapointe Corporation - San Jose CA

G06K 900

382145

An improved wafer surface inspection system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the object surface inspection system includes a translation stage that generates relative motion between an object viewing device such as an objective lens and the surface of the object being inspected. A translation stage controller controls the relative movement of the object surface and the object viewing device. The translation stage controller determines current coordinates for the object surface and the object viewing device, compares the current coordinates to target coordinates generated by a processor, and generates a trigger signal in response to a match between the current coordinates to the target coordinates. A camera receives an image through the object viewing device and captures the image in response to the trigger signal while the translation stage generates relative motion between the object surface and the object viewing device. In accordance with the present invention, a white light image of an entire wafer surface may be obtained quickly and efficiently.

60696907, May 30, 2000

Nov 13, 1998

9/191602

James J. Xu - San Jose CA
Bruce Worster - Saratoga CA
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA

Uniphase Corporation - San Jose CA

G01J 344
G01N 2165
G01N 2188

356 73

A system for analyzing an object has two operating modes such as scanned imaging mode and stop scan spectral analysis mode. A beam scanner is optically connected to a laser to receive laser beams from the laser. Beam scanner also scans the beams if the system is in the scanned imaging mode. A lens (e. g. , an objective lens) is optically coupled to the beam scanner to focus the beams received from the beam scanner. A sensor is optically coupled to the lens to receive the beams that reflect from the object. The sensor may detect characteristics of the beam such as color and intensity. A spectrometer is optically coupled to the objective lens. During stop scan spectral analysis mode, spectrometer generates wavelength spectrum data.

59234300, Jul 13, 1999

Feb 3, 1997

8/794673

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA

Ultrapointe Corporation - San Jose CA

G01N 2188

356394

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or "primitives," that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

54792525, Dec 26, 1995

Jun 17, 1993

8/080014

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA
Dale E. Crane - Pleasanton CA
Hans J. Hansen - Pleasanton CA
Christopher R. Fairley - San Jose CA
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA

Ultrapointe Corporation - San Jose CA

G01N 2188

356237

A laser imaging system is used to analyze defects on semiconductor wafers that have been detected by patterned wafer defect detecting systems (wafer scanners). The laser imaging system replaces optical microscope review stations now utilized in the semiconductor fab environment to examine detected optical anomalies that may represent wafer defects. In addition to analyzing defects, the laser imaging system can perform a variety of microscopic inspection functions including defect detection and metrology. The laser imaging system uses confocal laser scanning microscopy techniques, and operates under class 1 cleanroom conditions and without exposure of the wafers to operator contamination or airflow. Unlike scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) that have previously been used for defect analysis, the laser imaging system will not damage samples or slow processing, costs significantly less to implement than an SEM, can produce a three dimensional image which provides quantitative dimensional information, and allows sub-surface viewing of defects lying beneath dielectric layers. The laser imaging system is adaptable to cluster or in-situ applications, where examination of defects or structures during on-line processing can be performed.