Method and apparatus for maskless semiconductor and liquid crystal display inspection

Claim 1

A method for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component; (c) performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component; (d) performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; and (e) wherein the step of performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a first semiconductor surface component and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a second semiconductor surface component further comprises the steps of: (i) providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (ii) providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (iii) computing a first set of potential defect objects from the image of the first semiconductor surface component; (iv) computing a second set of potential defect objects from the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (v) correlating the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (vi) correlating the first set of potential defect objects the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 2

A method for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component; (c) performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component; (d) performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; and (e) wherein the step of performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a first semiconductor surface component and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a second semiconductor surface component further comprises the steps of: (i) providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (ii) providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (iii) computing a first set of potential defect objects from the image of the first semiconductor surface component; (iv) computing a second set of potential defect objects from the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (v) correlating the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (vi) correlating the first set of potential defect objects the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 19

A method for semiconductor surface inspection comprising the steps of: (a) sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the images to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object; (c) integrating the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the step of performing a plurality of primitive characterizations comprises performing a sequential labeling characterization of the plurality of sequential images; and (e) wherein performing a sequential labeling characterization further comprises determining a medial axis between each pattern component in each image of the plurality of sequential images.

Claim 20

A method for semiconductor surface inspection comprising the steps of: (a) sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the images to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object; (c) integrating the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the step of performing a plurality of primitive characterizations comprises performing a sequential labeling characterization of the plurality of sequential images; and (e) wherein performing a sequential labeling characterization further comprises determining a medial axis between each pattern component in each image of the plurality of sequential images.

Claim 25

A method for semiconductor surface inspection comprising the steps of: (a) sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the images to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object; (c) integrating the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the step of performing a plurality of primitive characterizations comprises performing a sequential labeling characterization of the plurality of sequential images; and (e) constructing a histogram profile of medial axes.

Claim 26

A method for semiconductor surface inspection comprising the steps of: (a) sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the images to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object; (c) integrating the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the step of performing a plurality of primitive characterizations comprises performing a sequential labeling characterization of the plurality of sequential images; and (e) constructing a histogram profile of medial axes.

Claim 27

A method of correlating image information from a first semiconductor surface component and a second semiconductor surface component from a single wafer comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (b) providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (c) aligning an image of the first semiconductor surface component and aligning an image of the second semiconductor surface component to a corresponding die area; (d) computing a first set of potential defect objects from the image of the first semiconductor surface component; (e) computing a second set of potential defect objects from the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (f) computing a difference image from the image of the first semiconductor surface component and the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (g) correlating the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles and the difference image to provide a primitive correlation; and (h) correlating the first set of potential defect objects, the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 28

A method of correlating image information from a first semiconductor surface component and a second semiconductor surface component from a single wafer comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (b) providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (c) aligning an image of the first semiconductor surface component and aligning an image of the second semiconductor surface component to a corresponding die area; (d) computing a first set of potential defect objects from the image of the first semiconductor surface component; (e) computing a second set of potential defect objects from the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (f) computing a difference image from the image of the first semiconductor surface component and the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (g) correlating the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles and the difference image to provide a primitive correlation; and (h) correlating the first set of potential defect objects, the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 31

A method for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component; (c) performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component; and (d) performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) computing a potential defect from the image of the semiconductor surface; (f) computing an associated confidence for the potential defect; (g) performing a truth inquiry to generate a truth result; and (h) collecting statistics relating the truth result with the potential defect and the associated confidence.

Claim 32

A method for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component; (c) performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component; and (d) performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) computing a potential defect from the image of the semiconductor surface; (f) computing an associated confidence for the potential defect; (g) performing a truth inquiry to generate a truth result; and (h) collecting statistics relating the truth result with the potential defect and the associated confidence.

Claim 33

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) means for computing a potential defect from the image of the semiconductor surface; (f) means for computing an associated confidence connected to receive the potential defect; (g) means for performing a truth inquiry to generate a truth result output; and (h) means for collecting statistics connected to receive the truth result, the potential defect and the associated confidence.

Claim 34

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) means for computing a potential defect from the image of the semiconductor surface; (f) means for computing an associated confidence connected to receive the potential defect; (g) means for performing a truth inquiry to generate a truth result output; and (h) means for collecting statistics connected to receive the truth result, the potential defect and the associated confidence.

Claim 47

An apparatus for semiconductor surface inspection comprising: (a) means for sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the image to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object connected to receive the image; (c) means for integrating connected to receive the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations further comprises a means for performing a sequential labeling characterization of the plurality of sequential images; and (e) wherein the means for performing a sequential labeling characterization further comprises a means for determining a medial axis between each pattern component in each image of the plurality of sequential images.

Claim 48

An apparatus for semiconductor surface inspection comprising: (a) means for sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the image to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object connected to receive the image; (c) means for integrating connected to receive the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations further comprises a means for performing a sequential labeling characterization of the plurality of sequential images; and (e) wherein the means for performing a sequential labeling characterization further comprises a means for determining a medial axis between each pattern component in each image of the plurality of sequential images.

Claim 53

An apparatus for semiconductor surface inspection comprising: (a) means for sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the image to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object connected to receive the image; and (c) means for integrating connected to receive the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations further comprises a means for performing a morphological characterization of the plurality of sequential images; (e) wherein the means for performing a morphological characterization of the plurality of sequential images further comprises a means for performing a morphological opening operation; and wherein the means for performing a morphological characterization further comprises a means for constructing a histogram profile of medial axes.

Claim 54

An apparatus for semiconductor surface inspection comprising: (a) means for sequentially scanning a semiconductor surface to obtain an image; (b) means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations for the image to provide a plurality of primitive profiles and at least one potential defect object connected to receive the image; and (c) means for integrating connected to receive the at least one potential defect object and the plurality of primitive profiles to provide at least one combined defect object and at least one combined primitive profile; (d) wherein the means for performing a plurality of primitive characterizations further comprises a means for performing a morphological characterization of the plurality of sequential images; (e) wherein the means for performing a morphological characterization of the plurality of sequential images further comprises a means for performing a morphological opening operation; and wherein the means for performing a morphological characterization further comprises a means for constructing a histogram profile of medial axes.

Claim 55

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; and wherein the means for performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a first semiconductor surface component and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a second semiconductor surface component further comprises: (i) means for providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (ii) means for providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (iii) first means for computing a first set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image of the first semiconductor surface component; (iv) second means for computing a second set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (v) first means for correlating connected to receive the first set of primitive profiles and the second set of primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (vi) second means for correlating connected to receive the first set of potential defect objects, the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 56

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; and wherein the means for performing a correlation between the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a first semiconductor surface component and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization from a second semiconductor surface component further comprises: (i) means for providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (ii) means for providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (iii) first means for computing a first set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image of the first semiconductor surface component; (iv) second means for computing a second set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image of the second semiconductor surface component; (v) first means for correlating connected to receive the first set of primitive profiles and the second set of primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (vi) second means for correlating connected to receive the first set of potential defect objects, the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 57

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component: (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; and (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; and (i) means for aligning the image of the first surface component with the image of the second surface component; (ii) means for computing a difference image from the image of the first surface component and the image of the second surface component; and (iii) means for correlating connected to receive the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles and the difference image to provide a primitive correlation.

Claim 58

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component: (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; and (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; and (i) means for aligning the image of the first surface component with the image of the second surface component; (ii) means for computing a difference image from the image of the first surface component and the image of the second surface component; and (iii) means for correlating connected to receive the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles and the difference image to provide a primitive correlation.

Claim 59

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; and (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) a means for performing multiple surface component correlation, wherein the means for performing multiple surface component correlation further comprises: (i) means for providing the primitive profiles for a semiconductor surface component, (ii) means for providing the reference primitive profiles for the semiconductor surface. (iii) means for providing a set of potential defect objects with confidence values from the image of the semiconductor surface component; (iv) first means for correlating connected to receive the primitive profiles, reference primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (v) second means for correlating connected to receive the potential defect objects and the primitive correlation to update defect confidences; and (f) a means for providing combined primitive profiles.

Claim 60

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; and (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) a means for performing multiple surface component correlation, wherein the means for performing multiple surface component correlation further comprises: (i) means for providing the primitive profiles for a semiconductor surface component, (ii) means for providing the reference primitive profiles for the semiconductor surface. (iii) means for providing a set of potential defect objects with confidence values from the image of the semiconductor surface component; (iv) first means for correlating connected to receive the primitive profiles, reference primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (v) second means for correlating connected to receive the potential defect objects and the primitive correlation to update defect confidences; and (f) a means for providing combined primitive profiles.

Claim 61

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; and (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) a means for performing multiple surface component correlation, wherein the means for performing multiple surface component correlation further comprises: (i) means for providing primitive profiles for a semiconductor surface component; (ii) means for providing reference primitive profiles for the semiconductor surface; (iii) means for providing a set of potential defect objects with confidence values from the image of the semiconductor surface component; (iv) first means for correlating connected to receive the primitive profiles, reference primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (v) second means for correlating connected to receive the potential defect objects and the primitive correlation to update defect confidences: and (f) a means for providing combined potential defect objects.

Claim 62

An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor surface, wherein the semiconductor surface has a first surface component and a second surface component, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for obtaining an image of the first surface component and the second surface component; (b) means for performing a first multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the first surface component connected to receive the image of the first surface component; (c) means for performing a second multimodule maskless primitive characterization for defect detection for the second surface component connected to receive the image of the second surface component; and (d) means for performing a correlation connected to receive the first multimodule maskless primitive characterization and the second multimodule maskless primitive characterization; (e) a means for performing multiple surface component correlation, wherein the means for performing multiple surface component correlation further comprises: (i) means for providing primitive profiles for a semiconductor surface component; (ii) means for providing reference primitive profiles for the semiconductor surface; (iii) means for providing a set of potential defect objects with confidence values from the image of the semiconductor surface component; (iv) first means for correlating connected to receive the primitive profiles, reference primitive profiles to provide a primitive correlation; and (v) second means for correlating connected to receive the potential defect objects and the primitive correlation to update defect confidences: and (f) a means for providing combined potential defect objects.

Claim 63

An apparatus for correlating image information from a first semiconductor surface component and a second semiconductor surface component from a single semiconductor surface comprising: (a) means for providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (b) means for providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (c) means for aligning the image of the first semiconductor surface component to a corresponding die area connected to receive the image information; (d) means for aligning the image of the second semiconductor surface component to the corresponding die area connected to receive the image information; (e) means for computing a first set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image information from the first semiconductor surface component; (f) means for computing a second set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image information from the second semiconductor surface component; (g) means for computing a difference image connected to receive the image information from the first semiconductor surface component and the image information from the second semiconductor surface component; (h) first means for correlating connected to receive the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles and the difference image to provide a primitive correlation; and (i) second means for correlating connected to receive the first set of potential defect objects, the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.

Claim 64

An apparatus for correlating image information from a first semiconductor surface component and a second semiconductor surface component from a single semiconductor surface comprising: (a) means for providing a first set of primitive profiles for the first semiconductor surface component; (b) means for providing a second set of primitive profiles for the second semiconductor surface component; (c) means for aligning the image of the first semiconductor surface component to a corresponding die area connected to receive the image information; (d) means for aligning the image of the second semiconductor surface component to the corresponding die area connected to receive the image information; (e) means for computing a first set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image information from the first semiconductor surface component; (f) means for computing a second set of potential defect objects connected to receive the image information from the second semiconductor surface component; (g) means for computing a difference image connected to receive the image information from the first semiconductor surface component and the image information from the second semiconductor surface component; (h) first means for correlating connected to receive the first set of primitive profiles, the second set of primitive profiles and the difference image to provide a primitive correlation; and (i) second means for correlating connected to receive the first set of potential defect objects, the second set of potential defect objects and the primitive correlation.