Patents by Inventor Eugene Shifrin
Eugene Shifrin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20190287785Abstract: A system for pumping laser sustained plasma and enhancing one or more selected wavelengths of output illumination generated by the laser sustained plasma is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes one or more pump modules configured to generate pump illumination for the laser sustained plasma and one or more enhancing illumination sources configured to generate enhancing illumination at one or more selected wavelengths. The pump illumination may be directed along one or more pump illumination paths that are non-collinear to an output illumination path of the output illumination. The enhancing illumination may be directed along an illumination path that is collinear to the output illumination path of the output illumination so that the enhancing illumination is combined with the output illumination, thereby enhancing the output illumination at the one or more selected wavelengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Derstine
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Patent number: 10395358Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a reticle are provided. One system includes computer subsystem(s) that include one or more image processing components that acquire images generated by an inspection subsystem for a wafer, a main user interface component that provides information generated for the wafer and the reticle to a user and receives instructions from the user, and an interface component that provides an interface between the one or more image processing components and the main user interface. Unlike currently used systems, the one or more image processing components are configured for performing repeater defect detection by applying a repeater defect detection algorithm to the images acquired by the one or more image processing components, and the repeater defect detection algorithm is configured to detect defects on the wafer using a hot threshold and to identify the defects that are repeater defects.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Bjorn Brauer, Eugene Shifrin, Ashok Mathew, Chetana Bhaskar, Lisheng Gao, Santosh Bhattacharyya, Hucheng Lee, Benjamin Murray
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Patent number: 10381216Abstract: An optical system for generating broadband light via light-sustained plasma formation includes a chamber, an illumination source, a set of focusing optics, and a set of collection optics. The chamber is configured to contain a buffer material in a first phase and a plasma-forming material in a second phase. The illumination source generates continuous-wave pump illumination. The set of focusing optics focuses the continuous-wave pump illumination through the buffer material to an interface between the buffer material and the plasma-forming material in order to generate a plasma by excitation of at least the plasma-forming material. The set of collection optics receives broadband radiation emanated from the plasma.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer
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Publication number: 20190115203Abstract: An optical system for generating broadband light via light-sustained plasma formation includes a chamber, an illumination source, a set of focusing optics, and a set of collection optics. The chamber is configured to contain a buffer material in a first phase and a plasma-forming material in a second phase. The illumination source generates continuous-wave pump illumination. The set of focusing optics focuses the continuous-wave pump illumination through the buffer material to an interface between the buffer material and the plasma-forming material in order to generate a plasma by excitation of at least the plasma-forming material. The set of collection optics receives broadband radiation emanated from the plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2018Publication date: April 18, 2019Inventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer
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Patent number: 10217625Abstract: An optical system for generating broadband light via light-sustained plasma formation includes a chamber, an illumination source, a set of focusing optics, and a set of collection optics. The chamber is configured to contain a buffer material in a first phase and a plasma-forming material in a second phase. The illumination source generates continuous-wave pump illumination. The set of focusing optics focuses the continuous-wave pump illumination through the buffer material to an interface between the buffer material and the plasma-forming material in order to generate a plasma by excitation of at least the plasma-forming material. The set of collection optics receives broadband radiation emanated from the plasma.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer
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Patent number: 10163620Abstract: An optical system for generating broadband light via light-sustained plasma formation includes a chamber, an illumination source, a set of focusing optics, and a set of collection optics. The chamber is configured to contain a buffer material in a first phase and a plasma-forming material in a second phase. The illumination source generates continuous-wave pump illumination. The set of focusing optics focuses the continuous-wave pump illumination through the buffer material to an interface between the buffer material and the plasma-forming material in order to generate a plasma by excitation of at least the plasma-forming material. The set of collection optics receives broadband radiation emanated from the plasma.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer
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Publication number: 20180348147Abstract: Defects from a hot scan can be saved, such as on persistent storage, random access memory, or a split database. The persistent storage can be patch-based virtual inspector virtual analyzer (VIVA) or local storage. Repeater defect detection jobs can determined and the wafer can be inspected based on the repeater defect detection jobs. Repeater defects can be analyzed and corresponding defect records to the repeater defects can be read from the persistent storage. These results may be returned to the high level defect detection controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2017Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Eugene Shifrin, Bjorn Brauer, Sumit Sen, Ashok Mathew, Sreeram Chandrasekaran, Lisheng Gao
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Publication number: 20180172240Abstract: A plasma cell for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source includes a plasma bulb configured to contain a gas suitable for generating a plasma. The plasma bulb is transparent to light from a pump laser, wherein the plasma bulb is transparent to at least a portion of a collectable spectral region of illumination emitted by the plasma. The plasma bulb of the plasma cell is configured to filter short wavelength radiation, such as VUV radiation, emitted by the plasma sustained within the bulb in order to keep the short wavelength radiation from impinging on the interior surface of the bulb.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2018Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer, Matthew Derstine, Jincheng Wang, Anant Chimmalgi, Rajeev Patil, Rudolf Brunner
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Publication number: 20180144996Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium are provided for tuning sensitivities of, and determining a process window for, a modulated wafer. The sensitivities for dies of the modulated wafer are tuned dynamically based on a single set of parameters. Further, the process window is determined for the modulated wafer from prior determined parameter-specific nominal process windows.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2017Publication date: May 24, 2018Inventors: David Craig Oram, Abhinav Mathur, Kenong Wu, Eugene Shifrin
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Publication number: 20180130199Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a reticle are provided. One system includes computer subsystem(s) that include one or more image processing components that acquire images generated by an inspection subsystem for a wafer, a main user interface component that provides information generated for the wafer and the reticle to a user and receives instructions from the user, and an interface component that provides an interface between the one or more image processing components and the main user interface. Unlike currently used systems, the one or more image processing components are configured for performing repeater defect detection by applying a repeater defect detection algorithm to the images acquired by the one or more image processing components, and the repeater defect detection algorithm is configured to detect defects on the wafer using a hot threshold and to identify the defects that are repeater defects.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Bjorn Brauer, Eugene Shifrin, Ashok Mathew, Chetana Bhaskar, Lisheng Gao, Santosh Bhattacharyya, Hucheng Lee, Benjamin Murray
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Patent number: 9927094Abstract: A plasma cell for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source includes a plasma bulb configured to contain a gas suitable for generating a plasma, the plasma bulb being transparent to light from a pump laser, wherein the plasma bulb is transparent to at least a portion of a collectable spectral region of illumination emitted by the plasma. The plasma bulb of the plasma cell is configured to filter short wavelength radiation, such as VUV radiation, emitted by the plasma sustained within the bulb in order to keep the short wavelength radiation from impinging on the interior surface of the bulb.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer, Matthew Derstine, Jincheng Wang, Anant Chimmalgi, Rajeev Patil, Rudolf Brunner
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Publication number: 20170315369Abstract: A system for separating plasma pumping light and collected broadband light includes a pump source configured to generate pumping illumination including at least a first wavelength, a gas containment element for containing a volume of gas, a collector configured to focus the pumping illumination from the pumping source into the volume of gas to generate a plasma within the volume of gas, wherein the plasma emits broadband radiation including at least a second wavelength and an illumination separation prism element positioned between a reflective surface of the collector and the pump source and arranged to spatially separate the pumping illumination including the first wavelength and the emitted broadband radiation including at least a second wavelength emitted from the plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Anatoly Shchemelinin, Ilya Bezel, Matthew Panzer, Eugene Shifrin
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Patent number: 9766186Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating test image(s) for at least a portion of an array region in die(s) on a wafer from frame image(s) generated by scanning the wafer with an inspection system. The method also includes generating a reference image for cell(s) in the array region from frame images generated by the scanning of the wafer. In addition, the method includes determining difference image(s) for at least one cell in the at least the portion of the array region in the die(s) by subtracting the reference image from portion(s) of the test image(s) corresponding to the at least one cell. The method further includes detecting defects on the wafer in the at least one cell based on the difference image(s).Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Hong Chen, Kenong Wu, Eugene Shifrin, Masatoshi Yamaoka
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Patent number: 9766187Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating test image(s) for at least a portion of an array region in die(s) on a wafer from frame image(s) generated by scanning the wafer with an inspection system. The method also includes generating a reference image for cell(s) in the array region from frame images generated by the scanning of the wafer. In addition, the method includes determining difference image(s) for at least one cell in the at least the portion of the array region in the die(s) by subtracting the reference image from portion(s) of the test image(s) corresponding to the at least one cell. The method further includes detecting defects on the wafer in the at least one cell based on the difference image(s).Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Hong Chen, Kenong Wu, Eugene Shifrin, Masatoshi Yamaoka, Gangadharan Sivaraman, Raghav Babulnath, Satya Kurada, Shuo Sun
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Patent number: 9734422Abstract: Enhanced defect detection of a sample includes acquiring two or more inspection images from a sample from two or more locations of the sample for a first optical mode. The defect detection also generates an aggregated defect profile based on the two or more inspection images from the two or more locations for the first optical mode for a selected defect type and calculating one or more noise correlation characteristics of the two or more inspection images acquired from the two or more locations for the first optical mode. Defect detection further includes the generation of a matched filter for the first optical mode based on the generated aggregated defect profile and the calculated one or more noise correlation characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Pavel Kolchin, Eugene Shifrin
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Patent number: 9727047Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a specimen based on structural information are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for separating the output generated by a detector of an inspection subsystem in an array area on a specimen into at least first and second segments of the output based on characteristic(s) of structure(s) in the array area such that the output in different segments has been generated in different locations in the array area in which the structure(s) having different values of the characteristic(s) are formed. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for detecting defects on the specimen by applying one or more defect detection methods to the output based on whether the output is in the first segment or the second segment.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Qing Luo, Kenong Wu, Hucheng Lee, Lisheng Gao, Eugene Shifrin, Yan Xiong, Shuo Sun
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Patent number: 9709811Abstract: A system for separating plasma pumping light and collected broadband light includes a pump source configured to generate pumping illumination including at least a first wavelength, a gas containment element for containing a volume of gas, a collector configured to focus the pumping illumination from the pumping source into the volume of gas to generate a plasma within the volume of gas, wherein the plasma emits broadband radiation including at least a second wavelength and an illumination separation prism element positioned between a reflective surface of the collector and the pump source and arranged to spatially separate the pumping illumination including the first wavelength and the emitted broadband radiation including at least a second wavelength emitted from the plasma.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Anatoly Shchemelinin, Ilya Bezel, Matthew Panzer, Eugene Shifrin
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Publication number: 20160381776Abstract: A system for generating laser sustained broadband light includes a pump source configured to generate a pumping beam, a gas containment structure for containing a gas and a multi-pass optical assembly. The multi-pass optical assembly includes one or more optical elements configured to perform a plurality of passes of the pumping beam through a portion of the gas to sustain a broadband-light-emitting plasma. The one or more optical elements are arranged to collect an unabsorbed portion of the pumping beam transmitted through the plasma and direct the collected unabsorbed portion of the pumping beam back into the portion of the gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2016Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Matthew Derstine, Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin
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Publication number: 20160268120Abstract: An optical system for generating broadband light via light-sustained plasma formation includes a chamber, an illumination source, a set of focusing optics, and a set of collection optics. The chamber is configured to contain a buffer material in a first phase and a plasma-forming material in a second phase. The illumination source generates continuous-wave pump illumination. The set of focusing optics focuses the continuous-wave pump illumination through the buffer material to an interface between the buffer material and the plasma-forming material in order to generate a plasma by excitation of at least the plasma-forming material. The set of collection optics receives broadband radiation emanated from the plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Panzer
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Patent number: 9355208Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes determining locations of all instances of a weak geometry in a design for a wafer. The locations include random, aperiodic locations. The weak geometry includes one or more features that are more prone to defects than other features in the design. The method also includes scanning the wafer with a wafer inspection system to thereby generate output for the wafer with one or more detectors of the wafer inspection system. In addition, the method includes detecting defects in at least one instance of the weak geometry based on the output generated at two or more instances of the weak geometry in a single die on the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Eugene Shifrin, Ashok Kulkarni, Kris Bhaskar, Graham Michael Lynch, John Raymond Jordan, III, Chwen-Jiann Fang