Patents by Inventor Johannes D. De Veer
Johannes D. De Veer 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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Patent number: 11309202Abstract: A metrology system for characterizing a sample formed from a first wafer and a second wafer bonded at an interface with a metrology target near the interface may include a metrology tool and a controller. The metrology tool may include one or more illumination sources and an illumination sub-system to direct illumination from the one or more illumination sources to the metrology target, a detector, and a collection sub-system to collect light from the sample. The light collected from the sample may include light from the metrology target and light from a top surface of the first wafer, and the collection sub-system is may direct the light from the metrology target to the detector. The controller may execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to generate estimates of one or more parameters associated with the sample based on data received from the detector.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: KLA CorporationInventors: Shankar Krishnan, David Y. Wang, Johannes D. de Veer
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Publication number: 20210242060Abstract: A metrology system for characterizing a sample formed from a first wafer and a second wafer bonded at an interface with a metrology target near the interface may include a metrology tool and a controller. The metrology tool may include one or more illumination sources and an illumination sub-system to direct illumination from the one or more illumination sources to the metrology target, a detector, and a collection sub-system to collect light from the sample. The light collected from the sample may include light from the metrology target and light from a top surface of the first wafer, and the collection sub-system is may direct the light from the metrology target to the detector. The controller may execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to generate estimates of one or more parameters associated with the sample based on data received from the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2020Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: Shankar Krishnan, David Y. Wang, Johannes D. de Veer
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Patent number: 10151631Abstract: A spectrometer for tailored spectral sampling includes a dispersive element for spatially dispersing a spectrum of a light beam, a detector including a plurality of pixels distributed along a sampling direction, and a spectrum reshaping element including at least one of a reflective surface or a transmissive surface for reshaping the spatially-dispersed spectrum of the light beam from the dispersive element along the sampling direction to provide a selected distribution of the spectrum to the detector. The detector may spatially sample the spectrum of incident light with the plurality of pixels at selected spectral intervals based on the selected distribution of the spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2017Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Mark A. Neil, Johannes D. de Veer
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Publication number: 20180094978Abstract: A spectrometer for tailored spectral sampling includes a dispersive element for spatially dispersing a spectrum of a light beam, a detector including a plurality of pixels distributed along a sampling direction, and a spectrum reshaping element including at least one of a reflective surface or a transmissive surface for reshaping the spatially-dispersed spectrum of the light beam from the dispersive element along the sampling direction to provide a selected distribution of the spectrum to the detector. The detector may spatially sample the spectrum of incident light with the plurality of pixels at selected spectral intervals based on the selected distribution of the spectrum.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2017Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Mark A. Neil, Johannes D. de Veer
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Patent number: 9404872Abstract: The present invention may include an illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample, a detector configured to detect at least a portion of light reflected from the surface of the sample, a selectably configurable optical system comprising: a rotatable polarizing element disposed in the illumination arm of the optical system, an analyzing element disposed in the collection arm of the optical system, and a rotatable-translatable compensator element disposed in the collection arm of the optical system, and a control system communicatively configured to selectably configure the optical system in the a rotating compensator (RCSE) mode, a rotating polarizer (RPSE) mode, or a rotating polarizer and compensator (RPRC) mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Haiming Wang, Guorong V. Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan, Klaus Flock, Johannes D. de Veer
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Patent number: 9310290Abstract: An apparatus includes (i) a bright light source for providing an illumination beam at multiple wavelengths selectable with a range from a deep ultraviolet wavelength to an infrared wavelength, (ii) illumination optics for directing the illumination beam towards a sample at selectable sets of angles of incidence (AOI's) or azimuth angles (AZ's) and polarization states to provide spectroscopic ellipsometry, wherein the illumination optics include an apodizer for controlling a spot size of the illumination beam on the sample at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets, (iii) collection optics for directing an output beam from the sample in response to the illumination beam at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets and polarization states towards a detector that generates an output signal or image based on the output beam, and (v) a controller for characterizing a feature of the sample based on the output signal or image.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David Y. Wang, Klaus Flock, Lawrence Rotter, Shankar Krishnan, Johannes D. de Veer, Catalin Filip, Gregory Brady, Muzammil Arain, Andrei Shchegrov
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Patent number: 9228943Abstract: The present invention may include an illumination source, a detector, a selectably adjustable optical system including a dynamically adjustable illumination pupil of the illumination arm, a dynamically adjustable collection pupil of the collection arm, a dynamically adjustable illumination field stop of the illumination arm, a dynamically adjustable collection field stop of the collection arm, a sensor configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of one or more components of the optical system, and a control system configured to selectably dynamically adjust at least one of the illumination pupil, the collection pupil, the illumination field stop, the collection field stop, and a spectral radiance of the illumination source.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2012Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David Y. Wang, Guorong Vera Zhuang, Johannes D. de Veer, Kevin Peterlinz, Shankar Krishnan
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Publication number: 20150285735Abstract: An apparatus includes (i) a bright light source for providing an illumination beam at multiple wavelengths selectable with a range from a deep ultraviolet wavelength to an infrared wavelength, (ii) illumination optics for directing the illumination beam towards a sample at selectable sets of angles of incidence (AOI's) or azimuth angles (AZ's) and polarization states to provide spectroscopic ellipsometry, wherein the illumination optics include an apodizer for controlling a spot size of the illumination beam on the sample at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets, (iii) collection optics for directing an output beam from the sample in response to the illumination beam at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets and polarization states towards a detector that generates an output signal or image based on the output beam, and (v) a controller for characterizing a feature of the sample based on the output signal or image.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: KLA- Tencor CorporationInventors: David Y. Wang, Klaus Flock, Lawrence Rotter, Shankar Krishnan, Johannes D. de Veer, Catalin Filip, Gregory Brady, Muzammil Arain, Andrei Shchegrov
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Patent number: 9146156Abstract: The present invention may include loading a diagnostic sample onto a sample stage, focusing light from an illumination source disposed on a multi-axis stage onto the diagnostic sample, collecting a portion of light reflected from a surface of the diagnostic sample utilizing a detector, wherein the illumination source and the detector are optically direct-coupled via an optical system, acquiring a set of diagnostic parameters indicative of illumination source position drift from the diagnostic sample, determining a magnitude of the illumination source position drift by comparing the acquired set of diagnostic parameters to an initial set of parameters obtained from the diagnostic sample at a previously measured alignment condition, determining a direction of the illumination source position drift; and providing illumination source position adjustment parameters configured to correct the determined magnitude and direction of the illumination source position drift to the multi-axis actuation control system of thType: GrantFiled: October 31, 2011Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Guorong V. Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan, Johannes D. de Veer, Klaus Flock, David Y. Wang, Lawrence D. Rotter
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Patent number: 9116103Abstract: An apparatus includes (i) a bright light source for providing an illumination beam at multiple wavelengths selectable with a range from a deep ultraviolet wavelength to an infrared wavelength, (ii) illumination optics for directing the illumination beam towards a sample at selectable sets of angles of incidence (AOI's) or azimuth angles (AZ's) and polarization states to provide spectroscopic ellipsometry, wherein the illumination optics include an apodizer for controlling a spot size of the illumination beam on the sample at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets, (iii) collection optics for directing an output beam from the sample in response to the illumination beam at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets and polarization states towards a detector that generates an output signal or image based on the output beam, and (v) a controller for characterizing a feature of the sample based on the output signal or image.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David Y. Wang, Klaus Flock, Lawrence Rotter, Shankar Krishnan, Johannes D. de Veer, Catalin Filip, Gregory Brady, Muzammil Arain, Andrei Shchegrov
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Publication number: 20140375981Abstract: An apparatus includes (i) a bright light source for providing an illumination beam at multiple wavelengths selectable with a range from a deep ultraviolet wavelength to an infrared wavelength, (ii) illumination optics for directing the illumination beam towards a sample at selectable sets of angles of incidence (AOI's) or azimuth angles (AZ's) and polarization states to provide spectroscopic ellipsometry, wherein the illumination optics include an apodizer for controlling a spot size of the illumination beam on the sample at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets, (iii) collection optics for directing an output beam from the sample in response to the illumination beam at each of the selectable AOI/AZ sets and polarization states towards a detector that generates an output signal or image based on the output beam, and (v) a controller for characterizing a feature of the sample based on the output signal or image.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David Y. Wang, Klaus Flock, Lawrence Rotter, Shankar Krishnan, Johannes D. de Veer, Catalin Filip, Gregory Brady, Muzammil Arain, Andrei Shchegrov
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Patent number: 8896832Abstract: Systems and methods for discrete polarization scatterometry are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2011Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Andrew V. Hill, Amnon Manassen, Daniel Kandel, Vladimir Levinski, Joel Seligson, Alexander Svizher, David Y. Wang, Lawrence D. Rotter, Johannes D. de Veer
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Patent number: 8860937Abstract: Various metrology systems and methods for high aspect ratio and large lateral dimension structures are provided. One method includes directing light to one or more structures formed on a wafer. The light includes ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light. The one or more structures include at least one high aspect ratio structure or at least one large lateral dimension structure. The method also includes generating output responsive to light from the one or more structures due to the light directed to the one or more structures. In addition, the method includes determining one or more characteristics of the one or more structures using the output.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2013Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Thaddeus Gerard Dziura, Xuefeng Liu, David Y. Wang, Jonathan Madsen, Alexander Kuznetsov, Johannes D. de Veer, Shankar Krishnan, Derrick Shaughnessy, Andrei Shchegrov
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Patent number: 8797534Abstract: An apparatus to calibrate a polarizer in a polarized optical system at any angle of incidence. The apparatus decouples the polarization effect of the system from the polarization effect of the sample. The apparatus includes a substrate with a polarizer disposed on the surface. An indicator on the substrate indicates the polarization orientation of the polarizer, which is in a predetermined orientation with respect to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2013Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Johannes D. de Veer, Leonid Poslavsky, G. Vera Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan
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Publication number: 20140043608Abstract: An apparatus to calibrate a polarizer in a polarized optical system at any angle of incidence. The apparatus decouples the polarization effect of the system from the polarization effect of the sample. The apparatus includes a substrate with a polarizer disposed on the surface. An indicator on the substrate indicates the polarization orientation of the polarizer, which is in a predetermined orientation with respect to the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Johannes D. de Veer, Leonid Poslavsky, G. Vera Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan
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Patent number: 8570514Abstract: A method to calibrate a polarizer in polarized optical system at any angle of incidence, by decoupling the calibration from a polarization effect of the system, by providing a calibration apparatus that includes a substrate having a polarizer disposed on a surface thereof, with an indicator on the substrate for indicating a polarization orientation of the polarizer, loading the calibration apparatus in the polarized optical system with the indicator in a desired position, determining an initial angle between the polarization orientation and a reference of the polarized optical system, acquiring spectra using the polarized optical system at a plurality of known angles between the polarization orientation and the reference of the polarized optical system, using the spectra to plot a curve indicating an angle of the polarizer in the polarized optical system, and when the angle of the polarizer is outside of a desired range, adjusting the angle of the polarizer, and repeating the steps of acquiring the spectra, aType: GrantFiled: June 20, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Johannes D. de Veer, Leonid Poslavsky, Guorong V. Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan
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Publication number: 20130033704Abstract: The present invention may include loading a diagnostic sample onto a sample stage, focusing light from an illumination source disposed on a multi-axis stage onto the diagnostic sample, collecting a portion of light reflected from a surface of the diagnostic sample utilizing a detector, wherein the illumination source and the detector are optically direct-coupled via an optical system, acquiring a set of diagnostic parameters indicative of illumination source position drift from the diagnostic sample, determining a magnitude of the illumination source position drift by comparing the acquired set of diagnostic parameters to an initial set of parameters obtained from the diagnostic sample at a previously measured alignment condition, determining a direction of the illumination source position drift; and providing illumination source position adjustment parameters configured to correct the determined magnitude and direction of the illumination source position drift to the multi-axis actuation control system of thType: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2011Publication date: February 7, 2013Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Guorong V. Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan, Johannes D. de Veer, Klaus Flock, David Y. Wang, Lawrence D. Rotter
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Publication number: 20120320377Abstract: A method to calibrate a polarizer in polarized optical system at any angle of incidence, by decoupling the calibration from a polarization effect of the system, by providing a calibration apparatus that includes a substrate having a polarizer disposed on a surface thereof, with an indicator on the substrate for indicating a polarization orientation of the polarizer, loading the calibration apparatus in the polarized optical system with the indicator in a desired position, determining an initial angle between the polarization orientation and a reference of the polarized optical system, acquiring spectra using the polarized optical system at a plurality of known angles between the polarization orientation and the reference of the polarized optical system, using the spectra to plot a curve indicating an angle of the polarizer in the polarized optical system, and when the angle of the polarizer is outside of a desired range, adjusting the angle of the polarizer, and repeating the steps of acquiring the spectra, aType: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Johannes D. de Veer, Leonid Poslavsky, G. Vera Zhuang, Shankar Krishnan
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Publication number: 20110310388Abstract: Systems and methods for discrete polarization scatterometry are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew V. Hill, Amnon Manassen, Daniel Kandel, Vladimir Levinski, Joel Seligson, Alexander Svizher, David Y. Wang, Lawrence D. Rotter, Johannes D. de Veer
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Patent number: 6999180Abstract: An apparatus capable of measuring topography and transparent film thickness of a patterned metal-dielectric layer on a substrate without contact with the layer. A broadband interferometer measures an absolute phase of reflection at a plurality of wavelengths from a plurality of locations within a field of view on the metal-dielectric patterned layer on the substrate, and produces reflection phase data. An analyzer receives the reflection phase data and regresses the transparent film thickness and the topography at each of the plurality of locations from the reflection phase data. In this manner, the apparatus is not confused by the phase changes produced in the reflected light by the transparent layers, because the thickness of the transparent layers are determined by using the reflection phase data from multiple wavelengths. Further, the surface topography of the layer, whether it be opaque or transparent is also determinable.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2003Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies CorporationInventors: Gary R. Janik, Hidong Kwak, Ying Gao, Johannes D. De Veer