Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a reticle are provided. One system includes computer subsystem(s) configured for performing at least one repeater defect detection step in front-end processing during an inspection process performed on a wafer having features printed in a lithography process using a reticle. The at least one repeater defect detection step performed in the front-end processing includes identifying any defects detected at corresponding locations in two or more test images by double detection and any defects detected by stacked defect detection as first repeater defect candidates. One or more additional repeater defect detections may be performed on the first repeater defect candidates to generate final repeater defect candidates and identify defects on the reticle from the final repeater defect candidates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a reticle are provided. One system includes computer subsystem(s) configured for performing at least one repeater defect detection step in front-end processing during an inspection process performed on a wafer having features printed in a lithography process using a reticle. The at least one repeater defect detection step performed in the front-end processing includes identifying any defects detected at corresponding locations in two or more test images by double detection and any defects detected by stacked defect detection as first repeater defect candidates. One or more additional repeater defect detections may be performed on the first repeater defect candidates to generate final repeater defect candidates and identify defects on the reticle from the final repeater defect candidates.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming positions of defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes aligning output of an inspection subsystem for a first frame in a first swath in a first die in a first instance of a multi-die reticle printed on the wafer to the output for corresponding frames, swaths, and dies in other reticle instances printed on the wafer. The method also includes determining different swath coordinate offsets for each of the frames, respectively, in the other reticle instances based on the swath coordinates of the output for the frames and the corresponding frames aligned thereto and applying one of the different swath coordinate offsets to the swath coordinates reported for the defects based on the other reticle instances in which they are detected thereby transforming the swath coordinates for the defects from swath coordinates in the other reticle instances to the first reticle instance.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects in a logic region on a wafer are provided. One method includes acquiring information for different types of design-based care areas in a logic region of a wafer. The method also includes designating the different types of the design-based care areas as different types of sub-regions and, for a localized area within the logic region, assigning two or more instances of the sub-regions located in the localized area to a super-region. In addition, the method includes generating one scatter plot for all of the two or more instances of the sub-regions assigned to the super-region. The one scatter plot is generated with different segmentation values for the output corresponding to the different types of the sub-regions. The method further includes detecting defects in the sub-regions based on the one scatter plot.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects in a logic region on a wafer are provided. One method includes acquiring information for different types of design-based care areas in a logic region of a wafer. The method also includes designating the different types of the design-based care areas as different types of sub-regions and, for a localized area within the logic region, assigning two or more instances of the sub-regions located in the localized area to a super-region. In addition, the method includes generating one scatter plot for all of the two or more instances of the sub-regions assigned to the super-region. The one scatter plot is generated with different segmentation values for the output corresponding to the different types of the sub-regions. The method further includes detecting defects in the sub-regions based on the one scatter plot.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming positions of defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes aligning output of an inspection subsystem for a first frame in a first swath in a first die in a first instance of a multi-die reticle printed on the wafer to the output for corresponding frames, swaths, and dies in other reticle instances printed on the wafer. The method also includes determining different swath coordinate offsets for each of the frames, respectively, in the other reticle instances based on the swath coordinates of the output for the frames and the corresponding frames aligned thereto and applying one of the different swath coordinate offsets to the swath coordinates reported for the defects based on the other reticle instances in which they are detected thereby transforming the swath coordinates for the defects from swath coordinates in the other reticle instances to the first reticle instance.

Abstract: A method may include, but is not limited to, receiving a plurality of reference images of a wafer. The method may include, but is not limited to, receiving the plurality of test images of the wafer. The method may include, but is not limited to, aligning the plurality of reference images and the plurality of test images via a coarse alignment process. The method may include, but is not limited to, aligning the plurality of reference images and the plurality of test images via a fine alignment process after alignment via the coarse alignment process. The fine alignment process may include measuring individual offsets and correcting individual offset data between at least one of the plurality of reference images and the plurality of test images.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using adaptive local thresholding and color filtering are provided. One method includes determining local statistics of pixels in output for a wafer generated using an inspection system, determining which of the pixels are outliers based on the local statistics, and comparing the outliers to the pixels surrounding the outliers to identify the outliers that do not belong to a cluster of outliers as defect candidates. The method also includes determining a value for a difference in color between the pixels of the defect candidates and the pixels surrounding the defect candidates. The method further includes identifying the defect candidates that have a value for the difference in color greater than or equal to a predetermined value as nuisance defects and the defect candidates that have a value for the difference in color less than the predetermined value as real defects.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for storing dynamic layer content in a design file. A design file is received having design data corresponding to a plurality of process layers. A geometric operation formula is also received. A processor generates a polygon having dynamic layer content that is formed by applying the geometric operation formula on two or more of the plurality of process layers. The updated design file is stored, the design file now having a polygon having dynamic layer content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming positions of defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes aligning output of an inspection subsystem for a first frame in a first swath in a first die in a first instance of a multi-die reticle printed on the wafer to the output for corresponding frames, swaths, and dies in other reticle instances printed on the wafer. The method also includes determining different swath coordinate offsets for each of the frames, respectively, in the other reticle instances based on the swath coordinates of the output for the frames and the corresponding frames aligned thereto and applying one of the different swath coordinate offsets to the swath coordinates reported for the defects based on the other reticle instances in which they are detected thereby transforming the swath coordinates for the defects from swath coordinates in the other reticle instances to the first reticle instance.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a first set of a first care area with a first sensitivity threshold, the first care area associated with a first design of interest within a block of repeating cells in design data; identifying an additional set of an additional care area with an additional sensitivity threshold, the additional care area associated with an additional design of interest within the block of repeating cells in design data; identifying one or more defects within the first set of the first care areas in one or more images of a selected region of a sample based on the first sensitivity threshold; and identifying one or more defects within the additional set of the additional care areas in the one or more images of the selected region of the sample based on the additional sensitivity threshold.

Abstract: A method may include, but is not limited to, receiving a plurality of reference images of a wafer. The method may include, but is not limited to, receiving the plurality of test images of the wafer. The method may include, but is not limited to, aligning the plurality of reference images and the plurality of test images via a coarse alignment process. The method may include, but is not limited to, aligning the plurality of reference images and the plurality of test images via a fine alignment process after alignment via the coarse alignment process. The fine alignment process may include measuring individual offsets and correcting individual offset data between at least one of the plurality of reference images and the plurality of test images.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transforming positions of defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes aligning output of an inspection subsystem for a first frame in a first swath in a first die in a first instance of a multi-die reticle printed on the wafer to the output for corresponding frames, swaths, and dies in other reticle instances printed on the wafer. The method also includes determining different swath coordinate offsets for each of the frames, respectively, in the other reticle instances based on the swath coordinates of the output for the frames and the corresponding frames aligned thereto and applying one of the different swath coordinate offsets to the swath coordinates reported for the defects based on the other reticle instances in which they are detected thereby transforming the swath coordinates for the defects from swath coordinates in the other reticle instances to the first reticle instance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for classifying defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes detecting defects on a wafer based on output generated for the wafer by an inspection system. The method also includes determining one or more attributes for at least one of the defects based on portions of a standard reference image corresponding to the at least one of the defects. The method further includes classifying the at least one of the defects based at least in part on the one or more determined attributes.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer using defect-specific and multi-channel information are provided. One method includes acquiring information for a target on a wafer. The target includes a pattern of interest (POI) formed on the wafer and a known defect of interest (DOI) occurring proximate to or in the POI. The method also includes detecting the known DOI in target candidates by identifying potential DOI locations based on images of the target candidates acquired by a first channel of an inspection system and applying one or more detection parameters to images of the potential DOI locations acquired by a second channel of the inspection system. Therefore, the image(s) used for locating potential DOI locations and the image(s) used for detecting defects can be different.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a first set of a first care area with a first sensitivity threshold, the first care area associated with a first design of interest within a block of repeating cells in design data; identifying an additional set of an additional care area with an additional sensitivity threshold, the additional care area associated with an additional design of interest within the block of repeating cells in design data; identifying one or more defects within the first set of the first care areas in one or more images of a selected region of a sample based on the first sensitivity threshold; and identifying one or more defects within the additional set of the additional care areas in the one or more images of the selected region of the sample based on the additional sensitivity threshold.