Patents by Inventor Noam Sapiens
Noam Sapiens 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: 10690602Abstract: Methods and systems for performing spectroscopic measurements of semiconductor structures including ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths greater than two micrometers are presented herein. A spectroscopic measurement system includes a combined illumination source including a first illumination source that generates ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared wavelengths (wavelengths less than two micrometers) and a second illumination source that generates mid infrared and long infrared wavelengths (wavelengths of two micrometers and greater). Furthermore, the spectroscopic measurement system includes one or more measurement channels spanning the range of illumination wavelengths employed to perform measurements of semiconductor structures. In some embodiments, the one or more measurement channels simultaneously measure the sample throughout the wavelength range. In some other embodiments, the one or more measurement channels sequentially measure the sample throughout the wavelength range.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Noam Sapiens, Shankar Krishnan, David Y. Wang, Alexander Buettner, Kerstin Purrucker, Kevin A. Peterlinz
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Publication number: 20200178793Abstract: A wavefront sensor measures the phase distribution of a beam of light perpendicular to its axis of propagation. The Shack-Hartmann (S-H) wavefront sensor is based on segmentation of the incident light beam into small, spatially distributed, parts. Each of these parts is then incident on a lens, and the deviation of the focal spot from the lens optical axis is measured in two dimensions, usually by a camera or detector array. An array of lenses is used to characterize the wavefront of the entire beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2019Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventor: Noam Sapiens
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Publication number: 20200170500Abstract: The invention may include a fixed lens (perhaps to simulate a cornea), a pair of Stokes lenses, an iris, deformable lens and an array detector. The implementation or construction of the disclosed embodiments follow and/or simulate the anatomy and geometry of an eye. Several optical and practical constraints were overcome by creating equivalent systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Applicant: EyeQue Inc.Inventor: Noam Sapiens
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Patent number: 10663392Abstract: In some embodiments, a collection system of a semiconductor metrology tool includes a chuck to support a target from which an optical beam is reflected and an aperture mask to provide an adjustable aperture for the reflected optical beam. The aperture mask includes a plurality of opaque plates with adjustable positions. The collection system also includes a spectrometer to receive the reflected optical beam. The aperture mask is situated between the chuck and the spectrometer along the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: KLA CorporationInventors: Barry Blasenheim, Noam Sapiens, Michael Friedmann, Pablo Rovira
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Patent number: 10648796Abstract: Methods and systems are presented to reduce the illumination spot size projected onto a measurement target and associated spillover onto area surrounding a measurement target. In one aspect, a spatial light modulator (SLM) is located in the illumination path between the illumination light source and the measurement sample. The SLM is configured to modulate amplitude, phase, or both, across the path of the illumination light to reduce wavefront errors. In some embodiments, the desired state of the SLM is based on wavefront measurements performed in an optical path of the metrology system. In another aspect, an illumination aperture having an image plane tilted at an oblique angle with respect to a beam of illumination light is employed to overcome defocusing effects in metrology systems that employ oblique illumination of the measurement sample. In some embodiments, the illumination aperture, objective lens, and specimen are aligned to satisfy the Scheimpflug condition.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2018Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Noam Sapiens, Kevin A. Peterlinz, Alexander Buettner, Kerstin Purrucker, Andrei V. Shchegrov
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Publication number: 20200107720Abstract: Accurate measurement of pupillary distance, PD, is necessary to make prescription eye glasses as well as configuring VR headsets, and using other binocular optical devices. Today, many people are ordering eyeglasses on line and obtaining their PD is often problematic for a number of reasons as the prior art fails to provide consumer friendly PD measurement systems. A disclosed eyeglass frame system comprises reference marks of known locations upon the frames. A smart phone may be used to locate the consumer's pupils, while the consumer is wearing the frames. The consumer's pupils may be marked or tagged upon a digital image of the consumer wearing the frames. By use of angles in the sight lines of the camera lens and other variable values and the known relative distances of the frame markings, a consumer's pupillary distance can be quickly and accurately derived.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Applicant: EyeQue Inc.Inventors: Yuan Xiong, John Serri, Noam Sapiens
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Patent number: 10612916Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating the performance of multiple patterning processes are presented. Patterned structures are measured and one or more parameter values characterizing geometric errors induced by the multiple patterning process are determined. In some examples, a single patterned target and a multiple patterned target are measured, the collected data fit to a combined measurement model, and the value of a structural parameter indicative of a geometric error induced by the multiple patterning process is determined based on the fit. In some other examples, light having a diffraction order different from zero is collected and analyzed to determine the value of a structural parameter that is indicative of a geometric error induced by a multiple patterning process. In some embodiments, a single diffraction order different from zero is collected. In some examples, a metrology target is designed to enhance light diffracted at an order different from zero.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Andrei V. Shchegrov, Shankar Krishnan, Kevin Peterlinz, Thaddeus Gerard Dziura, Noam Sapiens, Stilian Ivanov Pandev
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Patent number: 10591406Abstract: Metrology methods, systems and targets are provided, which implement a side by side paradigm. Adjacent cells with periodic structures are used to extract the overlay error, e.g., by introducing controllable phase shifts or image shifts which enable algorithmic computation of the overlay. The periodic structures are designed to exhibit a rotational symmetry to support the computation and reduce errors.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Barak Bringoltz, Daniel Kandel, Yoel Feler, Noam Sapiens, Paykin Irina, Alexander Svizher, Meir Aloni, Guy Ben Dov, Hadar Shalmoni, Vladimir Levinski
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Patent number: 10588507Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may include a device, system and method for providing a low cost device that can measure refractive errors very accurately via attachment to a smart phone. A disclosed device may use ambient light or a light source in simulating the cross cylinder procedure that optometrists use by utilizing the inverse Shack-Hartman technique. The optical device may include an array of lenslets and pinholes that will force the user to effectively focus at different depths. Using an optical device, in conjunction with a smart phone, the user first changes the angle of the axis until he/she sees a cross pattern (the vertical and horizontal lines are equally spaced). The user adjusts the display, typically using the controls on the smartphone, to make the lines come together and overlap, which corresponds to bringing the view into sharp focus, thus determining the appropriate optical prescription for the user.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: EyeQue Inc.Inventors: Georgios Skolianos, Ying Xu, John Serri, Noam Sapiens
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Publication number: 20200077886Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may include a device, system and method for providing a low cost device that can measure refractive errors very accurately via attachment to a smart phone. A disclosed device may use ambient light or a light source in simulating the cross cylinder procedure that optometrists use by utilizing the inverse Shack-Hartman technique. Using an optical device, in conjunction with a smart phone, the user first changes the angle of the axis until he/she sees a cross pattern (the vertical and horizontal lines are equally spaced). The user adjusts the display, using motorized controls on the on the optical device, to make the lines come together and overlap, which corresponds to bringing the view into sharp focus, thus determining the appropriate optical prescription for the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: EyeQue Inc.Inventors: John Serri, Yue Wang, Noam Sapiens
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Patent number: 10401738Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes an overlay metrology tool configurable to generate overlay signals with a plurality of recipes and further directs an illumination beam to an overlay target and collects radiation emanating from the overlay target in response to the at least a portion of the illumination beam to generate the overlay signal with the particular recipe. The overlay metrology system further acquires two or more overlay signals for a first overlay target using two or more unique recipes, subsequently acquires two or more overlay signals for a second overlay target using the two or more unique recipes, determines candidate overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more overlay signals for each target, and determines output overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more candidate overlays for each target.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Andrew V. Hill, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Amnon Manassen, Noam Sapiens
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Patent number: 10365211Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring a specimen while actively stabilizing an optical measurement beam subject to changes in polarization by a rotating polarizer element are described herein. Movement of a focused measurement beam spot induced by a rotating polarizer element is compensated by actively controlling the position of an optical element in the beam path based on measurements of the focused measurement beam spot. Both feedback and feedforward control schemes may be employed to reduce beam position error. In one aspect, a measurement system includes a rotating optical polarizer, a beam position sensor, and an active beam compensating element in the illumination beam path, the collection beam path, or both. Beam position errors are detected by the beam position sensor, and control commands are communicated to the active beam compensating element to reduce the measured beam position errors.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2018Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Barry Blasenheim, Noam Sapiens, Michael Friedmann
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Publication number: 20190175013Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may include a device, system and method for providing a low cost device that can measure refractive errors very accurately via attachment to a smart phone. A disclosed device may use ambient light or a light source in simulating the cross cylinder procedure that optometrists use by utilizing the inverse Shack-Hartman technique. The optical device may include an array of lenslets and pinholes that will force the user to effectively focus at different depths. Using an optical device, in conjunction with a smart phone, the user first changes the angle of the axis until he/she sees a cross pattern (the vertical and horizontal lines are equally spaced). The user adjusts the display, typically using the controls on the smartphone, to make the lines come together and overlap, which corresponds to bringing the view into sharp focus, thus determining the appropriate optical prescription for the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Georgios Skolianos, Ying Xu, John Serri, Noam Sapiens
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Patent number: 10274425Abstract: Contrast enhancement in a metrology tool may include generating a beam of illumination, directing a portion of the generated beam onto a surface of a spatial light modulator (SLM), directing at least a portion of the generated beam incident on the surface of the SLM through an aperture of an aperture stop and onto one or more target structures of one or more samples, and generating a selected illumination pupil function of the illumination transmitted through the aperture utilizing the SLM in order to establish a contrast level of one or more field images of the one or more target structures above a selected contrast threshold, and performing one or more metrology measurements on the one or more target structures utilizing the selected illumination pupil function.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Joel Seligson, Noam Sapiens, Daniel Kandel
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Patent number: 10261014Abstract: Metrology systems and methods are provided herein, which comprise an optical element that is positioned between an objective lens of the system and a target. The optical element is arranged to enhance evanescent modes of radiation reflected by the target. Various configurations are disclosed: the optical element may comprise a solid immersion lens, a combination of Moiré-elements and solid immersion optics, dielectric-metal-dielectric stacks of different designs, and resonating elements to amplify the evanescent modes of illuminating radiation. The metrology systems and methods are configurable to various metrology types, including imaging and scatterometry methods.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2014Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Noam Sapiens, Joel Seligson, Vladimir Levinski, Daniel Kandel, Yoel Feler, Barak Bringoltz, Amnon Manassen, Eliav Benisty
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Publication number: 20190094130Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring a specimen while actively stabilizing an optical measurement beam subject to changes in polarization by a rotating polarizer element are described herein. Movement of a focused measurement beam spot induced by a rotating polarizer element is compensated by actively controlling the position of an optical element in the beam path based on measurements of the focused measurement beam spot. Both feedback and feedforward control schemes may be employed to reduce beam position error. In one aspect, a measurement system includes a rotating optical polarizer, a beam position sensor, and an active beam compensating element in the illumination beam path, the collection beam path, or both. Beam position errors are detected by the beam position sensor, and control commands are communicated to the active beam compensating element to reduce the measured beam position errors.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Barry Blasenheim, Noam Sapiens, Michael Friedmann
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Patent number: 10234271Abstract: A spectroscopic beam profile metrology system simultaneously detects measurement signals over a large wavelength range and a large range of angles of incidence (AOI). In one aspect, a multiple wavelength illumination beam is reshaped to a narrow line shaped beam of light before projection onto a specimen by a high numerical aperture objective. After interaction with the specimen, the collected light is passes through a wavelength dispersive element that projects the range of AOIs along one direction and wavelength components along another direction of a two-dimensional detector. Thus, the measurement signals detected at each pixel of the detector each represent a scatterometry signal for a particular AOI and a particular wavelength. In another aspect, a hyperspectral detector is employed to simultaneously detect measurement signals over a large wavelength range, range of AOIs, and range of azimuth angles.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Jiyou Fu, Noam Sapiens, Kevin A. Peterlinz, Stilian Ivanov Pandev
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Publication number: 20190049365Abstract: In some embodiments, a collection system of a semiconductor metrology tool includes a chuck to support a target from which an optical beam is reflected and an aperture mask to provide an adjustable aperture for the reflected optical beam. The aperture mask includes a plurality of opaque plates with adjustable positions. The collection system also includes a spectrometer to receive the reflected optical beam. The aperture mask is situated between the chuck and the spectrometer along the optical axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Inventors: Barry Blasenheim, Noam Sapiens, Michael Friedmann, Pablo Rovira
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Publication number: 20190041329Abstract: An overlay metrology system includes an overlay metrology tool configurable to generate overlay signals with a plurality of recipes and further directs an illumination beam to an overlay target and collects radiation emanating from the overlay target in response to the at least a portion of the illumination beam to generate the overlay signal with the particular recipe. The overlay metrology system further acquires two or more overlay signals for a first overlay target using two or more unique recipes, subsequently acquires two or more overlay signals for a second overlay target using the two or more unique recipes, determines candidate overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more overlay signals for each target, and determines output overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more candidate overlays for each target.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2017Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Andrew V. Hill, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Amnon Manassen, Noam Sapiens
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Publication number: 20180347961Abstract: A spectroscopic beam profile metrology system simultaneously detects measurement signals over a large wavelength range and a large range of angles of incidence (AOI). In one aspect, a multiple wavelength illumination beam is reshaped to a narrow line shaped beam of light before projection onto a specimen by a high numerical aperture objective. After interaction with the specimen, the collected light is passes through a wavelength dispersive element that projects the range of AOIs along one direction and wavelength components along another direction of a two-dimensional detector. Thus, the measurement signals detected at each pixel of the detector each represent a scatterometry signal for a particular AOI and a particular wavelength. In another aspect, a hyperspectral detector is employed to simultaneously detect measurement signals over a large wavelength range, range of AOIs, and range of azimuth angles.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Jiyou Fu, Noam Sapiens, Kevin A. Peterlinz, Stilian Ivanov Pandev