Patents by Inventor Songnian Rong
Songnian Rong 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: 20220230293Abstract: Mixed-mode includes receiving inspection results including one or more images of a selected region of the wafer, the one or more images include one or more wafer die including a set of repeating blocks, the set of repeating blocks a set of repeating cells. In addition, mixed-mode inspection includes adjusting a pixel size of the one or more images to map each cell, block and die to an integer number of pixels. Further, mixed-mode inspection includes comparing a first wafer die to a second wafer die to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second wafer die, comparing a first block to a second block to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second blocks and comparing a first cell to a second cell to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Jason Z. Lin, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Richard Wallingford, Songnian Rong, Chetana Bhaskar
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Patent number: 11295438Abstract: Mixed-mode includes receiving inspection results including one or more images of a selected region of the wafer, the one or more images include one or more wafer die including a set of repeating blocks, the set of repeating blocks a set of repeating cells. In addition, mixed-mode inspection includes adjusting a pixel size of the one or more images to map each cell, block and die to an integer number of pixels. Further, mixed-mode inspection includes comparing a first wafer die to a second wafer die to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second wafer die, comparing a first block to a second block to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second blocks and comparing a first cell to a second cell to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second cells.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: KLA CorporationInventors: Jason Z. Lin, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Richard Wallingford, Songnian Rong, Chetana Bhaskar
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Publication number: 20190108630Abstract: Mixed-mode includes receiving inspection results including one or more images of a selected region of the wafer, the one or more images include one or more wafer die including a set of repeating blocks, the set of repeating blocks a set of repeating cells. In addition, mixed-mode inspection includes adjusting a pixel size of the one or more images to map each cell, block and die to an integer number of pixels. Further, mixed-mode inspection includes comparing a first wafer die to a second wafer die to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second wafer die, comparing a first block to a second block to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second blocks and comparing a first cell to a second cell to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Jason Z. Lin, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Richard Wallingford, Songnian Rong, Chetana Bhaskar
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Patent number: 10192303Abstract: Mixed-mode includes receiving inspection results including one or more images of a selected region of the wafer, the one or more images include one or more wafer die including a set of repeating blocks, the set of repeating blocks a set of repeating cells. In addition, mixed-mode inspection includes adjusting a pixel size of the one or more images to map each cell, block and die to an integer number of pixels. Further, mixed-mode inspection includes comparing a first wafer die to a second wafer die to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second wafer die, comparing a first block to a second block to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second blocks and comparing a first cell to a second cell to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second cells.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2013Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: KLA Tencor CorporationInventors: Jason Z. Lin, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Richard Wallingford, Songnian Rong, Chetana Bhaskar
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Patent number: 10181185Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting anomalies in images of a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for acquiring images generated of a specimen by an imaging subsystem. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for identifying anomalies in the images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2017Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Allen Park, Lisheng Gao, Ashok Kulkarni, Saibal Banerjee, Ping Gu, Songnian Rong, Kris Bhaskar
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Publication number: 20170200264Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting anomalies in images of a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for acquiring images generated of a specimen by an imaging subsystem. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for determining one or more characteristics of the acquired images. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for identifying anomalies in the images based on the one or more determined characteristics without applying a defect detection algorithm to the images or the one or more characteristics of the images.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2017Publication date: July 13, 2017Inventors: Allen Park, Lisheng Gao, Ashok Kulkarni, Saibal Banerjee, Ping Gu, Songnian Rong, Kris Bhaskar
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Patent number: 9576861Abstract: Universal target based inspection drive metrology includes designing a plurality of universal metrology targets measurable with an inspection tool and measurable with a metrology tool, identifying a plurality of inspectable features within at least one die of a wafer using design data, disposing the plurality of universal targets within the at least one die of the wafer, each universal target being disposed at least proximate to one of the identified inspectable features, inspecting a region containing one or more of the universal targets with an inspection tool, identifying one or more anomalistic universal targets in the inspected region with an inspection tool and, responsive to the identification of one or more anomalistic universal targets in the inspected region, performing one or more metrology processes on the one or more anomalistic universal metrology targets with the metrology tool.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2013Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Michael Adel, Kris Bhaskar, Ady Levy, Amir Widmann, Mark Wagner, Songnian Rong
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Patent number: 9360863Abstract: Various embodiments for determining parameters for wafer inspection and/or metrology are provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2011Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Govind Thattaisundaram, Mohan Mahadevan, Ajay Gupta, Chien-Huei Adam Chen, Ashok Kulkarni, Jason Kirkwood, Kenong Wu, Songnian Rong
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Patent number: 9053390Abstract: Methods and systems for determining inspection scenarios without input from a user are presented. Inspection scenarios include at least one acquisition mode, defect detection parameter values, and classification parameter values. In one example, a number of defect events are determined by a hot inspection of a wafer surface. The defect events are classified and attributes associated with each defect event are identified. The defect events are labeled with this information. Based on the identified attributes and classification, inspection scenarios are determined. The inspection scenarios are solutions in a mathematical space formed by the identified attributes. In some examples, a plurality of inspection scenarios are determined and a desired inspection scenario is selected from the plurality based on the number of defects of interest and the number of nuisance events captured by the selected inspection scenario.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2012Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Mohan Mahadevan, Govind Thattaisundaram, Ajay Gupta, Chien-Huei (Adam) Chen, Jason Kirkwood, Ashok Kulkarni, Songnian Rong, Ernesto Escorcia, Eugene Shifrin
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Patent number: 8989479Abstract: The present invention includes searching imagery data in order to identify one or more patterned regions on a semiconductor wafer, generating one or more virtual Fourier filter (VFF) working areas, acquiring an initial set of imagery data from the VFF working areas, defining VFF training blocks within the identified patterned regions of the VFF working areas utilizing the initial set of imagery data, wherein each VFF training block is defined to encompass a portion of the identified patterned region displaying a selected repeating pattern, calculating an initial spectrum for each VFF training block utilizing the initial set of imagery data from the VFF training blocks, and generating a VFF for each training block by identifying frequencies of the initial spectrum having maxima in the frequency domain, wherein the VFF is configured to null the magnitude of the initial spectrum at the frequencies identified to display spectral maxima.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2011Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Lisheng Gao, Kenong Wu, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Khurram Zafar, Junqing Huang, Ping Gu, Christopher Maher, Grace H. Chen, Songnian Rong, Liu-Ming Wu
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Publication number: 20140199791Abstract: Universal target based inspection drive metrology includes designing a plurality of universal metrology targets measurable with an inspection tool and measurable with a metrology tool, identifying a plurality of inspectable features within at least one die of a wafer using design data, disposing the plurality of universal targets within the at least one die of the wafer, each universal target being disposed at least proximate to one of the identified inspectable features, inspecting a region containing one or more of the universal targets with an inspection tool, identifying one or more anomalistic universal targets in the inspected region with an inspection tool and, responsive to the identification of one or more anomalistic universal targets in the inspected region, performing one or more metrology processes on the one or more anomalistic universal metrology targets with the metrology tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2013Publication date: July 17, 2014Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Michael Adel, Kris Bhaskar, Ady Levy, Amir Widmann, Mark Wagner, Songnian Rong
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Publication number: 20140153814Abstract: Mixed-mode includes receiving inspection results including one or more images of a selected region of the wafer, the one or more images include one or more wafer die including a set of repeating blocks, the set of repeating blocks a set of repeating cells. In addition, mixed-mode inspection includes adjusting a pixel size of the one or more images to map each cell, block and die to an integer number of pixels. Further, mixed-mode inspection includes comparing a first wafer die to a second wafer die to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second wafer die, comparing a first block to a second block to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second blocks and comparing a first cell to a second cell to identify an occurrence of one or more defects in the first or second cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2013Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Jason Z. Lin, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Richard Wallingford, Songnian Rong, Chetana Bhaskar
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Publication number: 20140050389Abstract: Methods and systems for determining inspection scenarios without input from a user are presented. Inspection scenarios include at least one acquisition mode, defect detection parameter values, and classification parameter values. In one example, a number of defect events are determined by a hot inspection of a wafer surface. The defect events are classified and attributes associated with each defect event are identified. The defect events are labeled with this information. Based on the identified attributes and classification, inspection scenarios are determined. The inspection scenarios are solutions in a mathematical space formed by the identified attributes. In some examples, a plurality of inspection scenarios are determined and a desired inspection scenario is selected from the plurality based on the number of defects of interest and the number of nuisance events captured by the selected inspection scenario.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2012Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Mohan Mahadevan, Govind Thattaisundaram, Ajay Gupta, Chien-Huei (Adam) Chen, Jason Kirkwood, Ashok Kulkarni, Songnian Rong, Ernesto Escorcia, Eugene Shifrin
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Publication number: 20120141013Abstract: The present invention includes searching imagery data in order to identify one or more patterned regions on a semiconductor wafer, generating one or more virtual Fourier filter (VFF) working areas, acquiring an initial set of imagery data from the VFF working areas, defining VFF training blocks within the identified patterned regions of the VFF working areas utilizing the initial set of imagery data, wherein each VFF training block is defined to encompass a portion of the identified patterned region displaying a selected repeating pattern, calculating an initial spectrum for each VFF training block utilizing the initial set of imagery data from the VFF training blocks, and generating a VFF for each training block by identifying frequencies of the initial spectrum having maxima in the frequency domain, wherein the VFF is configured to null the magnitude of the initial spectrum at the frequencies identified to display spectral maxima.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Lisheng Gao, Kenong Wu, Allen Park, Ellis Chang, Khurram Zafar, Junqing Huang, Ping Gu, Christopher Maher, Grace H. Chen, Songnian Rong, Liu-Ming Wu
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Publication number: 20120116733Abstract: Various embodiments for determining parameters for wafer inspection and/or metrology are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Govind Thattaisundaram, Mohan Mahadevan, Ajay Gupta, Chien-Huei Adam Chen, Ashok Kulkarni, Jason Kirkwood, Kenong Wu, Songnian Rong