Patents Assigned to Applied Material Israel, Ltd.
  • Adaptive regression testing
    Patent number: 10922217
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and a computerized system for adaptive regression testing. The method may include (a) generating or receiving monitoring results that are indicative of relevant data segments and relevant source code segments; (b) generating, based on the monitoring results, a first mapping that maps test cases of the multiple test cases to at least some of the relevant data segments; (c) detecting detected data changes introduced during a monitoring period that follows the execution of the regression tests; (d) selecting, based on the detected data changes and the first mapping, one or more selected test cases for evaluating an impact of the detected data changes; and (e) evaluating the impact of the detected data changes by executing the one or more selected test changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Elad Levi, Moshe Herskovits, Arie Kagan, Marina Pugach, Daniela Radomislsky
  • System, method and computer program product for classifying defects
    Patent number: 10921334
    Abstract: An examination system, a method of obtaining a training set for a classifier, and a non-transitory computer readable medium, the method comprising: upon receiving in a memory device object inspection results comprising data indicative of potential defects, each potential defect of the potential defects associated with a multiplicity of attribute values defining a location of the potential defect in an attribute space: sampling by the processor a first set of defects from the potential defects, wherein the defects within the first set are dispersed independently of a density of the potential defects in the attribute space; and obtaining by the processor a training defect sample set comprising the first set of defects and data or parameters representative of the density of the potential defects in the attribute space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Kirill Savchenko, Assaf Asbag, Boaz Cohen
  • Method for detecting voids and an inspection system
    Patent number: 10922809
    Abstract: A method for detecting voids in a metal line of a semiconductor device die includes: scanning an electron beam upon a selected location on the die containing the metal line; determine gray levels in an image produced by collected electrons of the electron beam backscattered from the selected location on the die; and identifying one or more voids in the metal line based on differences between the gray levels in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignees: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Dror Shemesh, Vadim Kuchik, Nicolas L. Breil
  • X-RAY BASED EVALUATION OF A STATUS OF A STRUCTURE OF A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20210033550
    Abstract: A method for x-ray based evaluation of a status of a structure of a substrate, the method may include acquiring an electron image of a region of the substrate, the region comprises the structure; acquiring an x-ray image of the structure; and evaluating the status of the structure, wherein the evaluating is based at least on a number of x-ray photons that were emitted from the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventor: Dror Shemesh
  • Cleanliness monitor and a method for monitoring a cleanliness of a vacuum chamber
    Patent number: 10910204
    Abstract: A cleanliness monitor for monitoring a cleanliness of a vacuum chamber. The cleanliness monitor may include a mass spectrometer, a molecule aggregation and release unit and an analyzer. The molecule aggregation and release unit is configured to (a) aggregate, during an aggregation period, organic molecules that are present in the vacuum chamber and (b) induce, during a release period, a release of a subset of the organic molecules towards the mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer is configured to monitor an environment within the vacuum chamber and to generate detection signals indicative of a content of the environment; wherein a first subset of the detection signals is indicative of a presence of the subset of the organic molecules. The analyzer is configured to determine the cleanliness of the vacuum chamber based on the detection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Irit Ruach-Nir, Michal Eilon, Guy Eytan, Magen Yaacov Schulman
  • INTEGRATED SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20210026123
    Abstract: A method and an integrated system. The integrated system can include an optical inspection unit, a charged particle device, an interface unit, and at least one controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Igor Krivts (Krayvitz), Yoram Uziel, Albert Mariasin, Nir Merry, Rami Elichai, Zvi Goren
  • Filling empty structures with deposition under high-energy SEM for uniform DE layering
    Patent number: 10903044
    Abstract: A method of evaluating a region of a sample that includes an array of holes separated by solid portions. The method includes positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB); injecting a deposition gas onto the sample; scanning, with a first charged particle beam, a portion of the sample that includes a plurality of holes in the array of holes to locally deposit material within the plurality of holes in the scanned portion from the deposition gas; and milling, with the FIB column, the portion of the sample that includes the plurality of holes in which the material was locally deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Alon Litman, Konstantin Chirko, Yehuda Zur
  • Closed-loop automatic defect inspection and classification
    Patent number: 10901402
    Abstract: Inspection apparatus includes an imaging module, which is configured to capture images of defects at different, respective locations on a sample. A processor is coupled to process the images so as to automatically assign respective classifications to the defects, and to autonomously control the imaging module to continue capturing the images responsively to the assigned classifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Gadi Greenberg, Idan Kaizerman, Zeev Zohar
  • Registration between an image of an object and a description
    Patent number: 10902620
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and non-transitory computer readable storage medium for registering between an image and a description of a multi-layer object, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing an image of the object and at least part of the description, the part comprising a first description of a first layer and a second description of a second layer of the object; and a processor operatively connected to the memory for: matching the first description to a first part of the image, the first part informative of a part of the first layer, thereby determining a first matching offset; matching the second description to a second part of the image, the second part informative of a part of the second layer, thereby determining a second matching offset; and registering between the image and the description of the multi-layer object based on the at least on the first and second matching offsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Shaul Cohen, Amit Batikoff, Lavi Jacov Shachar
  • Computerized system and method for obtaining information about a region of an object
    Patent number: 10902582
    Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium for providing information about a region of a sample. The method includes (i) obtaining, by an imager, multiple images of the region; wherein the multiple images differ from each other by at least one parameter (ii) receiving or generating multiple reference images; (iii) generating multiple difference images that represent differences between the multiple images and the multiple reference images; (iv) calculating a set of region pixel attributes, (v) calculating a set of noise attributes, based on multiple sets of region pixels attributes of the multiple region pixels; and (vi) determining for each region pixel, whether the region pixel represents a defect based on a relationship between the set of noise attributes and the set of region pixel attributes of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haim Feldman, Eyal Neistein, Harel Ilan, Shahar Arad, Ido Almog
  • Charged particle beam source and a method for assembling a charged particle beam source
    Patent number: 10886092
    Abstract: A charged particle beam source that may include an emitter that has a tip for emitting charged particles; a socket; electrodes; a filament that is connected to the electrodes and to the emitter; electrodes for providing electrical signals to the filament; a support element that is connected to the emitter; and a support structure that comprises one or more interfaces for contacting only a part of the support element while supporting the support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Itay Asulin, Ofer Yuli, Lavy Shavit, Yoram Uziel, Guy Eytan, Natan Schlimoff, Igor Krivts (Krayvitz), Jacob Levin, Israel Avneri
  • System, method and computer program product for object examination
    Patent number: 10871451
    Abstract: Inspection data that corresponds to potential defects of an object may be received. A first set of locations of first potential defects can be identified. The first set of locations of the first potential defects can be imaged with a review tool to obtain a first set of review images. The first potential defects can be classified based on the first set of review images to obtain first classification results of the first potential defects. A determination can be made as to whether an examination stopping criteria has been satisfied. In response to determining that the examination stopping criteria has not been satisfied, a second set of locations of second potential defects can be identified to be imaged with the review tool to obtain a second set of review images. The second set of locations can be different than the first set of locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Saar Shabtay, Moshe Amzaleg, Zvi Goren
  • MILLING A MULTI-LAYERED OBJECT
    Publication number: 20200384592
    Abstract: A miller, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a method for milling a multi-layered object. The method may include (i) receiving or determining milling parameters related to a milling process, the milling parameters may include at least two out of (a) a defocus strength, (b) a duration of the milling process, (c) a bias voltage supplied to an objective lens during the milling process, (d) an ion beam energy, and (e) an ion beam current density, and (ii) forming a crater by applying the milling process while maintaining the milling parameters, wherein the applying of the milling process includes directing a defocused ion beam on the multi-layered object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventor: Yehuda Zur
  • Method of defect detection on a specimen and system thereof
    Patent number: 10853932
    Abstract: There are provided a system and method of defect detection on a specimen, the method comprising: performing partitioning for each of one or more portions of a first die; receiving one or more noise maps indicative of noise distribution on second images captured for one or more portions of a second die; performing segmentation for each noise map in runtime, the segmentation for a given noise map including: calculating a score for each region, the given noise map aligned with the regions and each region is associated with noise data aligned therein, the score for a given region calculated at least based on the noise data associated therewith; and associating each region with one segmentation label of a predefined set of segmentation labels indicative of noise levels based on the score, thereby obtaining a set of segments each corresponding to one or more regions associated with the same segmentation label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIAL ISRAEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Elad Cohen, Denis Simakov
  • Lubrication system and a method for lubricating a transmission system component
    Patent number: 10837540
    Abstract: A method and a lubrication system for lubricating a transmission system component. The lubrication system may include a lubrication system reservoir for storing a lubrication liquid; and a distribution system. The distribution system may be configured to refill, with the lubrication liquid, a transmission system reservoir that is configured to lubricate the transmission system component. The refill occurs while the transmission system component and the lubrication system are positioned within a vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Erez Admoni, Efim Vinnitsky
  • PROCESS MONITORING
    Publication number: 20200355620
    Abstract: A method for determining a defect material element, the method includes (a) acquiring, by a charged particle beam system and by applying a spectroscopy process, an electromagnetic emission spectrum of a part of a defect; (b) acquiring, by the charged particle beam system, a backscattered electron (BSE) image of an area that includes the defect; and (c) determining a defect material element. The determining of the defect material element includes: determining whether an ambiguity exists in the electromagnetic emission spectrum, and resolving the ambiguity based on the BSE image, when it is determined that the ambiguity exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Dror Shemesh, Eugene T. Bullock, Adi Boehm, Gurjeet Singh
  • Method of generating a training set usable for examination of a semiconductor specimen and system thereof
    Patent number: 10832092
    Abstract: There is provided a method of examination of a semiconductor specimen. The method comprises: upon obtaining by a computer a Deep Neural Network (DNN) trained for a given examination-related application within a semiconductor fabrication process, processing together one or more fabrication process (FP) images using the obtained trained DNN, wherein the DNN is trained using a training set comprising synthetic images specific for the given application; and obtaining, by the computer, examination-related data specific for the given application, and characterizing at least one of the processed one or more FP images. Generating the training set can comprise: training an auxiliary DNN to generate a latent space, generating a synthetic image by applying the trained auxiliary DNN to a point selected in the generated latent space, and adding the generated synthetic image to the training set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Ohad Shaubi, Assaf Asbag, Boaz Cohen
  • Iterative defect filtering process
    Patent number: 10818000
    Abstract: Data indicative of a group of defect candidates may be obtained. The data may be indicative of a group of defect candidates and may include values of attributes for each defect candidate of the group of defect candidates. Sub-groups of defect candidates may be iteratively selected for review using a review recipe to classify the defect candidates in each selected sub-group based on the values of attributes of respective defect candidates and classification results of previously reviewed defect candidates. The sub-groups may be selected until a sampling stop condition is fulfilled to obtain a classification output for the wafer. Instructions specifying at least one of the sampling stop condition, the inspection recipe, or the review recipe may be altered and additional defect candidates in a next wafer may be classified by using the altered instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Saar Shabtay, Idan Kaizerman, Amir Watchs
  • Method for evaluating a region of an object
    Patent number: 10811219
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a region of an object, the method may include repeating, for each sub-region out of a first sub-region of the region till a penultimate sub-region of the region, the steps of: (a) acquiring, by a charged particle imager, a charged particle image of the sub-region; and (b) milling, by a charged particle miller, the sub-region to expose another sub-region of region; acquiring, by the charged particle imager, a charged particle image of a last sub-region of the region; and generating three-dimensional information about a content of the region based on charge particle images of the first sub-region till last sub-region of the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Ofer Shneyour, Ron Naftali, Ronnie Porat
  • System, method and computer program product for generating a training set for a classifier
    Patent number: 10803575
    Abstract: There is provided a system that includes a review tool configured to review at least part of potential defects of an examined object, and assign each of the at least part of the potential defects with a multiplicity of attribute values. The system also includes a computer-based classifier configured to classify, based on the attribute values as assigned, the at least part of potential defects into a set of classes, the set comprising at least a first major class, a second major class and a first minor class, the classifier trained based on a training set comprising a multiplicity of training defects with assigned attribute values, the training defects classified into the set of classes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Ohad Shaubi, Assaf Asbag, Idan Kaizerman