Abstract: A system can define at least one care area on the workpiece for defects detected on a surface or underneath a surface of the workpiece using data from an optical inspector. The system also can define at least one care area for the workpiece that includes defects buried in the workpiece. The system can generate an electron beam using a cold field emission electron source, such as to inspect a high aspect ratio structure.

Abstract: The system includes an electron source configured to generate an electron beam, a stage configured to hold a workpiece in the path of the electron beam, a beam deflector disposed in the path of the electron beam between the electron source and the stage, a detector configured to receive electrons formed when the electron beam impacts the workpiece on the stage, and a processor. The processor is configured to generate a workpiece image based on the electrons received by the detector, determine a size and location of each region of interest (ROI) of the workpiece, determine groups of ROIs having similar size, and send instructions to the beam deflector to direct the electron beam onto the location of each ROI and generate an ROI image for each group of ROIs.

Abstract: The teachings generally provide for a hand-held medical robotic system for use with a surgical tool, the system comprising an instrument comprising a hand-held portion, a tool support coupled to the hand-held portion, and an actuator assembly operatively interconnecting to move the tool support in a plurality of degrees of freedom to place the surgical tool and a localizer. The system additionally comprises a control system configured to determine a state of the surgical tool and determine a position and/or orientation of a reference coordinate system relative to a known coordinate system, activate a guided mode based on a first relationship criteria between the state of the surgical tool and the reference coordinate system, and deactivate the guided mode based on a second relationship criteria between the state of the surgical tool and the reference coordinate system, wherein the first relationship criteria and the second relationship criteria are different.

Abstract: A metric predictor model for predicting values of a data metric is selected. The metric predictor model is trained using historical data related to the data metric. A predicted value of the data metric is obtained using the metric predictor model. A current value of the data metric is obtained using data other than the historical data. A difference between the predicted value and the current value is determined to meet a reporting criterion. In response to determining that the difference meets the reporting criterion, a notification descriptive of the difference is output.

Abstract: An electron-optical system for inspecting or reviewing an edge portion of a sample includes an electron beam source configured to generate one or more electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure the sample and an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the one or more electron beams onto an edge portion of the sample. The system also includes a sample position reference device disposed about the sample and a guard ring device disposed between the edge of the sample and the sample position reference device to compensate for one or more fringe fields. One or more characteristics of the guard ring device are adjustable. The system also includes a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample.

Abstract: An electron-optical system for inspecting or reviewing an edge portion of a sample includes an electron beam source configured to generate one or more electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure the sample and an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the one or more electron beams onto an edge portion of the sample. The system also includes a sample position reference device disposed about the sample and a guard ring device disposed between the edge of the sample and the sample position reference device to compensate for one or more fringe fields. One or more characteristics of the guard ring device are adjustable. The system also includes a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample.

Abstract: An electron-optical system for inspecting or reviewing an edge portion of a sample includes an electron beam source configured to generate one or more electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure the sample and an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the one or more electron beams onto an edge portion of the sample. The system also includes a sample position reference device disposed about the sample and a guard ring device disposed between the edge of the sample and the sample position reference device to compensate for one or more fringe fields. One or more characteristics of the guard ring device are adjustable. The system also includes a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample.

Abstract: Defect classification includes acquiring one or more images of a specimen including multiple defects, grouping the defects into groups of defect types based on the attributes of the defects, receiving a signal from a user interface device indicative of a first manual classification of a selected number of defects from the groups, generating a classifier based on the first manual classification and the attributes of the defects, classifying, with the classifier, one or more defects not manually classified by the manual classification, identifying the defects classified by the classifier having the lowest confidence level, receiving a signal from the user interface device indicative of an additional manual classification of the defects having the lowest confidence level, determining whether the additional manual classification identifies one or more additional defect types not identified in the first manual classification, and iterating the procedure until no new defect types are found.

Abstract: Defect classification includes acquiring one or more images of a specimen, receiving a manual classification of one or more training defects based on one or more attributes of the one or more training defects, generating an ensemble learning classifier based on the received manual classification and the attributes of the one or more training defects, generating a confidence threshold for each defect type of the one or more training defects based on a received classification purity requirement, acquiring one or more images including one or more test defects, classifying the one or more test defects with the generated ensemble learning classifier, calculating a confidence level for each of the one or more test defects with the generated ensemble learning classifier and reporting one or more test defects having a confidence level below the generated confidence threshold via the user interface device for manual classification.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method for automated review of defects detected in a defective die on the target substrate. The method includes: performing an automated review of the defects using an secondary electron microscope (SEM) so as to obtain electron-beam images of the defects; performing an automated classification of the defects into types based on morphology of the defects as determined from the electron-beam images; selecting defects of a specific type for automated energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) review; and performing the automated EDX review on the defects of the specific type. In addition, automated techniques are disclosed for obtaining an accurate reference so as to improve the usefulness of the EDX results. Furthermore, an automated method of classifying the defects based on the EDX results is disclosed which provides a final pareto that combines both morphological and elemental information. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electron-optical system for inspecting or reviewing an edge portion of a sample includes an electron beam source configured to generate one or more electron beams, a sample stage configured to secure the sample and an electron-optical column including a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least a portion of the one or more electron beams onto an edge portion of the sample. The system also includes a sample position reference device disposed about the sample and a guard ring device disposed between the edge of the sample and the sample position reference device to compensate for one or more fringe fields. One or more characteristics of the guard ring device are adjustable. The system also includes a detector assembly configured to detect electrons emanating from the surface of the sample.

Abstract: Defect classification includes acquiring one or more images of a specimen including multiple defects, grouping the defects into groups of defect types based on the attributes of the defects, receiving a signal from a user interface device indicative of a first manual classification of a selected number of defects from the groups, generating a classifier based on the first manual classification and the attributes of the defects, classifying, with the classifier, one or more defects not manually classified by the manual classification, identifying the defects classified by the classifier having the lowest confidence level, receiving a signal from the user interface device indicative of an additional manual classification of the defects having the lowest confidence level, determining whether the additional manual classification identifies one or more additional defect types not identified in the first manual classification, and iterating the procedure until no new defect types are found.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method for automated review of defects detected in a defective die on the target substrate. The method includes: performing an automated review of the defects using an secondary electron microscope (SEM) so as to obtain electron-beam images of the defects; performing an automated classification of the defects into types based on morphology of the defects as determined from the electron-beam images; selecting defects of a specific type for automated energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) review; and performing the automated EDX review on the defects of the specific type. In addition, automated techniques are disclosed for obtaining an accurate reference so as to improve the usefulness of the EDX results. Furthermore, an automated method of classifying the defects based on the EDX results is disclosed which provides a final pareto that combines both morphological and elemental information. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of preparation of a sample of a substrate for sub-surface review using a scanning electron microscope apparatus. A defect at a location indicated in a first results file is re-detected, and the location of the defect is marked with at least one discrete marking point having predetermined positioning relative to the location of the defect. The location of the defect may be determined relative to the design for the device, and a cut location and a cut angle may be determined in at least a partly-automated manner using that information. Another embodiment relates to a system for preparing a sample for sub-surface review. Another embodiment relates to a method for marking a defect for review on a target substrate. Other embodiments, aspects and feature are also disclosed.