Patents by Inventor Keith Buckley Wells

Keith Buckley Wells 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).

  • Wafer inspection with focus volumetric method
    Patent number: 9816940
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting defects in a semiconductor sample. An inspection tool is used to collect intensity data sets at a plurality of focus settings from each of a plurality of xy positions of the sample. A polynomial equation having a plurality of coefficients is extracted for each of the xy position's collected intensity data sets as a function of focus setting. Each of the coefficients' set of values for the plurality of xy positions is represented with a corresponding coefficient image plane. A target set of coefficient image planes and a reference set of coefficient image planes are then analyzed to detect defects on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Grace H. Chen, Keith Buckley Wells, Markus B. Huber, Se Baek Oh
  • WAFER INSPECTION WITH FOCUS VOLUMETRIC METHOD
    Publication number: 20160209334
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting defects in a semiconductor sample. An inspection tool is used to collect intensity data sets at a plurality of focus settings from each of a plurality of xy positions of the sample. A polynomial equation having a plurality of coefficients is extracted for each of the xy position's collected intensity data sets as a function of focus setting. Each of the coefficients' set of values for the plurality of xy positions is represented with a corresponding coefficient image plane. A target set of coefficient image planes and a reference set of coefficient image planes are then analyzed to detect defects on the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Grace H. Chen, Keith Buckley Wells, Markus B. Huber, Se Baek Oh