Abstract: Methods and systems for determining characteristic(s) of patterns of interest (POIs) are provided. One system is configured to acquire output of an inspection system generated at the POI instances without detecting defects at the POI instances. The output is then used to generate a selection of the POI instances. The system then acquires output from an output acquisition subsystem for the selected POI instances. The system also determines characteristic(s) of the POI using the output acquired from the output acquisition subsystem.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating defect samples are provided. One method includes identifying a set of defects detected on a wafer having the most diversity in values of at least one defect attribute and generating different tiles for different defects in the set. The tiles define a portion of all values for the at least one attribute of all defects detected on the wafer that are closer to the values for the at least one attribute of their corresponding defects than the values for the at least one attribute of other defects. In addition, the method includes separating the defects on the wafer into sample bins corresponding to the different tiles based on their values of the at least one attribute, randomly selecting defect(s) from each of two or more of the sample bins, and creating a defect sample for the wafer that includes the randomly selected defects.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining coordinates for an area of interest on a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for, for an area of interest on a specimen being inspected, identifying one or more targets located closest to the area of interest. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for aligning one or more images for the one or more targets to a reference for the specimen. The image(s) for the target(s) and an image for the area of interest are acquired by an inspection subsystem during inspection of the specimen. The computer subsystem(s) are further configured for determining an offset between the image(s) for the target(s) and the reference based on results of the aligning and determining modified coordinates of the area of interest based on the offset and coordinates of the area of interest reported by the inspection subsystem.

Abstract: Methods and systems for finding patterns in a design for a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for searching for a target pattern in a design for a specimen to thereby find multiple instances of the target pattern in the design. The one or more computer subsystems are also configured for separating the multiple instances of the target pattern into different groups based on information for surrounding patterns within a predefined window around the target pattern such that each of the different groups corresponds to a different combination of the target pattern and the surrounding patterns.

Abstract: Methods and systems for setting up a classifier for defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating a template for a defect classifier for defects detected on a wafer and applying the template to a training data set. The training data set includes information for defects detected on the wafer or another wafer. The method also includes determining one or more parameters for the defect classifier based on results of the applying step.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining characteristic(s) of patterns of interest (POIs) are provided. One system is configured to acquire output of an inspection system generated at the POI instances without detecting defects at the POI instances. The output is then used to generate a selection of the POI instances. The system then acquires output from an output acquisition subsystem for the selected POI instances. The system also determines characteristic(s) of the POI using the output acquired from the output acquisition subsystem.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining coordinates for an area of interest on a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for, for an area of interest on a specimen being inspected, identifying one or more targets located closest to the area of interest. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for aligning one or more images for the one or more targets to a reference for the specimen. The image(s) for the target(s) and an image for the area of interest are acquired by an inspection subsystem during inspection of the specimen. The computer subsystem(s) are further configured for determining an offset between the image(s) for the target(s) and the reference based on results of the aligning and determining modified coordinates of the area of interest based on the offset and coordinates of the area of interest reported by the inspection subsystem.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating defect samples are provided. One method includes identifying a set of defects detected on a wafer having the most diversity in values of at least one defect attribute and generating different tiles for different defects in the set. The tiles define a portion of all values for the at least one attribute of all defects detected on the wafer that are closer to the values for the at least one attribute of their corresponding defects than the values for the at least one attribute of other defects. In addition, the method includes separating the defects on the wafer into sample bins corresponding to the different tiles based on their values of the at least one attribute, randomly selecting defect(s) from each of two or more of the sample bins, and creating a defect sample for the wafer that includes the randomly selected defects.

Abstract: Methods and systems for setting up a classifier for defects detected on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating a template for a defect classifier for defects detected on a wafer and applying the template to a training data set. The training data set includes information for defects detected on the wafer or another wafer. The method also includes determining one or more parameters for the defect classifier based on results of the applying step.