Patents by Inventor Romain Sappey

Romain Sappey 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).

  • Patent number: 9772289
    Abstract: Defect detection and photoluminescence measurement of a sample directing a beam of oblique-illumination wavelength light onto a portion of the sample, directing a beam of normal-illumination wavelength light for causing one or more photoluminescing defects of the sample to emit photoluminescent light onto a portion of the sample, collecting defect scattered radiation or photoluminescence radiation from the sample, separating the radiation from the sample into a first portion of radiation in the visible spectrum, a second portion of radiation including the normal-illumination wavelength light, and at least a third portion of radiation including the oblique-illumination wavelength light, measuring one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation; detecting one or more photoluminescence defects or one or more scattering defects based on the measured one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20160377548
    Abstract: Defect detection and photoluminescence measurement of a sample directing a beam of oblique-illumination wavelength light onto a portion of the sample, directing a beam of normal-illumination wavelength light for causing one or more photoluminescing defects of the sample to emit photoluminescent light onto a portion of the sample, collecting defect scattered radiation or photoluminescence radiation from the sample, separating the radiation from the sample into a first portion of radiation in the visible spectrum, a second portion of radiation including the normal-illumination wavelength light, and at least a third portion of radiation including the oblique-illumination wavelength light, measuring one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation; detecting one or more photoluminescence defects or one or more scattering defects based on the measured one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventor: Romain Sappey
  • Patent number: 9410890
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented method of processing spectral luminescence mapping data obtained from a substrate, the substrate having an epitaxial layer stack that includes a multiple quantum well. A spectral luminescence and an epi thickness at a location on the substrate are obtained. A spectral modulation for the location may be computed given the epi thickness and material indices of refraction. The underlying luminescence spectrum may then be generated by dividing the measured spectral luminescence by the spectral modulation. Subsequently, a peak wavelength and other parameters may be obtained from the underlying luminescence spectrum. In another embodiment, the underlying luminescence spectrum may be determined, without the epi thickness measurement, using a self-consistent technique. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for spectral luminescence mapping and epitaxial thickness measurement. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Romain Sappey
  • Patent number: 9354177
    Abstract: Defect detection and photoluminescence measurement of a sample directing a beam of oblique-illumination wavelength light onto a portion of the sample, directing a beam of normal-illumination wavelength light for causing one or more photoluminescing defects of the sample to emit photoluminescent light onto a portion of the sample, collecting defect scattered radiation or photoluminescence radiation from the sample, separating the radiation from the sample into a first portion of radiation in the visible spectrum, a second portion of radiation including the normal-illumination wavelength light, and at least a third portion of radiation including the oblique-illumination wavelength light, measuring one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation; detecting one or more photoluminescence defects or one or more scattering defects based on the measured one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20150001421
    Abstract: Defect detection and photoluminescence measurement of a sample directing a beam of oblique-illumination wavelength light onto a portion of the sample, directing a beam of normal-illumination wavelength light for causing one or more photoluminescing defects of the sample to emit photoluminescent light onto a portion of the sample, collecting defect scattered radiation or photoluminescence radiation from the sample, separating the radiation from the sample into a first portion of radiation in the visible spectrum, a second portion of radiation including the normal-illumination wavelength light, and at least a third portion of radiation including the oblique-illumination wavelength light, measuring one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation; detecting one or more photoluminescence defects or one or more scattering defects based on the measured one or more characteristics of the first portion, the second portion or the third portion of radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Romain Sappey
  • Patent number: 8736831
    Abstract: Various embodiments for substrate inspection are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.
    Inventors: Mahendra Prabhu Ramachandran, Steven W. Meeks, Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20130308124
    Abstract: Various embodiments for substrate inspection are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mahendra Prabhu Ramachandran, Steven W. Meeks, Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20130242300
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented method of processing spectral luminescence mapping data obtained from a substrate, the substrate having an epitaxial layer stack that includes a multiple quantum well. A spectral luminescence and an epi thickness at a location on the substrate are obtained. A spectral modulation for the location may be computed given the epi thickness and material indices of refraction. The underlying luminescence spectrum may then be generated by dividing the measured spectral luminescence by the spectral modulation. Subsequently, a peak wavelength and other parameters may be obtained from the underlying luminescence spectrum. In another embodiment, the underlying luminescence spectrum may be determined, without the epi thickness measurement, using a self-consistent technique. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for spectral luminescence mapping and epitaxial thickness measurement. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Romain SAPPEY
  • Patent number: 7847954
    Abstract: A system with two unequal path interferometers, with a first flat, a second flat, and a cavity between the first and second flats, a holder to receive an object in the cavity such that an optical path remains open between the first and second flats, and a motor coupled to the holder such that the object may be tilted in the cavity to allow for measurements of, and a radiation assembly to direct collimated radiation to the interferometer assembly, a collecting assembly to collect radiation received from the interferometer assembly, and a controller comprising logic to; vary a wavelength of the radiation, record interferograms, extract phases of the interferograms to produce phase maps, determine from each map areas with high slopes, tilt the holder to allow measurement of the high slope areas, and process measurement that covers the entire surface of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Shouhong Tang, Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20090284734
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an interferometer system comprises two unequal path interferometers assemble comprising; a first reference flat having a first length L1 in a first dimension, a second reference flat having a second length L2 in the first dimension, a cavity D1 defined by a distance between the first reference flat and the second reference flat, a wafer holder to receive an object in the cavity such that an optical path remains open at an outer annual area between the first reference flat and the second reference flat and at least one wafer holder motor coupled to the wafer holder such that an object may be tilted in the cavity as to allow for measurements of local areas of interest, and a radiation targeting assembly to direct a collimated radiation beam to the interferometer assembly, a radiation collecting assembly to collect radiation received from the interferometer assembly, and a controller comprising logic to; vary a wavelength of the collimated radiation beam, record interferograms formed by a plur
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shouhong Tang, Romain Sappey
  • Patent number: 7554654
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to measure defects on a surface of a wafer and an edge of the wafer using a single tool comprises a scatterometer to identify at least one defect region on the surface and a surface profile height measuring tool to measure one or more characteristics of the surface in the defect region with a surface profile height measuring tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Meeks, Romain Sappey, Tom Carr
  • Patent number: 7505143
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of dynamic reference plane compensation, comprises impinging radiation from a first radiation source onto a surface of an object; generating an uncompensated measurement signal from radiation reflected from a first location on the surface and a second location; generating a compensation signal from radiation reflected from a third location and a fourth location on the surface; and generating a compensated measurement signal using the uncompensated measurement signal and the compensation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Harald F. Hess, Thomas Daniel Carr, Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20080180656
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to measure defects on a surface of a wafer and an edge of the wafer using a single tool comprises a scatterometer to identify at least one defect region on the surface and a surface profile height measuring tool to measure one or more characteristics of the surface in the defect region with a surface profile height measuring tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven W. Meeks, ROMAIN SAPPEY, TOM CARR
  • Publication number: 20060262291
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of dynamic reference plane compensation, comprises impinging radiation from a first radiation source onto a surface of an object; generating an uncompensated measurement signal from radiation reflected from a first location on the surface and a second location; generating a compensation signal from radiation reflected from a third location and a fourth location on the surface; and generating a compensated measurement signal using the uncompensated measurement signal and the compensation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Harald Hess, Thomas Carr, Romain Sappey
  • Publication number: 20060256345
    Abstract: In embodiments, techniques for interferometry measurements in disturbed environments are described. The disturbed environment may include one or more variations such as pressure variations and/or thermal variations. In one embodiment, a difference between an optical path of a first beam and an optical path of a second beam is detected. One or more of the first or second beams may be encased in a shroud proximate to the disturbed environment. The method may further couple a window to the shroud in proximity to the disturbed environment, e.g., to reduce the negative effects of the disturbed environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventor: Romain Sappey