Patents by Inventor Stephen A. Biellak
Stephen A. Biellak 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).
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Publication number: 20130016346Abstract: Systems configured to inspect a wafer are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2012Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Anatoly Romanovsky, Ivan Maleev, Daniel Kavaldjiev, Yury Yuditsky, Dirk Woll, Stephen Biellak
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Patent number: 8294887Abstract: An inspection system may include, but is not limited to: an illumination subsystem for directing light to an inspection specimen comprising: a power attenuator subsystem configured for altering the power level of a light beam emitted by the illumination subsystem; and a power attenuation control subsystem configured to provide control signals to the power attenuator subsystem according to a detected level of light scattering by the inspection specimen upon illumination by the illumination subsystem. A method for scatterometry inspection may include, but is not limited to: directing light having a power level to an inspection specimen from a light source; detecting light scattered from the specimen; and modifying a power level of one or more intermediate light beams within the light source according to a level of light scattering by the specimen upon illumination by the light source.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Stephen Biellak, Daniel Kavaldjiev, George J. Kren, Anatoly Romanovsky, Christian Wolters
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Patent number: 8269960Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for inspecting and/or classifying a wafer are provided. One computer-implemented includes detecting defects on a wafer using one or more defect detection parameters, which are determined based on a non-spatially localized characteristic of the wafer that is determined using output responsive to light scattered from the wafer generated by an inspection system. Another computer-implemented method includes classifying a wafer based on a combination of a non-spatially localized characteristic of the wafer determined using output responsive to light scattered from the wafer generated by an inspection system and a spatially localized characteristic of the wafer determined using the output.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Juergen Reich, Louis Vintro, Prasanna Dighe, Andrew Steinbach, Daniel Kavaldjiev, Stephen Biellak
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Patent number: 8169613Abstract: A polarizing device may be used with sample inspection system having one or more collection systems that receive scattered radiation from a region on a sample surface and direct it to a detector. The polarizing device disposed between the collection system(s) and the detector. The polarizing device may include a plurality of polarizing sections. The sections may be characterized by different polarization characteristics. The polarizing device is configured to transmit scattered radiation from defects to the detector and to block noise from background sources that do not share characteristics with scattered radiation from the defects from reaching the detector while, maximizing a capture rate for the defects the detector at a less than optimal signal-to-noise ratio.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Stephen Biellak, Daniel Kavaldjiev
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Patent number: 7912658Abstract: Systems and methods for determining two or more characteristics of a wafer are provided. The two or more characteristics include a characteristic of the wafer that is spatially localized in at least one dimension and a characteristic of the wafer that is not spatially localized in two dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2008Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Stephen Biellak, Daniel Kavaldjiev
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Patent number: 7796805Abstract: A wafer having improved inspection sensitivity to foreign matter on a top-most surface of the wafer, as detected with a surface scanning optical inspection system that uses an inspection wavelength. The wafer includes a substantially homogenous first layer at the top-most surface of the wafer, the first layer having a first thickness. The first layer is at least partially transparent to the inspection wavelength. A substantially homogenous second layer immediately underlies the first layer, the second layer having a second thickness. The second layer is at least partially transparent to the inspection wavelength. A substrate immediately underlies the second layer. The first thickness and the second thickness are set in a combination that produces a local minimum of an electric field at the top-most surface and a local maximum of an electric field within one hundred nanometers above the top-most surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2005Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Michael D. Kirk, Stephen A. Biellak, David W. Shortt
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Patent number: 7746459Abstract: Systems configured to inspect a wafer are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to illuminate an area on the wafer by directing light to the wafer at an oblique angle of incidence. The system also includes a collection subsystem configured to simultaneously collect light scattered from different spots within the illuminated area and to focus the light collected from the different spots to corresponding positions in an image plane. In addition, the system includes a detection subsystem configured to separately detect the light focused to the corresponding positions in the image plane and to separately generate output responsive to the light focused to the corresponding positions in the image plane. The output can be used to detect defects on the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2007Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Azmi Kadkly, Stephen Biellak, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
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Publication number: 20100060888Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for inspecting and/or classifying a wafer are provided. One computer-implemented includes detecting defects on a wafer using one or more defect detection parameters, which are determined based on a non-spatially localized characteristic of the wafer that is determined using output responsive to light scattered from the wafer generated by an inspection system. Another computer-implemented method includes classifying a wafer based on a combination of a non-spatially localized characteristic of the wafer determined using output responsive to light scattered from the wafer generated by an inspection system and a spatially localized characteristic of the wafer determined using the output.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2008Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventors: Juergen Reich, Louis Vintro, Prasanna Dighe, Andrew Steinbach, Daniel Kavaldjiev, Stephen Biellak
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Publication number: 20090299655Abstract: Systems and methods for determining two or more characteristics of a wafer are provided. The two or more characteristics include a characteristic of the wafer that is spatially localized in at least one dimension and a characteristic of the wafer that is not spatially localized in two dimensions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2008Publication date: December 3, 2009Inventors: Stephen Biellak, Daniel Kavaldjiev
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Patent number: 7623229Abstract: Systems and methods for inspecting wafers are provided. One system includes a detection subsystem configured to separately and simultaneously detect light scattered from different portions of a single spot obliquely, or normally, illuminated on a wafer and to separately generate output responsive to the separately detected light that can be used to detect defects on the wafer. The system can, therefore, effectively perform a multi-spot type of inspection of the wafer using only a single obliquely or normally illuminated spot on the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2008Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Stephen Biellak
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Patent number: 7554656Abstract: Methods and systems for inspection of a wafer are provided. One method includes illuminating the wafer with light at a first wavelength that penetrates into the wafer and light at a second wafer that does not substantially penetrate into the wafer. The method also includes generating output signals responsive to light from the wafer resulting from the illuminating step. In addition, the method includes detecting defects on the wafer using the output signals. The method further includes determining if the defects are subsurface defects or surface defects using the output signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2005Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: David Shortt, Stephen Biellak, Alexander Belyaev
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Publication number: 20090040525Abstract: Systems configured to inspect a wafer are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to illuminate an area on the wafer by directing light to the wafer at an oblique angle of incidence. The system also includes a collection subsystem configured to simultaneously collect light scattered from different spots within the illuminated area and to focus the light collected from the different spots to corresponding positions in an image plane. In addition, the system includes a detection subsystem configured to separately detect the light focused to the corresponding positions in the image plane and to separately generate output responsive to the light focused to the corresponding positions in the image plane. The output can be used to detect defects on the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Azmi Kadkly, Stephen Biellak, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
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Patent number: 7489393Abstract: A system and method for inspection is disclosed. The design includes focusing illumination beams of radiation at an optical axis to an array of illuminated elongated spots on the surface at oblique angle(s) of incidence to the surface, performing a linear scan along a linear axis, wherein the linear axis is offset from the optical axis by a not insubstantial angular quantity, and imaging scattered radiation from the spots onto an array of receivers so that each receiver in the array receives scattered radiation from a corresponding spot in the array of spots.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2005Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies CorporationInventors: Stephen Biellak, David Shortt
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Patent number: 7463349Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a characteristic of a specimen are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to direct light to a first set of spots on the specimen at a normal angle of incidence and to simultaneously direct light to a second set of spots on the specimen at an oblique angle of incidence. The system also includes a detection subsystem configured to detect light scattered from the first and second sets of spots simultaneously and to generate first output responsive to the light scattered from the first set of spots and second output responsive to the light scattered from the second set of spots. The first and second outputs can be used to determine the characteristic of the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2006Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Stephen Biellak, David Shortt
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Publication number: 20070081151Abstract: Methods and systems for inspection of a wafer are provided. One method includes illuminating the wafer with light at a first wavelength that penetrates into the wafer and light at a second wafer that does not substantially penetrate into the wafer. The method also includes generating output signals responsive to light from the wafer resulting from the illuminating step. In addition, the method includes detecting defects on the wafer using the output signals. The method further includes determining if the defects are subsurface defects or surface defects using the output signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2005Publication date: April 12, 2007Inventors: David Shortt, Stephen Biellak, Alexander Belyaev
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Publication number: 20060197946Abstract: A system and method for inspection is disclosed. The design includes focusing illumination beams of radiation at an optical axis to an array of illuminated elongated spots on the surface at oblique angle(s) of incidence to the surface, performing a linear scan along a linear axis, wherein the linear axis is offset from the optical axis by a not insubstantial angular quantity, and imaging scattered radiation from the spots onto an array of receivers so that each receiver in the array receives scattered radiation from a corresponding spot in the array of spots.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2005Publication date: September 7, 2006Inventors: Stephen Biellak, David Shortt
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Publication number: 20030011760Abstract: Systems and methods for inspecting a surface of a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer are provided. A system may include an illumination system configured to direct a first beam of light to a surface of the specimen at an oblique angle of incidence and to direct a second beam of light to a surface of the specimen at a substantially normal angle. The system may also include a collection system configured to collect at least a portion of the first and second beams of light returned from the surface of the specimen. In addition, the system may include a detection system. The detection system may be configured to process the collected portions of the first and second beams of light. In this manner, a presence of defects on the specimen may be detected from the collected portions of the first and second beams of light.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2002Publication date: January 16, 2003Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Stan Stokowski, Stephen Biellak, Jamie Sullivan, Keith Wells, Mehrdad Nikoonahad
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Patent number: 5627852Abstract: A semiconductor laser apparatus for broad-angle far-field addressing is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a laser block with lasing cavities. The lasing cavity mirrors are made by dry-etching of the semiconductor block. The width of a lasing cavity is defined by a p contact pad on the laser block; further lateral confinement of current to the cavity is achieved by proton implantation followed by etching of the proton layer. The apparatus achieves quasi-continuous beam steering with a total steering angle of 80.degree. and with 11 resolvable spots.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1995Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityInventors: Yan Sun, Daniel A. Francis, Stephen A. Biellak, Constance J. Chang-Hasnain