Patents by Inventor Vivekanand Kini

Vivekanand Kini 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).

  • Method and system for adaptively scanning a sample during electron beam inspection
    Patent number: 9734987
    Abstract: A system for adaptive electron beam scanning may include an inspection sub-system configured to scan an electron beam across the surface of a sample. The inspection sub-system may include an electron beam source, a sample stage, a set of electron-optic elements, a detector assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more portions of the inspection sub-system. The controller may assess one or more characteristics of one or more portions of an area of the sample for inspection and, responsive to the assessed one or more characteristics, adjust one or more scan parameters of the inspection sub-system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Fan, David Chen, Vivekanand Kini, Hong Xiao
  • Method and System for Adaptively Scanning a Sample During Electron Beam Inspection
    Publication number: 20160155605
    Abstract: A system for adaptive electron beam scanning may include an inspection sub-system configured to scan an electron beam across the surface of a sample. The inspection sub-system may include an electron beam source, a sample stage, a set of electron-optic elements, a detector assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more portions of the inspection sub-system. The controller may assess one or more characteristics of one or more portions of an area of the sample for inspection and, responsive to the assessed one or more characteristics, adjust one or more scan parameters of the inspection sub-system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Fan, David Chen, Vivekanand Kini, Hong Xiao
  • Method and system for adaptively scanning a sample during electron beam inspection
    Patent number: 9257260
    Abstract: A system for adaptive electron beam scanning may include an inspection sub-system configured to scan an electron beam across the surface of a sample. The inspection sub-system may include an electron beam source, a sample stage, a set of electron-optic elements, a detector assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more portions of the inspection sub-system. The controller may assess one or more characteristics of one or more portions of an area of the sample for inspection and, responsive to the assessed one or more characteristics, adjust one or more scan parameters of the inspection sub-system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Fan, David Chen, Vivekanand Kini, Hong Xiao
  • Method and System for Adaptively Scanning a Sample During Electron Beam Inspection
    Publication number: 20140319342
    Abstract: A system for adaptive electron beam scanning may include an inspection sub-system configured to scan an electron beam across the surface of a sample. The inspection sub-system may include an electron beam source, a sample stage, a set of electron-optic elements, a detector assembly and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more portions of the inspection sub-system. The controller may assess one or more characteristics of one or more portions of an area of the sample for inspection and, responsive to the assessed one or more characteristics, adjust one or more scan parameters of the inspection sub-system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Fan, David Chen, Vivekanand Kini, Hong Xiao
  • Flexible hybrid defect classification for semiconductor manufacturing
    Patent number: 7142992
    Abstract: Hybrid methods for classifying defects in semiconductor manufacturing are provided. The methods include applying a flexible sequence of rules for defects to inspection data. The sequence of rules includes deterministic rules, statistical rules, hybrid rules, or some combination thereof. The rules included in the sequence may be selected by a user using a graphical interface. The method also includes classifying the defects based on results of applying the sequence of rules to the inspection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Patrick Huet, Maruti Shanbhag, Sandeep Bhagwat, Michal Kowalski, Vivekanand Kini, David Randall, Sharon McCauley, Tong Huang, Jianxin Zhang, Kenong Wu, Lisheng Gao, Ariel Tribble, Ashok Kulkarni, Cecelia Anne Campochiaro
  • FLEXIBLE HYBRID DEFECT CLASSIFICATION FOR SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING
    Publication number: 20060265145
    Abstract: Hybrid methods for classifying defects in semiconductor manufacturing are provided. The methods include applying a flexible sequence of rules for defects to inspection data. The sequence of rules includes deterministic rules, statistical rules, hybrid rules, or some combination thereof. The rules included in the sequence may be selected by a user using a graphical interface The method also includes classifying the defects based on results of applying the sequence of rules to the inspection data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Patrick Huet, Maruti Shanbhag, Sandeep Bhagwat, Michal Kowalski, Vivekanand Kini, David Randall, Sharon McCauley, Tong Huang, Jianxin Zhang, Kenong Wu, Lisheng Gao, Ariel Tribble, Ashok Kulkarni, Cecelia Anne Campochiaro