Abstract: Systems and methods increase the signal to noise ratio of optical inspection of wafers to obtain higher inspection sensitivity. The computed reference image can minimize a norm of the difference of the test image and the computed reference image. A difference image between the test image and a computed reference image is determined. The computed reference image includes a linear combination of a second set of images.

Abstract: Block-to-block reticle inspection includes acquiring a swath image of a portion of a reticle with a reticle inspection sub-system, identifying a first occurrence of a block in the swatch image and at least a second occurrence of the block in the swath image substantially similar to the first occurrence of the block and determining at least one of a location, one or more geometrical characteristics of the block and a spatial offset between the first occurrence of the block and the at least a second occurrence of the block.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for inspecting photolithographic reticles. A first and second reticle that were fabricated with a same design are obtained. A first and second reticle image of the first and second reticles are also obtained. The first reticle image is compared to the second reticle image to output a difference image having a plurality of difference events corresponding to candidate defects on either the first or second reticle. An inspection report of the candidate defects is then generated.

Abstract: Systems and methods increase the signal to noise ratio of optical inspection of wafers to obtain higher inspection sensitivity. The computed reference image can minimize a norm of the difference of the test image and the computed reference image. A difference image between the test image and a computed reference image is determined. The computed reference image includes a linear combination of a second set of images.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for inspecting photolithographic reticles. A first and second reticle that were fabricated with a same design are obtained. A first and second reticle image of the first and second reticles are also obtained. The first reticle image is compared to the second reticle image to output a difference image having a plurality of difference events corresponding to candidate defects on either the first or second reticle. An inspection report of the candidate defects is then generated.

Abstract: A reticle that is within specifications is inspected to generate baseline candidate defects and their location and size. After using the reticle in photolithography, the reticle is inspected to generate current candidate defects and their location and size. An inspection report of filtered candidate defects and their images is generated so that these candidate defects include a first subset of the current candidate defects and their images and exclude a second subset of the current candidate defects and their images. Each of the first subset of candidate defects has a location and size that fails to match any baseline candidate defect's location and size, and each of the excluded second subset of candidate defects has a location and size that matches a baseline candidate defect's location and size.

Abstract: Block-to-block reticle inspection includes acquiring a swath image of a portion of a reticle with a reticle inspection sub-system, identifying a first occurrence of a block in the swatch image and at least a second occurrence of the block in the swath image substantially similar to the first occurrence of the block and determining at least one of a location, one or more geometrical characteristics of the block and a spatial offset between the first occurrence of the block and the at least a second occurrence of the block.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting a photolithographic reticle. An inspection tool is used to obtain a plurality of patch area images of each patch area of each die of a set of identical dies on a reticle. An integrated intensity value for each patch area image is determined. A gain is applied to the integrated intensity value for each patch area image based on a pattern sparseness metric of such patch area image and its relative value to other patch area images' pattern sparseness metric. A difference between the integrated intensity value of each patch of pairs of the dies, which each pair includes a test die and a reference die, is determined to form a difference intensity map of the reticle. The difference intensity map correlates with a feature characteristic variation that depends on feature edges of the reticle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for integrated multi-pass reticle inspection are provided. One method for inspecting a reticle includes acquiring at least first, second, and third images for the reticle. The first image is a substantially high resolution image of light transmitted by the reticle. The second image is a substantially high resolution image of light reflected from the reticle. The third image is an image of light transmitted by the reticle that is acquired with a substantially low numerical aperture. The method also includes detecting defects on the reticle using at least the first, second, and third images for the reticle in combination.

Abstract: Block-to-block reticle inspection includes acquiring a swath image of a portion of a reticle with a reticle inspection sub-system, identifying a first occurrence of a block in the swatch image and at least a second occurrence of the block in the swath image substantially similar to the first occurrence of the block and determining at least one of a location, one or more geometrical characteristics of the block and a spatial offset between the first occurrence of the block and the at least a second occurrence of the block.

Abstract: Methods and systems for integrated multi-pass reticle inspection are provided. One method for inspecting a reticle includes acquiring at least first, second, and third images for the reticle. The first image is a substantially high resolution image of light transmitted by the reticle. The second image is a substantially high resolution image of light reflected from the reticle. The third image is an image of light transmitted by the reticle that is acquired with a substantially low numerical aperture. The method also includes detecting defects on the reticle using at least the first, second, and third images for the reticle in combination.

Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.

Abstract: A reticle that is within specifications is inspected to generate baseline candidate defects and their location and size. After using the reticle in photolithography, the reticle is inspected to generate current candidate defects and their location and size. An inspection report of filtered candidate defects and their images is generated so that these candidate defects include a first subset of the current candidate defects and their images and exclude a second subset of the current candidate defects and their images. Each of the first subset of candidate defects has a location and size that fails to match any baseline candidate defect's location and size, and each of the excluded second subset of candidate defects has a location and size that matches a baseline candidate defect's location and size.

Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.

Abstract: A reticle that is within specifications is inspected so as to generate a baseline event indicating a location and a size value for each unusual reticle feature. After using the reticle in photolithography, the reticle is inspected so as to generate a current event indicating a location and a size value for each unusual reticle feature. An inspection report of candidate defects and their images is generated so that these candidate defects include a first subset of the current events and their corresponding candidate defect images and exclude a second subset of the current events and their corresponding excluded images. Each of the first included events has a location and size value that fails to match any baseline event's location and size value, and each of the excluded second events has a location and size value that matches a baseline event's location and size value.

Abstract: Methods and systems for integrated multi-pass reticle inspection are provided. One method for inspecting a reticle includes acquiring at least first, second, and third images for the reticle. The first image is a substantially high resolution image of light transmitted by the reticle. The second image is a substantially high resolution image of light reflected from the reticle. The third image is an image of light transmitted by the reticle that is acquired with a substantially low numerical aperture. The method also includes detecting defects on the reticle using at least the first, second, and third images for the reticle in combination.

Abstract: A method and system for generating high density registration maps for masks is disclosed. A data preparation module generates a plurality of anchor points of the mask. Additionally, the data preparation module generates a plurality of sample points. Weights are generated as well in the data preparation module and the weights are used later on in the data fusion module. The positions of anchor points are measured with a registration tool in a mask coordinate system according to a generated recipe. The positions of sample points are determined with an inspection tool in a mask coordinate system according to a generated recipe. The measured positions of the anchor points and the measured positions of the sample points are passed to a data fusion module where a registration map is determined.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting a photolithographic reticle. An inspection tool is used to obtain a plurality of patch area images of each patch area of each die of a set of identical dies on a reticle. An integrated intensity value for each patch area image is determined. A gain is applied to the integrated intensity value for each patch area image based on a pattern sparseness metric of such patch area image and its relative value to other patch area images' pattern sparseness metric. A difference between the integrated intensity value of each patch of pairs of the dies, which each pair includes a test die and a reference die, is determined to form a difference intensity map of the reticle. The difference intensity map correlates with a feature characteristic variation that depends on feature edges of the reticle.

Abstract: The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.

Abstract: Block-to-block reticle inspection includes acquiring a swath image of a portion of a reticle with a reticle inspection sub-system, identifying a first occurrence of a block in the swatch image and at least a second occurrence of the block in the swath image substantially similar to the first occurrence of the block and determining at least one of a location, one or more geometrical characteristics of the block and a spatial offset between the first occurrence of the block and the at least a second occurrence of the block.