Youling Lin

US Patent:

6483938, Nov 19, 2002

Filed:

Mar 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/519678

Inventors:

A. Kathleen Hennessey - Lubbock TX
YouLing Lin - Plano TX
Rajasekar Reddy - Dallas TX
C. Rinn Cleavelin - Lubbock TX
Pinar Kinikoglu - Plano TX
Wan S. Wong - Plano TX

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G06K 900

US Classification:

382149, 382218, 382224

Abstract:

A method and system for generating and managing a knowledgebase for use in identifying anomalies on a manufactured object, such as a semiconductor wafer, includes measures for adding, deleting, and organizing data from the knowledgebase.

US Patent:

6813376, Nov 2, 2004

Filed:

Oct 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/697807

Inventors:

Kathleen Hennessey - Richardson TX
Youling Lin - Richardson TX
Yongqiang Liu - Plano TX
Veera V. S. Khaja - Plano TX
Yonghang Fu - Plano TX

Assignee:

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. - Flanders NJ

International Classification:

G06K 900

US Classification:

382145, 382149, 382151, 3562372, 3562375, 257E2153, 438 16

Abstract:

A method of collating and using captured semiconductor-wafer image data in an automated defect analysis. The method includes the steps of receiving image data and, if necessary, converting it to a digital format. Once the data is in pixel-by-pixel form, each pixel is assigned a slope value derived from the direction of the structure edge, if any, on which it lies. The pixel-slope data is then evaluated to determine whether a photo-resist anomaly is present. The method may also include evaluated an average pixel slope value for each inspected wafer. Dependant claims further define the invention to claim an inspection system for employing the method.

US Patent:

6847443, Jan 25, 2005

Filed:

Dec 18, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/322582

Inventors:

David W. Herod - Greenville TX, US
Youling Lin - Richardson TX, US

Assignee:

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. - Flanders NJ

International Classification:

G01N 2188

US Classification:

3562372, 3562371, 25055927

Abstract:

A system and method for detecting defects in surface structures, such as those formed on semiconductor wafers. A light source, preferably a strobe light, provides illumination that is separated by a filter into a plurality of selected bandwidths. The light then is transported through a fiber optic cable to a diffuser, and from there directed toward the surface. A camera captures a plurality of images, each image formed by a separate portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The images may be formed by either reflected or diffracted light, or both. The images may be stored or compared to an image of a calibration wafer.

US Patent:

6864971, Mar 8, 2005

Filed:

Mar 8, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/094119

Inventors:

YouLing Lin - Richardson TX, US
A. Kathleen Hennessey - Richardson TX, US
Yongqiang Liu - Plano TX, US
Yonghang Fu - Plano TX, US
Masami Yamashita - Kumamoto, JP
Ichiro Shimomura - Kikuyo-machi, JP

Assignee:

ISOA, Inc. - Richardson TX

International Classification:

G01N021/88

US Classification:

3562374, 3562375, 3562372, 25055944

Abstract:

A system and method for performing optical inspection of structures on the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The wafer surface is illuminated with a polychromatic light source. A multiple-charged couple-device (CCD) camera is positioned to capture light diffracted by the structures on the wafer surface at the first order of diffraction. The captured light is then separated into a plurality of component wavelengths which are directed onto the CCDs. A digital filter creates a plurality of digitized diffractive images of the wafer surface at different component wavelengths. The diffractive images may be integrated and analyzed to detect defects in the structures, or may be, analyzed individually. An image at a particular wavelength may be selected and analyzed by using the known grating pitch of the structures to calculate the wavelength.

US Patent:

7039228, May 2, 2006

Filed:

Nov 19, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/444034

Inventors:

Ramakrishna Pattikonda - Dallas TX, US
Youling Lin - Plano TX, US

Assignee:

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. - Flanders NJ

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382145, 382165, 356603, 348 87

Abstract:

An optical inspection system and method for inspecting a component on a printed circuit board (PCB) which determines three-dimensional information in a single scan. A first visual light source illuminates the PCB surface and component with a green light while a second visual light source illuminates the PCB and component with a blue light. At least one laser light source simultaneously illuminates the surface of the PCB with a narrow coherent red-light laser beam. The laser light source is mounted off vertical on a movable mount which enables the laser beam to be directed over an area of interest on the surface of the PCB. The system also includes a color scan camera mounted vertically above the PCB. The camera has red, green, and blue channels. The green and blue channels capture an image of the illuminated surface of the PCB which is used by a computer to determine two-dimensional information about the component.

US Patent:

7206442, Apr 17, 2007

Filed:

Nov 18, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/298391

Inventors:

David W. Herod - Greenville TX, US
Kathleen Hennessey - Richardson TX, US
Youling Lin - Richardson TX, US

Assignee:

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. - Flanders NJ

International Classification:

G06K 9/00
G01N 21/00

US Classification:

382141, 3562375

Abstract:

A system and method for inspecting structures formed on the surface of an object using ultraviolet (UV) light. The object is placed in position and illuminated with at least one wavelength of UV light, directed at its surface from a UV source. At the moment of illumination, an image is captured by a UV-light sensitive camera positioned at an angle calculated to intercept light diffracted at particular an angle of diffraction associated with the pattern of structures formed on the surface of the object. To avoid having to repeatedly reposition the camera, one (or more in succession) illumination wavelength is selected to direct an intensity peak associated with a particular order of diffraction at the camera location. Ideally, a visible-light sensitive camera is also used to capture images of the surface when illumination with UV light results in the emanation of light in the visible portion of the spectrum.

US Patent:

7359577, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Jul 13, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/889038

Inventors:

Yan Wang - Richardson TX, US
Youling Lin - Richardson TX, US

International Classification:

G06K 9/32

US Classification:

382294, 382141, 382145, 382151, 348 87, 348 95

Abstract:

A system for precisely measuring layer-to-layer mis-registration is provided. The system includes a new type of mark and a comparison system, which compare the right and left signals from the mark to eliminate non-alignment noise, to enlarge the alignment information hundreds times then the actual shiftiness between two layers and to measure the mis-registration.

US Patent:

6205239, Mar 20, 2001

Filed:

May 30, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/866553

Inventors:

YouLing Lin - Plano TX
A. Kathleen Hennessey - Lubbock TX
Ramakrishna Pattikonda - Dallas TX
Rajasekar Reddy - Dallas TX
Veera S. Khaja - Dallas TX
C. Rinn Cleavelin - Lubbock TX

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G06K 900

US Classification:

382149

Abstract:

A system and method for repairing a defect on a manufactured object, which may be a semiconductor wafer, uses a computer and a repair tool. The method includes placing the manufactured device on a moveable stage; capturing and preparing a digital-pixel-based representation of the image; symbolically decomposing the digital-pixel-based representation of an image to create a primitive-based representation of the image; analyzing the primitive-based representation of the image to detect and locate an anomaly; isolating primitives associated with the anomaly; comparing the isolated primitives associated with the anomaly with primitives in a knowledgebase to locate a set of primitives in the knowledgebase that are most like the isolated primitives associated with the anomaly; assigning a defect-type label associated with the set of primitives in the knowledge base that was most similar to the isolated primitives associated with the anomaly; and using a repair tool to repair the defect based on defect-type label for the anomaly.