IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,561,790
Granted Patent B2
US 12,561,790 · App. 18/894,540 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Method to calibrate, predict, and control stochastic defects in EUV lithography

Inventors: Pradeep Vukkadala (Santa Clara, CA); Cao Zhang (Ann Arbor, MI); Anatoly Burov (Austin, TX); Guy Parsey (Ann Arbor, MI); Kyeongeun Ko (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Sergei G. Bakarian (Mountain View, CA); Janez Krek (Milan, MI); Kunlun Bai (Campbell, CA); Craig Higgins (Cedar Park, CA); John S. Graves (Austin, TX); Mark D. Smith (San Jose, CA); John J. Biafore (North Scituate, RI)
Assignee: KLA Corporation
G06T7/0004G06T7/0006G06T2207/20081G06T2207/30148G06T2207/30164G06T2207/30242
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,561,790
App. No.
18/894,540
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Using an initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect over an inspection area of a workpiece, one or more defects within the inspection area are imaged using an optical tool or an electron beam tool. A probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect at each of the defect locations is generated using the model. The defect locations are grouped into probability bins. A consistency between the initial probability and observed results is determined and the model can be tuned based on the consistency.

Claims (41)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, an initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect over an inspection area of a workpiece, wherein the initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect is generated using a model;

imaging one or more defects within the inspection area using an optical tool or an electron beam tool, wherein the defects are each at a defect location;

generating, using the processor, a probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect at each of the defect locations using the model;

determining a desired resolution of a probability prediction for each of the probability bins using the processor;

grouping, using the processor, the defect locations into probability bins after determining the desired resolution;

determining, using the processor, a consistency between the initial probability and observed results; and

tuning the model based on the consistency.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an expected defect count within each of the probability bins using the processor.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the consistency is determined using binary cross-entropy, RMSe of expected versus observed count, binomial test for significance, or a Brier score.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging uses the electron beam tool.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the imaging occurs over a plurality of workpiece exposures.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining a defect frequency of the defects based on a defect count.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the defect locations are grouped by geometric pattern shapes on the workpiece.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect with the model using the processor.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program configured to instruct the processor to execute the method of claim 1 .

10 . A system comprising:

an inspection tool configured to image a workpiece; and

a processor in electronic communication with the inspection tool, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive an initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect over an inspection area of a workpiece, wherein the initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect is generated using a model;

send instructions to image one or more defects within the inspection area with an inspection using the inspection tool, wherein the defects are each at a defect location;

generate a probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect at each of the defect locations using the model;

determine a desired resolution of a probability prediction for each of the probability bins;

group the defect locations into probability bins after the desired resolution is determined;

determine a consistency between the initial probability and observed results; and

tune the model based on the consistency.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the inspection tool is an optical tool or an electron beam tool.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine an expected defect count within each of the probability bins.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the consistency is determined using binary cross-entropy, RMSe of expected versus observed count, binomial test for significance, or a Brier score.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the inspection tool is an electron beam tool, and wherein the imaging occurs over a plurality of workpiece exposures.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a defect frequency of the defects based on a defect count.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the defect locations are grouped by geometric pattern shapes on the workpiece.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect with the model.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising one or more programs for executing the following steps on one or more computing devices:

receive an initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect over an inspection area of a workpiece, wherein the initial probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect is generated using a model; and

send instructions to image one or more defects within the inspection area with an inspection using an optical tool or an electron beam tool, wherein the defects are each at a defect location;

generate a probability of occurrence of a stochastic defect at each of the defect locations using the model;

determine a desired resolution of a probability prediction for each of the probability bins;

group the defect locations into probability bins after the desired resolution is determined;

determine a consistency between the initial probability and observed results; and

tune the model based on the consistency.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2025
From: VUKKADALA, PRADEEP; ZHANG, CAO; BUROV, ANATOLY; PARSEY, GUY; KO, KYEONGEUN; BAKARIAN, SERGEI G.; KREK, JANEZ; BAI, KUNLUN; HIGGINS, CRAIG; GRAVES, JOHN S.; SMITH, MARK D.; BIAFORE, JOHN J.
To: KLA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072084/0309 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63540605 · Sep 26, 2023
Related Publication 20250104214A1 · Mar 27, 2025
References Cited (26)
US 10818001B2 · Leung et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10901325B2 · Gurevich et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11966156B2 · Vukkadala et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20190049858A1 · Gurevich et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210225609A1 · Mack · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210396692A1 · Fukuda · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220129775A1 · Burov et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230036062A1 · Matsuda et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230055365A1 · Kim · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230081821A1 · Batistakis · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230326710A1 · Eyring · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230333033A1 · Fukuda · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230401692A1 · He · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20250005739A1 · Jin · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20250104214A1 · Vukkadala · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20250104215A1 · Vukkadala · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20250104216A1 · Vukkadala · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20250104876A1 · Chen · 2025 [cited by examiner]
WO 2021043936A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WIPO, International Search Report and Written Opinion issued for PCT/US2024/048253, Jan. 9, 2025. [cited by applicant]
Latypov et al., Calibration of Gaussian random field stochastic EUV models, Proceedings of SPIE vol. 12051, Optical and EUV Nanolithography XXXV, 2022, 1205105. [cited by applicant]
Wang et al., Stochastic defect criticality prediction enabled by physical stochastic modeling and massive metrology, Proceedings of SPIE 11609, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography XII, 2021, 1160916. [cited by applicant]
De Bisschop, Stochastic printing failures in extreme ultraviolet lithography, Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, 2018, vol. 17, Issue 4, 041011. [cited by applicant]
De Bisschop et al., Empirical correlator for stochastic local CD uniformity in extreme ultraviolet lithography, Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology, 2022, vol. 21, Issue 3, 033201. [cited by applicant]
Levinson et al., Predicting very rare stochastic defects in EUVL processes for full-chip correction and verification, Proceedings of SPIE 11609, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography XII, 2021, 1160915, abstract. [cited by applicant]
Halder et al., Process window discovery methodology for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, Proceedings of SPIE 10959, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXXIII, 2019, 109591V. [cited by applicant]