20240046446. METHODS TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST ONE OR MORE PARAMETERS OF A CAMERA SYSTEM FOR OPTIMAL 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF FEATURES FORMED WITHIN/ON A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE simplified abstract (Tokyo Electron Limited)

METHODS TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST ONE OR MORE PARAMETERS OF A CAMERA SYSTEM FOR OPTIMAL 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF FEATURES FORMED WITHIN/ON A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE

Organization Name

Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor(s)

Mirko Vukovic of Albany NY (US)

Ryan Lloyd of Chaska MN (US)

METHODS TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST ONE OR MORE PARAMETERS OF A CAMERA SYSTEM FOR OPTIMAL 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF FEATURES FORMED WITHIN/ON A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240046446 titled 'METHODS TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST ONE OR MORE PARAMETERS OF A CAMERA SYSTEM FOR OPTIMAL 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF FEATURES FORMED WITHIN/ON A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE

Simplified Explanation

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for inspecting features on a semiconductor substrate. Specifically, it provides various embodiments of systems and methods to automatically adjust camera settings used to capture images of the features before generating a three-dimensional reconstruction of the feature.

• The disclosed systems and methods automatically adjust camera parameters or settings to optimize image capture.
• The camera system captures a stack of images of a feature on a semiconductor substrate.
• The images are processed to generate a three-dimensional reconstruction of the feature.
• The disclosed systems and methods may filter the images within the stack used for reconstruction.
• The camera system dynamically determines when enough images have been captured for accurate reconstruction.
• The disclosed systems and methods improve the accuracy and completeness of the three-dimensional reconstruction.
• The throughput of the wafer inspection process is improved.

Potential Applications:

• Semiconductor manufacturing: The technology can be used in the inspection and quality control of features formed on semiconductor substrates, ensuring accurate and complete three-dimensional reconstructions.
• Metrology: The systems and methods can be applied in metrology processes to measure and analyze features on semiconductor substrates, aiding in process optimization and quality assurance.

Problems Solved:

• Inaccurate reconstructions: The technology addresses the problem of incomplete or inaccurate three-dimensional reconstructions of features on semiconductor substrates.
• Manual adjustment: The systems and methods automate the adjustment of camera settings, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing human error.
• Throughput limitations: By dynamically determining when enough images have been captured, the technology improves the efficiency and throughput of the wafer inspection process.

Benefits:

• Improved accuracy: The technology provides more accurate and complete three-dimensional reconstructions of features, enhancing the quality control and inspection processes.
• Automation: The systems and methods automate the adjustment of camera settings, reducing the need for manual intervention and improving efficiency.
• Increased throughput: By dynamically determining when enough images have been captured, the technology improves the speed and throughput of the wafer inspection process.

Original Abstract Submitted

embodiments of systems and methods are disclosed for inspecting features formed within and/or on a semiconductor substrate. more specifically, the present disclosure provides various embodiments of systems and methods to automatically adjust one or more parameters (or camera settings) used by a camera system to capture a stack of images of a feature formed within and/or on a semiconductor substrate before the images are processed to generate a three-dimensional (3d) reconstruction of the feature. in some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may filter the images included within the stack of images used for 3d reconstruction and dynamically determine when the camera system has captured enough images for 3d reconstruction of the feature. in doing so, the disclosed systems and methods may provide a more complete and accurate 3d reconstruction of the feature, while improving throughput of the wafer inspection process.