US 11,727,557 B2
Inspection apparatus for detecting defects in photomasks and dies
Kang Won Lee, Hwaseong-si (KR); Cheol Ki Min, Seoul (KR); Jong Ju Park, Hwaseong-si (KR); and Hyon Seok Song, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on May 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/661,830.
Application 16/886,591 is a division of application No. 16/013,417, filed on Jun. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,726,541, issued on Jul. 28, 2020.
Application 17/661,830 is a continuation of application No. 16/886,591, filed on May 28, 2020, granted, now 11,354,798.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2017-0146122 (KR), filed on Nov. 3, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0261976 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06T 7/33 (2017.01)
CPC G06T 7/001 (2013.01) [G06T 7/337 (2017.01); G06T 7/97 (2017.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for inspecting a photomask in a defect inspecting apparatus, comprising:
generating a first reference image and a second reference image from design layout data of the photomask;
obtaining a first inspection image of a first inspection region of the photomask and obtaining a second inspection image of a second inspection region of the photomask by directing light onto the photomask;
extracting a first coordinate offset by comparing the first inspection image with the first reference image; and
extracting a second coordinate offset by comparing the second inspection image with the second reference image,
wherein the first reference image and the second reference image respectively include pixels smaller than pixels of the first inspection image and the second inspection image.