US 12,444,064 B2
Quantitative linear independent vector based method (QLIVBM) for image alignment
Qilong Huang, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/801,185.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/534,351, filed on Aug. 24, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0069242 A1, Feb. 27, 2025
Int. Cl. G06T 7/33 (2017.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01)
CPC G06T 7/337 (2017.01) [G06T 7/001 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system configured for image alignment, comprising:
an imaging subsystem configured to generate images of a specimen; and
a computer subsystem configured for:
separately aligning candidate alignment target images in the images generated for the specimen to corresponding setup images for setup alignment targets selected to have mutually linearly independent vectors between locations of the setup alignment targets and a reference location;
for each of one or more of the candidate alignment target images successfully aligned to its one of the corresponding setup images, separately determining coordinates of the reference location in the images generated for the specimen from coordinates for said each of the one or more of the candidate alignment target images and its corresponding one of the mutually linearly independent vectors; and
determining final coordinates of the reference location in the images generated for the specimen from the separately determined coordinates of the reference location.