US 12,444,628 B2
Image modeling-assisted contour extraction
Stefan Eyring, Weilburg (DE); Zhijin Chen, Milpitas, CA (US); and Frank Laske, Weilmunster (DE)
Assigned to KLA CORPORATION, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by KLA CORPORATION, Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/849,554.
Prior Publication US 2023/0420278 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01)
CPC H01L 21/67276 (2013.01) [G06T 7/0004 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a particle beam source that generates a particle beam;
a stage configured to hold a wafer in a path of the particle beam;
a detector that receives particles from the wafer; and
a processor in electronic communication with the detector, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive an image of a structure on the wafer;
determine a contour of a structure in the image of the wafer;
determine a simulated image of the structure from a design of the wafer, wherein the simulated image includes at least one error that accounts for noise sources and imaging properties of the system;
determine a contour of the structure in the simulated image;
compare the contour of the structure in the image and the contour of the structure in the simulated image;
determine a difference in polygons between the contour of the structure in the image and the contour of the structure in the simulated image;
determine a modified design of the structure based on the difference in polygons;
determine a second simulated image of the structure from the modified design, wherein the second simulated image accounts for noise sources and imaging properties of the system;
determine a contour of the structure in the second simulated image; and
compare the contour of the structure in the image and the contour of the structure in the second simulated image.