Farid Askary

US Patent:

6873747, Mar 29, 2005

Filed:

Jul 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/911763

Inventors:

Farid Askary - Santa Clara CA, US

International Classification:

G06K009/32

US Classification:

382295, 382276

Abstract:

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method for measuring pitch in data obtained from metrology and imaging systems is provided. A data set from a metrology or imaging instrument is obtained. The data set is converted into digital format if not already in that format. The digitized data set is mapped into a one-dimensional profile data if the digitized data set is not already one-dimensional. The one-dimensional profile data denoted by f(x) is a function of x position values corresponding to equally spaced or nearly equally spaced pixels. A criteria function g(T) is constructed as a one-dimensional data array from the profile data f(x) or any of its derivatives and a translation of the profile data f(x) denote by f(x+T) or any of its derivatives. Here, T represents the amount of translation, and g(T) is a function of T translation values corresponding to equally spaced or nearly equally spaced pixels. A value of translation T is then determined either as a whole pixel or with subpixel interpolation such that the magnitude of g(T) would be either a maximum or a minimum whichever appropriate at said value, wherein the determined value is not zero.

US Patent:

58698337, Feb 9, 1999

Filed:

Jan 16, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/784749

Inventors:

Neil Richardson - Palo Alto CA
Farid Askary - Santa Clara CA
Stefano E. Concina - San Jose CA
Kevin M. Monahan - Cupertino CA
David L. Adler - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Kla-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01J 3700

US Classification:

250310

Abstract:

A system and method for controlling electron exposure on image specimens by adjusting a raster scan area in-between scan frame cycles. A small, zoomed-in, scan area and the surrounding area are flooded with positive charge for a number of frame cycles between scan frames to reduce the voltage differential between the scan area and surrounding area, thereby reducing the positive charge buildup which tends to obscure small features in scanned images. The peak current into a pixel element on the specimen is reduced by scanning the beam with a line period that is very short compared to regular video. Frames of image data may further be acquired non-sequentially, in arbitrarily programmable patterns. Alternatively, an inert gas can be injected into the scanning electron microscope at the point where the electron beam impinges the specimen to neutralize a charge build-up on the specimen by the ionization of the inert gas by the electron beam.

US Patent:

47744162, Sep 27, 1988

Filed:

Sep 24, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/911380

Inventors:

Farid Askary - Santa Clara CA
Mohammad R. K. Farnaam - Santa Clara CA
Mehdi Balooch - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

Plaser Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H05H 300

US Classification:

2504922

Abstract:

A large cross-section molecular beam source for the controlled delivery of a reactant species to provide deposition or etching over a generally large cross-sectional surface area of a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a source of the reactant species, typically as a gaseous material, a microchannel array for providing a directionalized, low divergence molecular beam of the reactant species having a cross-sectional dimension directly comparable to that of the substrate. The apparatus further includes a substrate mount that maintains the substrate so as to allow the direct impingement of the columnarized molecular beam on the wide area surface of the substrate. The reactant species source, microchannel array and substrate mount are housed within a vacuum chamber adapted to maintain a vacuum sufficient to enable the formation of the directionalized molecular beam of the reactant species upon its passing through the microchannel array.

US Patent:

62115189, Apr 3, 2001

Filed:

Nov 18, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/195097

Inventors:

Neil Richardson - Palo Alto CA
Farid Askary - Santa Clara CA
Stefano E. Concina - San Jose CA
Kevin M. Monahan - Cupertino CA
David L. Adler - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Kla-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01J 3700

US Classification:

250310

Abstract:

A system and method for controlling electron exposure on image specimens by adjusting a raster scan area in-between scan frame cycles. A small, zoomed-in, scan area and the surrounding area are flooded with positive charge for a number of frame cycles between scan frames to reduce the voltage differential between the scan area and surrounding area, thereby reducing the positive charge buildup which tends to obscure small features in scanned images. The peak current into a pixel element on the specimen is reduced by scanning the beam with a line period that is very short compared to regular video. Frames of image data may further be acquired non-sequentially, in arbitrarily programmable patterns. Alternatively, an inert gas can be injected into the scanning electron microscope at the point where the electron beam impinges the specimen to neutralize a charge build-up on the specimen by the ionization of the inert gas by the electron beam.