Karen D Badger, 671163 Decker Rd, Georgia, VT 05468

7443497, Oct 28, 2008

Aug 31, 2005

11/162179

Karen D. Badger - Milton VT, US
David L. Katcoff - Jericho VT, US
Jeffrey P. Lissor - Plainfield VT, US
Christopher K. Magg - Jericho VT, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G01N 21/00

3562374

Methods, systems, program storage devices and computer program products for mask inspection that automate the detection and placement of do not inspect regions (“DNIR”) for intentionally induced defects on masks. A location of an intentional defect is identified on a mask, and then logic relating to this location is translated into a shape that represents a DNIR for the intentional defect. A second shape representing another DNIR of the mask is provided. It is then determined if the first and second shapes for DNIRs violate a processing rule of the inspection tool, and if so, the violated rule is corrected for by generating a single contiguous DNIR by overlapping the first and second shapes. The inspection tool then utilizes the first and second shapes representing DNIRs, along with any single contiguous DNIRs, to inspect the mask for unintentional defects while avoiding intentional defects.

7450748, Nov 11, 2008

Dec 2, 2003

10/725854

Karen D. Badger - Georgia VT, US
James A. Culp - Downingtown PA, US
Azalia A. Krasnoperova - Mahwah NJ, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06K 9/00

382144, 382145, 382147, 382149, 382150

A mask inspection method and system. Provided is a mask fabrication database describing geometrical shapes S to be printed as part of a mask pattern on a reticle to fabricate a mask through use of a mask fabrication tooling. The shapes S appear on the mask as shapes S′ upon being printed. At least one of the shapes S′ may be geometrically distorted relative to a corresponding at least one of the shapes S due to a lack of precision in the mask fabrication tooling. Also provided is a mask inspection database to be used for inspecting the mask after the mask has been fabricated by the mask fabrication tooling. The mask inspection database describes shapes S″ approximating the shapes S′. A geometric distortion between the shapes S′ and S″ is less than a corresponding geometric distortion between the shapes S′ and S.

7619730, Nov 17, 2009

Jun 26, 2008

12/146978

Karen D. Badger - Milton VT, US
David L. Katcoff - Jericho VT, US
Jeffrey P. Lissor - Plainfield VT, US
Christopher K. Magg - Jericho VT, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G01N 21/00

3562374

Methods, systems, program storage devices and computer program products for mask inspection that automate the detection and placement of do not inspect regions (“DNIR”) for intentionally induced defects on masks. A location of an intentional defect is identified on a mask, and then logic relating to this location is translated into a shape that represents a DNIR for the intentional defect. A second shape representing another DNIR of the mask is provided. It is then determined if the first and second shapes for DNIRs violate a processing rule of the inspection tool, and if so, the violated rule is corrected for by generating a single contiguous DNIR by overlapping the first and second shapes. The inspection tool then utilizes the first and second shapes representing DNIRs, along with any single contiguous DNIRs, to inspect the mask for unintentional defects while avoiding intentional defects.

7742632, Jun 22, 2010

Oct 13, 2006

11/549263

Karen D. Badger - Georgia VT, US
Michael S. Hibbs - Westford VT, US
Christopher K. Magg - Essex Junction VT, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06K 9/00

382144

An inspection system uses inspection data biased to compensate for mismatches that occur as a result of using an optical lithography system to print an alternating phase shift mask that operates at a wavelength of light that is different from the wavelength of light that an inspection system uses to inspect the mask for defects.

7974802, Jul 5, 2011

Mar 7, 2008

12/044032

Karen D. Badger - Milton VT, US
Jim B. Densmore - Morrisville VT, US
Christopher R. Gillman - Burlington VT, US
Kathleen G. Purdy - Richmond VT, US
Cynthia Whiteside - Charlotte VT, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G01N 37/00

702 83, 702 35, 702 82, 382144, 382149, 430 5, 700109, 700117

A method optimizes photomask inspection. After masks are manufactured, the method predicts the likelihood that the masks will be defect free based on defect criteria, etch area, etch mode, and etch tool type associated with the masks. The method skips an initial mask inspection for masks that have a predictability value above a predetermined value and performs the initial mask inspection for masks that have a predictability value below the predetermined value. After initial inspection is preformed (or skipped), a pellicle is mounted on the mask and then all masks are inspected or reinspected for defects and foreign matter.

8437967, May 7, 2013

Jan 27, 2010

12/694359

Karen D. Badger - Georgia VT, US
Karen Strube Edwards - Milton VT, US
Patricia Mae Hynek - Jericho VT, US
John M. Leonard - Essex Junction VT, US
Maureen Fitzpatrick McFadden - Burlington VT, US
David A. Merchant - Milton VT, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G01B 5/28
G06F 11/30

702 35, 702117, 702182, 702183

A method of and system for inspecting multi-layer reticles. The method includes: selecting a multi-layer reticle having an array of cells arranged in R rows and C columns; defining a full inspection region that includes all cells of the array of cells; and when R is equal to one (or is greater than two) and C is greater than two (or is equal to one) and a cell of the array of cells is a dummy cell in a first or last position of a row (or of a column) of the array of cells, then reducing the full inspection region to generate a shrunken inspection region that does not include the dummy cell, and then inspecting the shrunken inspection region for defects. If the dummy cell is between two non-dummy cells, then the dummy cell is a copy of one of the non-dummy cells, but is not inspected.

8538129, Sep 17, 2013

Oct 9, 2009

12/576597

Karen D. Badger - Milton VT, US
Emily E Gallagher - Burlington VT, US
Christoper Magg - Essex Junction VT, US

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G06K 9/00

382144

A method for characterizing the resolution of mask inspection tool using a test mask and a database containing defect data. A variety of defect types and sizes is programmed into the database, and the database is then used to inspect the defect-free mask. All defects programmed into the database are not captured in performing the method, so the resolution capability of an inspection tool can be determined.

2007017, Jul 26, 2007

Jan 25, 2006

11/275695

Karen Badger - Georgia VT, US
Emily Gallagher - Burlington VT, US
Ian Stobert - Jeffersonville VT, US
Alexander Wei - Poughkeepsie NY, US

G01N 37/00
G06F 19/00

702083000

A method of and article for determining photomask inspection capabilities. The article comprises a photomask having a first array of a plurality of test pattern shapes that include ordered variations of a first shape variable, from a largest to a smallest dimension, and a second array of a plurality of test pattern shapes, that include the ordered variations of the first shape variable and further include ordered variations of a second shape variable, from a largest to a smallest dimension. The method includes inspecting the first array of test pattern shapes of the photomask in order of the variations of the first shape variable. If at least two consecutive first test pattern shapes in the first array fail an inspection criteria, the failed consecutive first test pattern shapes are marked as failed. The method then includes marking for inspection in the second array of test pattern shapes of the photomask those shapes having first shape variables in the vicinity of those of the failed consecutive first test pattern shapes, and inspecting the marked second array of test pattern shapes in order of the variations of the first shape variable. If at least two consecutive second test pattern shapes of the marked second array test pattern shapes fail an inspection criteria, the failed consecutive second test pattern shapes are marked as failed.