Samsung patents method to fix chip mask defects with a tiny probe
Samsung describes a technique for cleaning up microscopic flaws in the stencils used to make computer chips. The method uses an atomic force microscope, a tool that scans surfaces with a needle-like tip, to identify and physically scrape away specific defects.
In the filing’s own words
A method of removing a defect of a mask may include generating a probe profile, the probe profile including characteristics of a probe of an atomic force microscope (AFM); generating a design-based reference image of a defect area by applying the probe profile to a design image of the defect area of the mask including a location of the defect; obtaining an AFM image of the defect area by scanning the defect area of the mask using the probe of the AFM; recognizing the defect as a recognized defect by comparing the AFM image of the defect area with the design-based reference image; and removing the recognized defect using the probe of the AFM.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of removing a defect of a mask, the method comprising: generating a probe profile, the probe profile including characteristics of a probe of an atomic force microscope (AFM); generating a design-based reference image of a defect area by applying the probe profile to a design image of the defect area of the mask including a location of the defect; obtaining an AFM image of the defect area by scanning the defect area of the mask using the probe of the AFM; recognizing the defect as a recognized defect by comparing the AFM image of the defect area with the design-based reference image; and removing the recognized defect using the probe of the AFM.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
- Official title
- Method of removing defect of mask
- Patent number
- US12736870B2
- Application number
- 18522627
- Filed
- Nov 29, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G03F 1/72 Physics & computingG01Q 30/04 Physics & computingG01Q 40/02 Physics & computingG01Q 60/38 Physics & computingG06T 7/001 Physics & computingG06T 2207/10061 Physics & computingMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.