Patent ID: 8165837
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A computerized method for categorizing defects on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: receiving as input to a processor a list of defects on the substrate, where each defect is represented by a defect location and an associated micro-defect code, analyzing the input with the processor to detect spatial clusters of defects on the substrate, analyzing the spatial clusters with the processor to determine which of the spatial clusters represent known macro-defects and which of the spatial clusters represent unknown macro-defects, for each defect that is included in one of the spatial clusters that is determined to be a known macro-defect, changing with the processor the micro-defect code associated with the defect to a macro-defect code that is associated solely with the known macro-defect, analyzing with the processor the defects that are included in one of the spatial clusters that is determined to be an unknown macro-defect to determine a predominantly occurring micro-defect code, and for each defect that is included in the one spatial cluster that is determined to be an unknown macro-defect, changing with the processor the micro-defect code associated with the defect to the predominantly-occurring micro-defect code, and sending as output from the processor the changed list of defects on the substrate.