Pattern recognition with the use of multiple images

Abstract

A pattern inspection apparatus and method that uses multiple images in a pattern recognition process used to detect defects in an object being inspected is disclosed. A user is provided with multiple image selection windows allowing the user to select multiple desired images from the object to form a pattern to be recognized within the object. The multiple desired images will be substantially free from undesired features of the object. Once the multiple desired images are selected, the spatial relationship between them is determined and used to learn the pattern to be recognized. The spatial relationship between the desired images further filters out undesired features. The pattern to be recognized is used in a subsequent pattern recognition analysis. Since the pattern to be recognized includes only desired images and their relationship, undesired features that could corrupt the pattern recognition analysis are not present during the analysis.

1 - 39 . (canceled)  
     
     
         40 . An inspection for inspecting a manufacturing device used in a manufacturing process, said apparatus comprising: 
 means for scanning the device;    means for displaying a plurality of images corresponding to respective scanned areas of the device;    means for inputting at least two desired scanned images to be inspected, wherein the desired scanned images are selected from the images corresponding to the scanned areas of the device;    means for deriving a spatial relationship between the input desired scanned images; and    means for forming a pattern to be recognized on the device from the input desired scanned images and the derived spatial relationship.    
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 40  further comprising: 
 means for storing information associated with the input desired scanned images and the derived spatial relationship on a computer readable medium.    
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41  further comprising: 
 means for using said stored input desired scanned images and the stored derived spatial relationship in a pattern recognition analysis to detect defects in the device.    
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 41  further comprising: 
 means for using said stored input desired scanned images and the stored derived spatial relationship in a pattern recognition analysis to detect desired patterns in the device.    
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein said inputting means comprises: 
 means for displaying at least two image selection windows with the displayed images; and    means for inputting data corresponding to the input desired scanned images in response to a user placing the at least two image selection windows over respective displayed images.    
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein said inputting means comprises: 
 means for displaying an image selection window with the displayed images;    means for inputting data corresponding to one of the input desired scanned images in response to a user placing the image selection window over a displayed image; and    means for determining if another image selection window is required.    
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the device is a semiconductor wafer.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the areas are contacts formed in the wafer.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the contact areas have desired and undesired features and said inputting means comprises: 
 means for displaying at least two image selection windows with the displayed images; and    means for inputting data corresponding to the input desired scanned images in response to a user placing the at least two image selection windows over images associated with the desired features of the contact areas.    
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the contact areas have desired and undesired features and said inputting means comprises: 
 means for displaying at least two image selection windows with the displayed images; and    means for inputting data corresponding to the input desired scanned images in response to a user placing the at least two image windows over images associated with the undesired features of the contact areas.    
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the contact areas have desired and undesired features and said inputting means comprises: 
 means for displaying an image selection window with the displayed images;    means for inputting data corresponding to one of the input desired scanned images in response to a user placing the image selection window over an image associated with the desired feature of a contact area; and    means for determining if another image selection window is required.    
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the derived spatial relationship comprises respective spatial relationships between pairs of the input desired scanned images.  
     
     
         52 . An inspection apparatus for use in inspecting a manufacturing device used in a manufacturing process, said apparatus comprising: 
 a scanning device configured to obtain images of the manufacturing device;    a display;    an input device configured to select desired features of an image to be inspected; and    a processor coupled to said scanning device, said display and said input device, said processor being configured to control said scanning device to scan the manufacturing device, display on said display a plurality of images corresponding to respective scanned areas of the manufacturing device, input at least two user selected desired scanned images from the input device, derive a spatial relationship between the user selected images and to form a pattern to be recognized on the manufacturing device from the user selected images and the derived spatial relationship, wherein said user selected images corresponding to scanned images displayed on the display.    
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 52  further comprising: 
 a computer readable storage medium coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is configured to store information associated with the user selected images and the derived spatial relationship on said computer readable medium.    
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein said stored selected images and the stored derived spatial relationship are used by the processor in a pattern recognition analysis to detect defects in the manufacturing device.  
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein said stored selected images and the stored derived spatial relationship are used by the processor in a pattern recognition analysis to detect desired patterns in the manufacturing device.  
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 52 , wherein said processor is configured to input the user selected images being configured to display on said display at least two image selection windows with the displayed images and being configured to input data corresponding to images selected by the user by placement of the selection windows via said input device.  
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 56 , wherein the user of the apparatus is prompted for a number of images windows to be displayed.  
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 52 , wherein the derived spatial relationship comprises respective spatial relationships between pairs of the selected images.  
     
     
         59 . An inspection apparatus for use in inspecting a semiconductor wafer, said apparatus comprising: 
 a scanning device for obtaining images of a wafer;    a display;    an input device for use by a user of the apparatus for selecting desired features of an image to be inspected; and    a processor coupled to said scanning device, said display and said input device, said processor for controlling said scanning device to scan a wafer, for displaying on said display a plurality of images corresponding to areas of the scanned wafer, for inputting at least two user selected images from the input device, for deriving a relationship between the user selected images and forming a pattern to be recognized on the scanned wafer from the user selected images and the derived relationship, wherein the derived relationship is determined by forming vectors in at least two dimensions between the user selected images.    
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 a computer readable storage medium coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is configured to store information associated with the selected images and the derived relationship on said computer readable medium.    
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein said stored selected images and the stored derived relationship are used by the processor in a pattern recognition analysis to detect defects in the scanned wafer.  
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein said stored selected images and the stored derived relationship are used by the processor in a pattern recognition analysis to detect desired patterns in the scanned wafer.