Kevin J Monahan

US Patent:

7557921, Jul 7, 2009

Filed:

Oct 12, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/250119

Inventors:

Michael E. Adel - Zichron Ya'akov, IL
Moshe Preil - Sunnyvale CA, US
Kevin Monahan - Cupertino CA, US
Christopher F. Bevis - Los Gatos CA, US
Ben Tsai - Saratoga CA, US
Mark Ghinovker - Migdel Ha'Emek, IL

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01B 11/00
G06K 9/00
G03C 5/00

US Classification:

356401, 382151, 430 30

Abstract:

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for monitoring a characteristic associated with a product feature on a semiconductor product. A proxy target formed from at least one substructure that corresponds to a product feature is provided. The substructure is not individually resolvable by an optical tool. A characteristic of the proxy target is determined based on optically monitoring the proxy target using the optical tool. Based on the determined characteristic of the proxy target, it is then determined whether the corresponding product feature has a characteristic that is within a predetermined specification or whether a process parameter used to fabricate such product feature is within a predetermined specification. In a specific embodiment, the characteristic of the corresponding product feature includes a shape parameter and a position parameter.

US Patent:

7678516, Mar 16, 2010

Filed:

Jul 22, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/187609

Inventors:

Kevin Monahan - Cupertino CA, US
Brad Eichelberger - Dillsburg PA, US
Ady Levy - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp. - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G03F 7/00
G01R 31/26
H01L 21/66

US Classification:

430 22, 430 5, 430 30, 430322

Abstract:

Various test structures and methods for monitoring or controlling a semiconductor fabrication process are provided. One test structure formed on a wafer as a monitor for a lithography process includes a bright field target that includes first grating structures. The test structure also includes a dark field target that includes second grating structures. The first and second grating structures have one or more characteristics that are substantially the same as one or more characteristics of device structures formed on the wafer. In addition, the test structure includes a phase shift target having characteristics that are substantially the same as the characteristics of the bright field or dark field target except that grating structures of the phase shift target are shifted in optical phase from the first or second grating structures. One or more characteristics of the targets can be measured and used to determine parameter(s) of the lithography process.

US Patent:

20110066955, Mar 17, 2011

Filed:

Dec 1, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/325896

Inventors:

Robert A. Olson - Los Altos CA, US
Mark R. Goines - Los Altos CA, US
Christian Wiedmann - San Mateo CA, US
Kevin H.C. Monahan - Santa Cruz CA, US
Sandhya K. Jaideep - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

VeraCarta Corporation - Menlo Park CA

International Classification:

G06F 3/01

US Classification:

715752

Abstract:

A system and method for managing transactions that include numerous documents and written electronic communications between a plurality of participants is disclosed. Communications and documents related to the transaction are obtained and analyzed to determine the relationships between them and the parties authorized to view each. The communications and documents are stored with the relationship data so that a participant may view authorized items in a manner that indicates the particular relationship in which the participant is interested.

US Patent:

60693096, May 30, 2000

Filed:

Jan 12, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/229141

Inventors:

Kevin J. Monahan - Santa Cruz CA
Donna L. Murray - Santa Cruz CA

Assignee:

Creative Technology Ltd.

International Classification:

G10H 1057
G10H 108
G10H 120

US Classification:

84603

Abstract:

A data compression method and apparatus for the compression of sound data utilized in digital sampling keyboard instructs. The present invention reduces memory requirements for sampled sounds without compromising sound quality, using three techniques. The third technique improves the defect of formant distortion when sampled sounds are transposed.

US Patent:

51553597, Oct 13, 1992

Filed:

Apr 5, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/682097

Inventors:

Kevin M. Monahan - Cupertino CA

Assignee:

Metrologix, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01J 3728

US Classification:

250306

Abstract:

A scanning electron microscope is calibrated using an atomic scale microscope, such as a scanning tunneling microscope or atomic force microscope to permit accurate and precise deflection of the scanning electron beam.

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:

49720724, Nov 20, 1990

Filed:

Jan 17, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/467314

Inventors:

Hugo Hauser - Palo Alto CA
Kevin M. Monahan - Mountain View CA

Assignee:

Tritec Industries, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G01B 1102
G01B 1106
G02F 101

US Classification:

250225

Abstract:

Circularly polarized light is used to detect an end point of a thin film layer. Collimated light is passed through a polarizing filter and a polarizing beam splitter resulting in light which is almost entirely linearly polarized in a first direction. This first direction polarized light is passed through a quarter wave retarder and is converted to circularly polarized light. The circularly polarized light is reflected off of a surface having a thin film layer and passes back through the quarter wave retarder. This reflected circularly polarized light is converted by the quarterwave retarder into linearly polarized light having a second direction. This second direction polarized light is easily isolated by passing it back through the beam splitter. The light may then be analyzed by end-point detection circuitry and the end-point of the film layer detected.

US Patent:

58774467, Mar 2, 1999

Filed:

Sep 16, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/931436

Inventors:

Kevin J. Monahan - Santa Cruz CA
Donna L. Murray - Santa Cruz CA

Assignee:

Creative Technology, Ltd. - Singapore

International Classification:

G10H 1057
G10H 108
G10H 120

US Classification:

84603

Abstract:

A data compression method and apparatus for the compression of sound data utilized in digital sampling keyboard instruments. The present invention reduces memory requirements for sampled sounds without compromising sound quality, utilizing processing of sound data samples to delete sound data between the attack portion and just before the loop start portion. The improved method further includes a step of digitally splicing the remaining attack and loop portions to form a spliced data sample.