Defect screening method and device and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides a defect screening method and device and a computer readable storage medium, and relates to the technical field of semiconductors. The method comprises the steps that a defect screening condition is obtained, the defect screening condition comprises at least one piece of target feature data and a value range corresponding to the target feature data, and the target feature data is determined from at least one piece of feature data contained in a defect inspection result corresponding to defects in a photomask pattern; and according to the defect screening condition, screening out a target defect inspection result matched with the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask pattern. According to the scheme, a user can more conveniently and quickly find a desired target defect and related information from massive defect data of the layout, and the data screening efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, and particularly relates to a defect screening method, device, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Before implementing the lithography process, it is necessary to pre-check the photomask using relevant rules to determine whether there are any problems. Usually, the inspection result at a certain position on the photomask layout is called a defect, and each defect has corresponding defect data. Sometimes, these defect data may reach hundreds of millions, which makes it difficult for users to find the target defect they want.

[0003] Currently, users mainly search for defect data by inputting the name of the defect detector.

[0004] However, when searching by the defect detection name, a large amount of defect data will be found, which still requires users to spend time and effort to continue searching for the target defect they want from it, and the efficiency is very low. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention provide a defect screening method, device, and computer-readable storage medium, which can quickly find the defect-related information required by users from the massive defect data in the layout.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a defect screening method, which includes:

[0007] Obtain a defect screening condition, where the defect screening condition includes at least one target feature data and the value range corresponding to the target feature data, and the target feature data is determined from at least one feature data included in the defect inspection result corresponding to the defect in the photomask layout;

[0008] According to the defect screening condition, screen out target defect inspection results that match the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout.

[0009] In a possible implementation manner, the defect screening condition includes at least one of the size range of the defect in the photomask layout, the position where the defect is located in the photomask layout, the defect identifier, the size of the lithography process window, and the defect detector identifier;

[0010] The step of screening out target defect inspection results that match the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout according to the defect screening condition includes:

[0011] Obtain the first value of the feature data that matches the target feature data in the defect inspection result;

[0012] Determine whether the first value matches the value range;

[0013] When the first value matches the value range, determine the defect inspection result as the target defect inspection result.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the defect screening condition further includes an image range, and the image range is at least one image area in the photomask layout;

[0015] The screening of the target defect inspection result that matches the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout according to the defect screening condition includes:

[0016] Determine a target image area in the photomask layout according to the image range;

[0017] Determine whether there is a defect in the target image area;

[0018] When there is a defect in the target image area, determine the defect inspection result corresponding to the defect as the target defect inspection result.

[0019] In a possible implementation, it further includes:

[0020] In response to a first input, display the photomask layout in a graphical user interface.

[0021] In a possible implementation, it further includes:

[0022] In response to a second input, determine a target area in the photomask layout according to the position of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result in the photomask layout;

[0023] Adjust the display parameters of the target area.

[0024] In a possible implementation, it further includes:

[0025] Obtain a second value of the feature data that matches the target feature data in the target defect inspection result;

[0026] Construct a target defect table according to the feature data that matches the target feature data in the target defect inspection result and the second value, and the target defect table includes at least one target defect inspection result;

[0027] Display the target defect table in the graphical user interface.

[0028] In a possible implementation, it further includes:

[0029] In response to a third input, determine a target defect inspection result to be displayed among at least one target defect inspection result in the target defect table;

[0030] Obtain the position coordinates of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result to be displayed in the photomask layout;

[0031] Display the target defect inspection result to be displayed in an adjacent area adjacent to the position coordinates.

[0032] In a possible implementation manner, it further includes:

[0033] The step of screening out target defect inspection results that match the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout according to the defect screening condition includes:

[0034] Obtain the total number of defect inspection results in the photomask layout;

[0035] Determine the number of threads for screening according to the total number;

[0036] Obtain the defect inspection results configured for each thread;

[0037] According to the defect screening condition, control each thread to concurrently screen out target defect inspection results that match the defect screening condition from the configured defect inspection results.

[0038] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic device, including: a processor, and a memory storing computer program instructions; the processor reads and executes the computer program instructions to implement the method as described above

[0039] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which computer-executable instructions are stored, and when the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, they are used to implement the method as described above.

[0040] The defect screening method, device, and computer-readable storage medium provided by the embodiments of the present invention determine one or more target feature data from at least one feature data included in the defect inspection results corresponding to the defects in the photomask layout, and obtain the value range corresponding to the target feature data, improving the flexibility of the screening process, enabling users to more conveniently and quickly find the desired target defect inspection results according to the target feature data they hold and the value range corresponding to the target feature data, and obtaining the relevant information included therein, thereby improving the screening efficiency. Description of the Drawings

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings required for the embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0042] Figure 1 It is a schematic flow chart of the defect screening method provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0043] Figure 2 It is a schematic flow chart of the defect screening method provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 3 It is the photomask layout provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0045] Figure 4 It is a schematic flow chart of the defect screening method provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 5 It is a schematic flow chart of the defect screening method provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the defect screening device provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0048] Figure 7 It is a schematic hardware structure diagram of the electronic device provided by the embodiments of the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0049] The following will describe in detail the features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present invention. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer and more understandable, the following further describes the present invention in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain the present invention, rather than limiting the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is only intended to provide a better understanding of the present invention by showing examples of the present invention.

[0050] It should be noted that in this text, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "including..." does not exclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element.

[0051] Lithography Rule Check (LRC) refers to, before implementing the lithography process, obtaining in advance through the lithography imaging model the manufacturability problems that the chip may face in the future, so as to reduce the probability of integrated circuit failure as much as possible. After Optical Proximity Correction (OPC), rapid and accurate rule hot spot detection is performed on the full-chip photomask layout to find possible photomask layout errors and reduce the risk of device failures in the subsequent production process flow. Usually, the inspection result at a certain position on the layout is called a defect. Among them, the inspection results can include: defect ID, defect detector name, defect coordinates, critical process window size, defect size, exposure imaging conditions, etc. The defect data stored in the computer system is stored in a structured manner in the background database. Sometimes, there is too much LRC defect data (which can reach tens of millions or even hundreds of millions), and it is not easy for users to find the target defect. Traditional defect screening methods often rely on manual browsing of a large amount of defect data, which is not only time-consuming but also prone to omission of important information.

[0052] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a defect screening solution. By further improving the defect screening software in the system, a multi-condition screening function is provided, enabling users to quickly find the target defect and defect information related to the target defect.

[0053] Next, the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail through specific embodiments. It should be noted that these specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments.

[0054] Figure 1 It is a schematic flowchart of the defect screening method provided by the embodiment of the present application. This method can be applied to an electronic device, and the electronic device can refer to a computer, a notebook, a tablet computer, etc. As Figure 1As shown, the method may specifically include the following steps:

[0055] Step S110: Obtain defect screening conditions.

[0056] Among them, the defect screening conditions include at least one target feature data and the corresponding value range of the target feature data. The target feature data is determined from at least one feature data included in the defect inspection result corresponding to the defect in the photomask layout. The photomask layout is a template used for lithography. After the photomask layout design is completed, design defects can be detected in advance through lithography rule checking (LRC) to ensure that the photomask layout can be successfully replicated onto the chip during the actual manufacturing process and avoid production problems caused by design defects.

[0057] It should be noted that the traditional defect screening method is mainly that the user inputs the name of the defect detector into the defect screening system to screen out the defects related to the name of the defect detector. Among them, the name of the defect detector refers to the name of a specific tool or algorithm used in the LRC screening process, and these tools or algorithms are used to identify the defects generated during the chip manufacturing process. Different defect detectors may have different sensitivities, accuracies, and applicable ranges, which results in a large number of finally screened defects, and the user cannot directly find the defects they want to search for. In addition, only providing the name of the defect detector makes the screening conditions single and difficult to meet the diverse application scenario requirements. For example, in the case where the user knows the defect ID, it is impossible to directly obtain the relevant additional information of the defect through the defect ID. Another example is that in some cases, the user only knows the position of the defect, and it is difficult to search for the relevant information of this defect and the defects near it through this defect position.

[0058] In this embodiment, the defect screening conditions include one or more, and one defect screening condition may include one or more target feature data. This is equivalent to the user being able to input multiple target feature data to the defect screening system.

[0059] Exemplarily, the defect screening conditions may include "defect ID" and "defect coordinates". Among them, "defect coordinates" may refer to the position coordinates of the defect in the photomask layout.

[0060] In this embodiment, to facilitate the user's understanding of the defect situation and reduce the risk of device failures in the subsequent production process flow, after detecting defects in the photomask layout through rules-based hot spot detection such as OPC, relevant information about the defects (such as defect ID, defect detector name, defect coordinates, critical process window size, defect size, exposure imaging conditions, etc.) needs to be provided as the defect inspection result. It can be understood that different defect inspection results need to carry this relevant information, but these relevant information can have different values. For example, the defect ID value of defect Q1 is Q11, while the defect ID value of defect Q2 is Q12.

[0061] Among them, the defect screening conditions can be input by the user. The defect ID, defect detector name, defect coordinates, critical process window size, defect size, exposure imaging conditions, etc. in the defect inspection result can be used as the target feature data. The corresponding values of the target feature data for each defect may be different.

[0062] Among them, when the user sets the value range of the target feature data, they can choose according to the actual situation. For example, if the boundary range of the entire layout is from (x1, y1) to (x2, y2), then when the target feature data is the defect coordinates, the value range of the defect coordinates should be within the boundary range from (x1, y1) to (x2, y2) to avoid incorrect screening.

[0063] Furthermore, in some embodiments, taking the target feature data as the defect size as an example, its value range can support open and closed interval representation. For example, setting it as (2, 3] means that the defect size is greater than 2 but less than or equal to 3. In addition, special case handling can also be supported. For example, [2, 2] means that the defect size is equal to 2, and (-∞, 5] means that the defect size is less than or equal to 5.

[0064] Step S120: According to the defect screening conditions, screen out the target defect inspection results that match the defect screening conditions from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout.

[0065] In this embodiment, each defect in the photomask layout corresponds to a defect inspection result. Among them, the defect inspection result may include defect ID, defect detector name, defect coordinates, critical process window size, defect size, exposure imaging conditions, etc. These defect inspection results can be converted into structured data and stored in the database.

[0066] Exemplarily, Table 1 is a storage schematic table of the defect inspection results:

[0067] Table 1

[0068]

[0069]

[0070] As shown in Table 1 above, the defect inspection results include defect ID, defect coordinates, and defect size.

[0071] In this embodiment, after receiving the defect screening conditions input by the user, the defect screening system can parse and assemble them into a query statement based on Structured Query Language (SQL) to quickly screen the database records in the LRC task and find the defect inspection results that match the value range of the target feature data as the target defect inspection results.

[0072] In this embodiment, by determining one or more target feature data from at least one feature data included in the defect inspection results corresponding to the defects in the photomask layout and obtaining the value range corresponding to the target feature data, the flexibility of the screening process is improved, enabling the user to more conveniently and quickly find the desired target defect inspection results according to the target feature data and the value range corresponding to the target feature data they hold, and obtain the relevant information contained therein, thereby improving the screening efficiency.

[0073] Further, in some embodiments, the screening and searching of the target defect inspection results can also be achieved by reasonably configuring the number of threads. The specific steps are as follows: Step A1: Obtain the total number of defect inspection results in the photomask layout; Step A2: Determine the number of threads for screening according to the total number; Step A3: Obtain the defect inspection results configured for each thread; Step A4: Control each thread to concurrently screen the target defect inspection results that match the defect screening conditions from the configured defect inspection results.

[0074] In this embodiment, the defect screening system can efficiently process large-scale data sets and respond quickly to user requests. For a database containing hundreds of millions of data records, it can improve the screening efficiency by configuring multiple threads to perform concurrent queries.

[0075] Among them, the total number of defect inspection results in the database can be estimated by searching for the maximum value of the defect ID, and then the database can be queried using multiple threads to improve the query performance. For example, for a database with 100 million data records, in this embodiment, 10 threads can be used to query the data in segments, that is, each thread queries 10 million data records and executes in parallel, thereby significantly improving the query efficiency.

[0076] In this embodiment, by estimating the total number of defect inspection results in the database and reasonably configuring a number of threads to run in parallel according to the total number of defect inspection results, each thread can query the defect inspection results configured for itself, realizing an efficient data processing flow and significantly reducing the screening delay in large datasets.

[0077] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the defect screening conditions include the defect detector name (Checker), defect size range (Size Range), defect location, defect ID (Defect ID), the size of the lithography process window, and the defect detector name, etc. It supports compound screening with multiple conditions. Among them, Figure 2 is a schematic flowchart of the defect screening method provided by another embodiment of this application. As Figure 2 shown, it includes the following steps:

[0078] Step S210: Obtain the first value of the feature data that matches the target feature data in the defect inspection results; Step S220: Determine whether the first value matches the value range; Step S230: In the case where the first value matches the value range, determine the defect inspection result as the target defect inspection result.

[0079] In this embodiment, taking the target feature data as the position as an example, if the value range of the position coordinates of the target feature data is from (3, 5) to (5, 10), the first value of the defect position in defect inspection result 1 is (3, 8), the first value of the defect position in defect inspection result 2 is (11, 12), and the first value of the defect position in defect inspection result 3 is (9, 9), then the first value of the defect position in defect inspection result 1 matches the value range of the position coordinates of the target feature data, that is, defect inspection result 1 is the target defect inspection result.

[0080] In addition, in some embodiments, the user can input an instruction (such as the first input) to the electronic device. After receiving the first input, the electronic device can respond to the first input and display the photomask layout in the graphical user interface. This facilitates the subsequent viewing of defects in the photomask layout by the user. Exemplarily, Figure 3 is the photomask layout provided by the embodiment of this application. As Figure 3 shown, there may be several defects 301 in the photomask layout 30, and these defects are located at different positions in the photomask layout 30.

[0081] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the defect screening conditions may also include the image range. Among them, the image range may refer to one or more image regions in the photomask layout. Exemplarily, referring to the above Figure 3, after the user sees the photomask layout displayed on the graphical user interface, the user can perform relevant input operations (such as taking a screenshot) to intercept a partial image range 302 in the photomask layout as a defect screening condition. At this time, the target feature data in the defect screening condition can refer to an image, and the image range is the corresponding value range.

[0082] Figure 4 Schematic flow diagram of the defect screening method provided by another embodiment of the present application, as Figure 4 shown, after the user inputs the image range, the defect screening system can perform the following steps:

[0083] Step S410: Determine the target image area in the photomask layout according to the image range;

[0084] Step S420: Determine whether there are defects in the target image area;

[0085] Step S430: When there are defects in the target image area, determine the defect inspection result corresponding to the defect as the target defect inspection result.

[0086] Traditional defect screening methods do not support defect screening based on specific areas on the layout. In this embodiment, if the user hopes to screen out all defects in a selected area on the layout (which can refer to the rectangular box in the above Figure 3 i.e., the image range 302), and obtain the target defect inspection result corresponding to each defect in this area.

[0087] In this embodiment, the electronic device can include a graphical user interface, on the canvas of which the photomask layout can be displayed. The user can draw geometric figures such as rectangles on the canvas to select the defects in a specific area, and the defect screening system can screen them out.

[0088] In addition, when the user draws geometric figures such as rectangles to select the feature area, the edge contour of the geometric figure can be retained and displayed on the graphical user interface, so that the user can clearly see which areas are specifically framed. At the same time, the user can also clear or modify the boundary of the geometric figure through deletion operations, etc., making it more flexible for the user to select the area.

[0089] In this embodiment, by displaying the photomask layout on the graphical user interface and allowing the user to operate to select the target image area at the same time, it can more intuitively assist the user in precise defect screening, enhancing the flexibility and diversity of the user's defect screening.

[0090] Further, in some other embodiments, after screening out the target defect inspection results, the user can also perform a highlighting operation. This is specifically achieved through the following steps: in response to a second input, determine a target area in the photomask layout according to the position of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result in the photomask layout; and adjust the display parameters of the target area.

[0091] In this embodiment, in order to more intuitively let the user see the position of the defect in the layout, after the user screens out the target defect inspection results by inputting defect screening conditions, the target area where the target defect is located in the layout can be highlighted, that is, the display parameters of the target area are adjusted.

[0092] Exemplarily, the display parameters may refer to display brightness, display color, display size, etc. Specifically, reference can be made to the above Figure 3 , after screening out the defect in the image range 302, small squares can be filled with black to represent the position where the defect is located, so that the user can more intuitively and quickly find the position of the defect in the layout.

[0093] In one implementation manner, after completing the defect screening, these screened target defect inspection results can be recorded in the form of a table. At the same time, this table can be stored in the background or directly displayed on the graphical user interface. In addition, a "Highlight" button can be configured. The user can click the "Highlight" button to trigger a second input to highlight all the screened target defects on the graphical user interface, so as to clearly identify the position of each defect on the canvas. Specifically, reference can be made to the above Figure 3 filled black small squares.

[0094] In another real-time manner, the screened target defect inspection results can also be displayed on the graphical user interface in the form of a list. When the user clicks on a certain target defect inspection result in the list, a fourth input can be triggered. The electronic device automatically locates the position of the target defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result in the layout and highlights the image area at the position where the target defect is located.

[0095] Among them, the highlighting operation is specifically as follows: when the user selects one or more target defect inspection results, a fourth input can be triggered. The electronic device determines the position coordinates of the target defect (including the X-axis value and the Y-axis value of the coordinate axis) according to the target defect inspection result, and then uses this position coordinate as the reference side to frame a preset-size area (the area contains the position coordinates of the target defect), and adjusts the display parameters of the area. Exemplarily, the preset size can be 20 millimeters.

[0096] In some embodiments, the "Apply" button can be configured such that the user can input and select defect screening conditions and update the defect screening results in real time by clicking the "Apply" button. Among them, the screened target defect inspection results can be displayed in tabular form below the graphical user interface.

[0097] Among them, the screened target defect inspection results include information such as defect ID, defect detector name, detector type, defect size range, defect size, defect unit, and the X and Y coordinates of the defect (i.e., the specific position coordinates on the layout).

[0098] In some embodiments, to prevent users from frequent operations, the defect screening system can restrict the operation behavior of clicking the "Apply" or "Highlight" button again before the results are fully presented. Additionally, the "Apply" and "Highlight" operations are each processed using independent threads to ensure that users can still operate other parts of the graphical user interface during the waiting for results, avoiding the graphical user interface from freezing.

[0099] In this embodiment, by utilizing the position information of the target defect included in the target defect inspection results, the target defect can be highlighted in the layout, which can facilitate the user to quickly locate the position of the target defect in the layout.

[0100] Furthermore, in some embodiments, when displaying the screened target defect inspection results on the graphical user interface, since the target defect inspection results include target feature data, at this time, the second value corresponding to each target feature data can be obtained, and the target feature data and its second value can be displayed on the graphical user interface.

[0101] Specifically, a target defect table can be constructed according to the feature data and the second value that match the target feature data in the target defect inspection results, and the target defect table can be displayed on the graphical user interface. Among them, the target defect table includes at least one target defect inspection result.

[0102] In this embodiment, when the user clicks on a certain target defect inspection result in the list, it can automatically locate the corresponding target defect in the layout and highlight the position area where the target defect is located, and at the same time, the size of the target defect can also be displayed. This can facilitate the user to see the target defect in the layout and understand the relevant information of the target defect.

[0103] Further, in some embodiments, in addition to viewing the position of the target defect in the layout, the user can also display the target feature data and corresponding values included in the target defect search result corresponding to the target defect. Specifically, the user can trigger a third input, and in response to the third input, the electronic device determines a target defect inspection result to be displayed among at least one target defect inspection result in the target defect table; then obtains the position coordinates of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result to be displayed in the photomask layout; and displays the target defect inspection result to be displayed in an adjacent area adjacent to the position coordinates.

[0104] Exemplarily, according to the X value and Y value of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result to be displayed in the layout, a region (for example, a regular shape with a side length of 2 millimeters) is outlined on the layout as an adjacent area, and relevant information in the target defect inspection result to be displayed, such as the size of the defect, is displayed in the adjacent area.

[0105] In addition, in some embodiments, the target defect inspection results selected can also be sorted according to the defect size. For example, the target defect inspection results with larger defect sizes are arranged in the front of the target defect table, while the target defect inspection results with smaller defect sizes are arranged at the back of the target defect table. In this way, by adding a screening result sorting algorithm, the logic and usability of data display can be improved.

[0106] In this embodiment, by displaying the target defect table in the graphical user interface, it is convenient for the user to view the selected target defect inspection results. At the same time, when the user clicks on a certain target defect inspection result, the target defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result can be located in the layout, and the target defect inspection result is displayed in the adjacent area, which can help the user more intuitively understand the position and scope of the defect, so that problems can be discovered and corrected earlier in the production process.

[0107] In addition, in some embodiments, the electronic device can also provide a data saving interface, allowing the user to save the selected target defect inspection results as a Comma-Separated Values file (CSV). CSV files are easy to create, read, and edit, and can be easily transferred and shared between different operating systems and applications.

[0108] Among them, when saving data, if the data volume is very large, such as saving data at the level of hundreds of millions, a segmented storage technology can be adopted to reduce memory occupancy. For example, only 10,000 rows of data are processed and saved each time, and the memory is released immediately after saving, and the remaining data is continued to be processed, ensuring that even when processing data at the level of hundreds of millions, it will not cause the program to crash due to insufficient memory.

[0109] Among them, by adding a storage mechanism for the target defect inspection results, that is, adopting a segmented storage technology, it can store a huge amount of data in the hundreds of millions, and will not cause insufficient memory overhead due to the large amount of data.

[0110] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the defect screening method provided by another embodiment of the present application, as Figure 5 shown, which includes the following steps:

[0111] Step S510: The user opens the LRC work task through the graphical user interface and activates the "defect filtering" interface through the right-click menu.

[0112] Among them, the LRC work task includes a layout file and a database (i.e., a defect database).

[0113] Step S520: The user inputs or selects the required defect screening conditions in the "defect filtering" interface.

[0114] Step S530: After receiving the defect screening conditions, the defect screening system parses and assembles them into an SQL query statement. The SQL query statement is used to quickly screen the database records in the LRC task.

[0115] Step S540: The screening results will be updated in real time in the defect table, and the user can view the detailed defect information.

[0116] Step S550: When the user clicks on a certain defect entry in the table, the defect screening system will accurately display the location of the selected defect on the canvas.

[0117] Step S560: When the user clicks the "highlight" button, all the screened defects will be highlighted on the canvas; clicking the button again will cancel the highlighting effect on the canvas.

[0118] Step S570: After clicking the "save" button, the screened defect data will be saved in CSV format to the file specified by the user.

[0119] The defect screening system provided by the embodiment of the present application has a multi-condition screening function, which can support the combined use of multiple screening conditions, improving the flexibility of the screening process. At the same time, through the intuitive graphical user interface, the user can select the defects in a specific area by drawing a rectangle, enhancing the user experience. In addition, the function of the defect screening system to highlight the screening results can highlight the screened defects on the canvas, facilitating the user to visually locate.

[0120] The following is the device embodiment of the present application, which can be used to execute the method embodiment of the present application. For the details not disclosed in the device embodiment of the present application, please refer to the method embodiment of the present application.

[0121] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of a defect screening device provided by an embodiment of the present application. The defect screening device can be integrated in the above-mentioned electronic device, or can be independent of the electronic device and cooperate with the electronic device to implement this solution. As Figure 6 shown, the defect screening device 600 includes an acquisition module 610 and a screening module 620.

[0122] Among them, the acquisition module 610 is used to acquire defect screening conditions. The screening module 620 is used to screen out target defect inspection results that match the defect screening conditions from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout.

[0123] Among them, the defect screening conditions include at least one target feature data and the value range corresponding to the target feature data, and the target feature data is determined from at least one feature data included in the defect inspection result corresponding to the defect in the photomask layout.

[0124] Optionally, the defect screening conditions include at least one of the size range of defects in the photomask layout, the position of defects in the photomask layout, defect identifiers, the size of the lithography process window, and defect detector identifiers. Among them, the screening module can specifically be used to: acquire the first value of the feature data that matches the target feature data in the defect inspection result; determine whether the first value matches the value range; and in the case where the first value matches the value range, determine the defect inspection result as the target defect inspection result.

[0125] Optionally, the defect screening conditions further include an image range, and the image range is at least one image area in the photomask layout. Among them, the screening module can specifically be used to: determine a target image area in the photomask layout according to the image range; determine whether there are defects in the target image area; and in the case where there are defects in the target image area, determine the defect inspection result corresponding to the defect as the target defect inspection result.

[0126] Optionally, it further includes a display module, which is used to display the photomask layout on the graphical user interface in response to a first input.

[0127] Optionally, it further includes an adjustment module, which is used to determine a target area in the photomask layout according to the position of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result in the photomask layout in response to a second input; and adjust the display parameters of the target area.

[0128] Optionally, it further includes a table display module, configured to obtain a second value of the feature data that matches the target feature data in the target defect inspection result; construct a target defect table according to the feature data that matches the target feature data in the target defect inspection result and the second value, where the target defect table includes at least one target defect inspection result; and display the target defect table in the graphical user interface.

[0129] Optionally, it further includes a result display module, configured to determine a target defect inspection result to be displayed among at least one target defect inspection result in the target defect table in response to a third input; obtain the position coordinates of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result to be displayed in the photomask layout; and display the target defect inspection result to be displayed in an adjacent area adjacent to the position coordinates.

[0130] Optionally, the screening module may specifically be configured to: obtain the total number of defect inspection results in the photomask layout; determine the number of threads for screening according to the total number; obtain the defect inspection results configured for each thread; and control each thread to concurrently screen the target defect inspection results that match the defect screening conditions from the configured defect inspection results according to the defect screening conditions.

[0131] The device provided in the embodiments of the present application can be used to execute the methods in the above - shown embodiments, and its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, which will not be elaborated here.

[0132] It should be noted that it should be understood that the division of each module of the above - mentioned device is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, it can be fully or partially integrated into a physical entity, or physically separated. And these modules can all be implemented in the form of software called by a processing element; they can also all be implemented in the form of hardware; or some modules can be implemented in the form of software called by a processing element, and some modules can be implemented in the form of hardware. For example, the obtaining module can be a separately established processing element, or can be integrated in a certain chip of the above - mentioned device. In addition, it can also be stored in the memory of the above - mentioned device in the form of program code, and called and executed by a certain processing element of the above - mentioned device to perform the functions of the above - mentioned obtaining module. The implementation of other modules is similar. In addition, these modules can be fully or partially integrated together or independently implemented. Here, the processing element can be an integrated circuit with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above - mentioned method or each of the above - mentioned modules can be completed by the integrated logic circuit in the processor element in hardware or in the form of instructions in software.

[0133] Figure 7 It is a schematic hardware structure diagram of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present application. As Figure 7 shown, the electronic device 700 may include a processor 701 and a memory 702 storing computer program instructions.

[0134] Specifically, the above-mentioned processor 701 may include a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or may be configured as one or more integrated circuits for implementing the embodiments of the present invention.

[0135] The memory 702 may include a mass storage for data or instructions. By way of example and not limitation, the memory 702 may include a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, a flash memory, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, or a combination of two or more of these. In one example, the memory 702 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, or the memory 702 is a non-volatile solid-state memory. The memory 702 may be internal or external to the integrated gateway disaster recovery device.

[0136] In one example, the memory 702 may be a Read Only Memory (ROM). In one example, the ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Erasable PROM (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM), an Electrically Rewritable ROM (EAROM), or a flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0137] The memory 702 may include a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk storage media device, an optical storage media device, a flash memory device, an electrical, optical, or other physical / tangible memory storage device. Thus, generally, the memory includes one or more tangible (non-transitory) computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory devices) encoded with software including computer-executable instructions, and when the software is executed (e.g., by one or more processors), it is operable to perform the operations described with reference to the method according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0138] The processor 701 reads and executes the computer program instructions stored in the memory 702 to implement the method in the above embodiments.

[0139] In one example, the electronic device may further include a communication interface 703 and a bus 704. Among them, as Figure 7 shown, the processor 701, the memory 702, and the communication interface 703 are connected through the bus 704 to complete communication with each other.

[0140] The communication interface 703 is mainly used to implement the communication between various modules, devices, units, and / or equipment in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0141] The bus 704 includes hardware, software, or both, and couples the components of the online data flow meter charging device to each other. By way of example and not limitation, the bus may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a Front Side Bus (FSB), a Hyper Transport (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an InfiniBand interconnect, a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Express (PCI-X) bus, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association Local (VLB) bus, or other suitable buses or a combination of two or more of these. In a suitable case, the bus 704 may include one or more buses. Although the embodiments of the present invention describe and illustrate specific buses, the present invention contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

[0142] In addition, in combination with the method in the above embodiments, the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by providing a computer storage medium. Computer program instructions are stored on the computer storage medium; when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the methods in any of the above embodiments are implemented.

[0143] This embodiment also provides a program product, which includes computer instructions stored in a readable storage medium. At least one processor of the electronic device can read the computer instructions from the readable storage medium, and the execution of the computer instructions by at least one processor causes the electronic device to implement the methods provided by the above various embodiments.

[0144] It should be clear that the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations and processes described above and illustrated in the figures. For the sake of brevity, the detailed description of known methods is omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and illustrated as examples. However, the method process of the present invention is not limited to the specific steps described and illustrated, and those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications, and additions, or change the order between steps after understanding the spirit of the present invention.

[0145] The functional blocks shown in the above structural block diagram can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. When implemented in hardware, it can be, for example, an electronic circuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), appropriate firmware, a plug-in, a functional card, and so on. When implemented in software, the elements of the present invention are programs or code segments for performing the required tasks. The program or code segment can be stored in a machine-readable medium, or transmitted via a data signal carried in a carrier wave over a transmission medium or a communication link. "Machine-readable medium" can include any medium capable of storing or transmitting information. Examples of machine-readable media include electronic circuits, semiconductor memory devices, read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, erasable read-only memory (EROM), floppy disks, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical discs, hard disks, fiber optic media, radio frequency (RF) links, and so on. The code segment can be downloaded via a computer network such as the Internet, an intranet, and so on.

[0146] It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments mentioned in the present invention describe some methods or systems based on a series of steps or devices. However, the present invention is not limited to the order of the above steps, that is, the steps can be executed in the order mentioned in the embodiments, or different from the order in the embodiments, or several steps can be executed simultaneously.

[0147] Aspects of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each block in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and the combinations of blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, such that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device enable the implementation of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. Such a processor can be, but is not limited to, a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a special application processor, or a field programmable logic circuit. It can also be understood that each block in the block diagram and / or flowchart, and the combinations of blocks in the block diagram and / or flowchart, can also be implemented by dedicated hardware for performing the specified functions or actions, or by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0148] The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, modules, and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be elaborated herein. It should be understood that the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention can easily think of various equivalent modifications or substitutions, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A defect screening method, characterized in that: include: Acquire a defect screening condition, wherein the defect screening condition includes at least one target feature data and a value range corresponding to the target feature data, wherein the target feature data is determined from at least one feature data included in a defect inspection result corresponding to a defect in a photomask pattern; According to the defect screening condition, a target defect inspection result matching the defect screening condition is screened out from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The defect screening condition includes at least one of a size range of defects in the photomask layout, a location of the defects in the photomask layout, a defect identifier, a size of a photolithography process window, and a defect detector identifier; The step of screening out a target defect inspection result matching the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout according to the defect screening condition comprises: Acquire a first value of feature data matching the target feature data in the defect inspection result; Determining whether the first value matches the value range; In a case where the first value matches the value range, the defect inspection result is determined as the target defect inspection result.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The defect screening condition includes an image range, and the image range is at least one image area in the photomask layout; The step of screening out a target defect inspection result matching the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout according to the defect screening condition comprises: Determining a target image region in the photomask layout according to the image range; Determine whether there is a defect in the target image area; In the case where there is a defect in the target image area, a defect inspection result corresponding to the defect is determined as the target defect inspection result.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: In response to the first input, the photomask layout is displayed on a graphical user interface.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Also includes: In response to a second input, determining a target area in the photomask layout according to a position of a defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result in the photomask layout; The display parameters of the target area are adjusted.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that Also includes: Acquire a second value of feature data matching the target feature data in the target defect inspection result; Constructing a target defect table according to the feature data in the target defect inspection result that matches the target feature data and the second value, wherein the target defect table includes at least one target defect inspection result; The target defect table is displayed on the graphical user interface.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that Also includes: In response to a third input, determining a target defect inspection result to be displayed from at least one target defect inspection result in the target defect table; Obtaining the position coordinates of the defect corresponding to the target defect inspection result to be displayed in the photomask layout; The target defect inspection result to be displayed is displayed in an adjacent area adjacent to the position coordinates.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The step of screening out a target defect inspection result matching the defect screening condition from at least one defect inspection result of the photomask layout according to the defect screening condition comprises: Obtaining the total number of defect inspection results in the photomask layout; Determining the number of threads used for screening based on the total number; Get the defect check results configured for each thread; According to the defect screening condition, each thread is controlled to concurrently screen target defect inspection results matching the defect screening condition from the configured defect inspection results.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that: The method comprises: a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions; the processor reads and executes the computer program instructions to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which are used to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 when executed by a processor.

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