Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080251719 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AN IMAGE OBTAINED BY THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - In the case where a specimen is imaged by a scanning electron microscope, it is intended to acquire an image of a high quality having a noise component reduced, thereby to improve the precision of an image processing. The intensity distribution of a beam is calculated on the basis of an imaging condition or specimen information, and an image restoration is performed by using a resolving power deterioration factor other than the beam intensity distribution as a target of a deterioration mode, so that a high resolving power image can be acquired under various conditions. In the scanning electron microscope for semiconductor inspections and semiconductor measurements, the restored image is used for pattern size measurement, defect detections, defect classifications and so on, so that the measurements can be improved in precision and so that the defect detections and classifications can be made high precise. | 10-16-2008 |
20080290274 | DEFECT REVIEW METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A defect review method and device of the invention solves the previous problem of a long inspection time that is caused by the increase of a process-margin-narrow pattern as a result of the size reduction of a semiconductor device. With the method and device of the invention, an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) image is derived by capturing an image of a process-margin-narrow pattern portion extracted based on lithography simulation with image-capturing conditions of a relatively low resolution. The resulting SEM image is compared with CAD (Computer Aided Design) data for extraction of any abnormal section. An image of the area extracted as being abnormal is captured again, and the resulting high-resolution SEM image is compared again with the CAD data for defect classification based on the feature amount of the image, e.g., shape deformation. The abnormal section is then measured in dimension at a position preset for the classification result so that the time taken for inspection can be prevented from increasing. | 11-27-2008 |
20090010527 | Defect Inspection Method - The present invention relates to a defect detection or observation method that detects fine defects in the course of defect inspection and observation, does not detect locations not constituting defects, or classifies a defect candidate as a grain phenomenon or other phenomenon that does not affect a product. In one embodiment, a method for inspecting defects of a product having a plurality of product units formed repetitively at different locations comprises obtaining an image of the product units on the product having an appearance to be observed; detecting regions of the image each having an appearance which differs from an expected appearance by greater than a preset threshold; calculating feature amounts for the detected regions; classifying the detected regions into groups of defect candidates; forming an aggregate of the feature amounts of the detected regions in the different product units, for each of the groups of defect candidates; and determining for each product unit attributes for the detected regions by comparing the feature amounts of the detected regions belonging to each group of defect candidates with a distribution of the aggregate of the feature amounts for the group of defect candidates. | 01-08-2009 |
20090039258 | Scanning Electron Microscope And Method For Detecting An Image Using The Same - A scanning electron microscope includes an electron beam source which emits an electron beam, a beam current controller which controls a beam current of the electron beam, an electron beam converger which converges the electron beam on a surface of a sample, an electron beam scanner which scans the electron beam on the surface of the sample, a table which mounts the sample and moves at least in one direction, a detector which detects a secondary electron or a reflected electron emanated from the sample by the scan of the electron beam, an image former which forms an image of the sample based on a detection value of the detector, an image processor which processes the image formed by the image former. The beam current controller controls the beam current of the electron beam by changing transmittance of the electron beam in an irradiation path of the electron beam. | 02-12-2009 |
20090058437 | Method and apparatus for reviewing defects by detecting images having voltage contrast - A method and apparatus for detecting defects includes irradiating and scanning an electron beam focused on an area of a sample, detecting charged particles generated from the sample by the irradiating and scanning of the electron beam with a first detector which detects charged particles having relatively low energy to obtain a first image of the area and with a second detector which detects charged particles having relatively high energy to obtain a second image of the area, comparing the first inspection image of the area with a first reference image to generate a first difference image, and comparing obtained second image of the area with a second reference image to generate a second difference image, and detecting an open defect or a short defect from at least one of the generated first difference image and the second difference image. | 03-05-2009 |
20090231424 | System and method for monitoring semiconductor device manufacturing process - A hotspot searching apparatus manufactures a small number of chips or regions on a semiconductor wafer under respectively different manufacturing process conditions, compares SEM images of their external appearances to output a point having large differences as a narrow process window, that is, a process monitoring point that should be managed in mass production, the narrow process window having a narrow manufacturing process condition (exposure condition) in the manufacturing of the semiconductor wafer, and sets the point as a measurement point by a CD-SEM apparatus, such that it extracts and determines plural circuit pattern parts having a narrow manufacturing process margin as the process monitoring point in a short time and a process monitoring point monitoring performs shape inspection or shape length measurement in detail at high resolution. | 09-17-2009 |
20090309022 | APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING A SUBSTRATE, A METHOD OF INSPECTING A SUBSTRATE, A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE, AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING AN IMAGE USING A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - An object of the present invention provides an inspection apparatus and an inspection method which use an electron beam image to accurately detect a defect that is difficult to detect in an optical image, the apparatus and method also enabling prevention of a possible decrease in focus accuracy of an inspection image which affect the defect detection. To accomplish the object, the present invention includes a height measurement section which measures height of the electron beam irradiation position on the substrate after the substrate is loaded onto a movable stage, a height correction processing section which corrects the measured height, and a control section which adjusts a focus of the electron beam according to the height corrected by the height correction processing section, wherein a stage position set when the height measurement section measures the height differs from a stage position set when the substrate is irradiated with the electron beam, and the height correction processing section corrects a possible deviation in height resulting from movement from the stage position for the height measurement to the stage position for the electron beam irradiation. | 12-17-2009 |
20100004875 | Defect Inspection Method and Apparatus - In a detection step, light produced on a sample in plural directions are collectively detected using a plurality of detectors. Multidimensional features containing information about scattered light distributions are extracted based on a plurality of detector outputs obtained. The feature is compared with data in a scattered light distribution library thereby to determine the types and sizes of defects. In a feature extraction step, a feature outputted based on the magnitude of each of scattered light detected signals of scatterers already known in refractive index and shape, which are obtained in the detection step, is corrected, thereby realizing high precision determination. | 01-07-2010 |
20100019150 | Method And Apparatus For Reviewing Defects - A method of inspecting defects of a sample includes a first step for, on a basis of position information of defects on a sample placed on a movable table which is previously detected and obtained by an other inspection system, driving the table so that the defects come into a viewing field of an optical microscope having a focus which is adjusted, a second step for re-detecting the defects to obtain a first detection result, a third step for correcting the position information of defects on a basis of position information of defects re-detected of the first detection result, and a fourth step for reviewing the defects whose position information is corrected to obtain a second detection result. The method includes classifying types of defects on basis of the first detection result and the second detection result. | 01-28-2010 |
20100128970 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REVIEWING DEFECTS - An apparatus for reviewing defects including an image processing section (defect classification device section) with a function of estimating a non-defective state (reference image) of a portion in which the defect exists by use of a defect image, and a function of judging criticality or non-flat state of the defect by use of the estimation result. It becomes possible to establish both of a high-throughput image collecting sequence in which any reference image is not acquired and high-precision defect classification, and then to realize both of a high performance classifying function and a high-throughput image collecting function in a defect reviewing apparatus which automatically collects and classifies images of defects existing on a sample of a semiconductor wafer or the like. | 05-27-2010 |
20110102573 | Method and Apparatus For Reviewing Defects of Semiconductor Device - A method and apparatus for reviewing defects of a semiconductor device is provided which involves detecting a defect on a SEM image taken at low magnification, and reviewing the defect on a SEM image taken at high magnification, and which can review a lot of defects in a short period of time thereby to improve the efficiency of defect review. In the present invention, the method for reviewing defects of a semiconductor device includes the steps of obtaining an image including a defect on the semiconductor device detected by a detection device by use of a scanning electron microscope at a first magnification, making a reference image from the image including the defect obtained at the first magnification, detecting the defect by comparing the image including the defect obtained at the first magnification to the reference image made from the image including the defect at the first magnification, and taking an image of the detected defect at a second magnification that is larger than the first magnification. | 05-05-2011 |
20110129141 | CIRCUIT PATTERN EXAMINING APPARATUS AND CIRCUIT PATTERN EXAMINING METHOD - Provided is an examination technique to detect defects with high sensitivity at an outer-most repeative portion of a memory mat of a semiconductor device and even in a peripheral circuit having no repetitiveness. | 06-02-2011 |
20110188735 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DEFECT INSPECTION - Provided are a method and a device for defect inspection, wherein, in a state where a few DOIs exist in a large number of nuisances, a classification performance can be improved by a few appropriate defect instructions and a high classification performance is ensured while mitigating the burden of user's defect instructions. The method and device for defect inspection is characterized by repeating extraction of one or more defects from a plurality of defects detected by imaging a sample, instruction of a classification class of the extracted defects, and calculation of a classification criterion and a classification performance from the image information and classification class of the defects, and determining, based on the finally obtained classification criterion, the classification class of the unknown defects. This makes it possible to improve a classification performance by a few appropriate defect instructions and ensure a high classification performance while mitigating the burden of user's defect instructions. | 08-04-2011 |
20110242524 | FLAT SURFACE INSPECTION APPARATUS - An object is to provide a flat surface inspection apparatus that can prevent sliders from being damaged and detect micro defects. A flat surface inspection apparatus includes: a measured subject; a stage that supports the measured subject; a spindle that rotates the stage; a first part having light sources applying light beam onto the measured subject, a scattered-light-detecting section, a signal processing section that converts the scattered light into information about a first defect, and a first memory section that stores therein the information about the first defect; and a second part having sliders mounted with a contact sensor that detects a second defect smaller than the first defect, a loading/unloading mechanism that flies the slider over the measured subject, a slider control section that controls the loading/unloading mechanism based on the information about the first defects and second defects. | 10-06-2011 |
20110268345 | DEFECT CLASSIFIER USING CLASSIFICATION RECIPE BASED ON CONNECTION BETWEEN RULE-BASED AND EXAMPLE-BASED CLASSIFIERS - In apparatuses for automatically acquiring and also for automatically classifying images of defects present on a sample such as a semiconductor wafer, a classifying system is provided which are capable of readily accepting even such a case that a large number of classification classes are produced based upon a request issued by a user, and also even such a case that a basis of the classification class is changed in a high frequency. When the user defines the classification classes, a device for designating attributes owned by the respective classification classes is provided. The classifying system automatically changes a connecting mode between an internally-provided rule-based classifier and an example-based classifier, so that such a classifying system which is fitted to the classification basis of the user is automatically constructed. | 11-03-2011 |
20120019816 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS - The present invention provides a spatial filtering technology for exposing a defect image independently of polarization properties of defect scattered light, a defect inspection method for increasing a defect capture rate by suppressing the brightness saturation of a normal pattern, and a defect inspection apparatus that uses the defect inspection method. An array of spatial filters is disposed in one or more optical paths, which are obtained by polarizing and splitting a detection optical path, to filter diffracted light and scattered light emitted from the normal pattern. An image whose brightness saturation is suppressed is obtained by controlling an illumination light amount and/or detection efficiency during image detection in accordance with the amount of scattered light from the normal pattern. | 01-26-2012 |
20120074319 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REVIEWING DEFECTS - A method of inspecting defects of a sample on a movable table includes a first step for, on a basis of position information of the defects which is previously detected by an other inspection system, driving the table so that the defects come into a viewing field of an optical microscope having a focus which is adjusted, a second step for re-detecting the defects to obtain a first detection result, a third step for correcting the position information of defects on a basis of position information of the re-detected defects, and a fourth step for reviewing the defects whose position information is corrected to obtain a second detection result. At the second step, re-detecting is performed using reflection light or scattered light from the sample which passes an optical filter which includes a light shielding portion and a light transmitting portion. | 03-29-2012 |
20120092657 | METHOD OF DEFECT INSPECTION AND DEVICE OF DEFECT INSPECTION - A method of inspecting defects and a device inspecting defects of detecting defects at high sensitivity and high capture efficiency even on various patterns existing on a wafer. In the device of inspecting defects, an illumination optical system is formed of two systems of a coherent illumination of a laser | 04-19-2012 |
20120126117 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING AN IMAGE OBTAINED BY THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - In the case where a specimen is imaged by a scanning electron microscope, it is intended to acquire an image of a high quality having a noise component reduced, thereby to improve the precision of an image processing. The intensity distribution of a beam is calculated on the basis of an imaging condition or specimen information, and an image restoration is performed by using a resolving power deterioration factor other than the beam intensity distribution as a target of a deterioration mode, so that a high resolving power image can be acquired under various conditions. In the scanning electron microscope for semiconductor inspections and semiconductor measurements, the restored image is used for pattern size measurement, defect detections, defect classifications and so on, so that the measurements can be improved in precision and so that the defect detections and classifications can be made high precise. | 05-24-2012 |
20120128233 | DEFECT CLASSIFIER USING CLASSIFICATION RECIPE BASED ON CONNECTION BETWEEN RULE-BASED AND EXAMPLE-BASED CLASSIFIERS - In apparatuses for automatically acquiring and also for automatically classifying images of defects present on a sample such as a semiconductor wafer, a classifying system is provided which are capable of readily accepting even such a case that a large number of classification classes are produced based upon a request issued by a user, and also even such a case that a basis of the classification class is changed in a high frequency. When the user defines the classification classes, a device for designating attributes owned by the respective classification classes is provided. The classifying system automatically changes a connecting mode between an internally-provided rule-based classifier and an example-based classifier, so that such a classifying system which is fitted to the classification basis of the user is automatically constructed. | 05-24-2012 |
20120133928 | DEFECT INSPECTION DEVICE AND INSPECTION METHOD - A defect inspection method wherein illumination light having a substantially uniform illumination intensity distribution in a certain direction on the surface of a specimen is radiated onto the surface of the specimen; wherein multiple components of those scattered light beams from the surface of the specimen which are emitted mutually different directions are detected, thereby obtaining corresponding multiple scattered light beam detection signals; wherein the multiple scattered light beam detection signals is subjected to processing, thereby determining the presence of defects; wherein the corresponding multiple scattered light detecting signals is processed with respect to all of the spots determined to be defective by the processing, thereby determining the sizes of defects; and wherein the defect locations on the specimen and the defect sizes are displayed with respect to all of the spots determined to be defective by the processing. | 05-31-2012 |
20120194807 | FLAW INSPECTING METHOD AND DEVICE THEREFOR - In order to maximize the effect of signal addition during inspection of foreign substances in wafers, a device structure including line sensors arranged in plural directions is effective. Low-angle detection optical systems that detect light beams in plural azimuth directions, the light beams being scattered in low angle directions among those scattered from a linear area on a sample illuminated by illuminating means, each include a combination of a first imaging lens group ( | 08-02-2012 |
20120229618 | DEFECT INSPECTION DEVICE AND DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD - Disclosed is a defect inspection device that has an illumination optical system; a detection optical system; and a processing unit which includes a defect feature quantity calculation unit that calculates the feature quantities of each defect candidate, a defect candidate grouping unit that groups the aforementioned defect candidates on the basis of the feature quantities, a defect classification evaluation value calculation unit that calculates defect classification evaluation values for the aforementioned defect candidates, a defect classification evaluation value updating unit that, on the basis of instructions, updates the evaluation values, a defect classification threshold determination unit that, on the basis of evaluation valued updated by the aforementioned defect classification evaluation value updating unit, determines a classification boundary that is a threshold for classifying defect types of the aforementioned defect candidates, and a defect detection unit that detects defects using the thresholds. | 09-13-2012 |
20120275681 | DEVICE FOR HARVESTING BACTERIAL COLONY AND METHOD THEREFOR - When multiple kinds of bacterial colonies are present in a petri dish and, for example, a drug tolerance is to be measured, harvesting of mixed colonies of different types of bacteria makes it impossible to accurately determine the drug tolerance. Also, it is required to improve the throughput of a device for harvesting a bacterial colony. From images illuminated from multiple directions, isolating bacterial colonies are automatically extracted. Next, the image feature amounts are calculated from the multiple images that are illuminated from multiple directions and colonies are grouped depending on the feature amounts. Then, bacterial colonies to be harvested are determined based on the results of the grouping. | 11-01-2012 |
20120293795 | DEFECT INSPECTION DEVICE AND METHOD OF INSPECTING DEFECT - Disclosed is a defect inspection device comprising: an illumination optical portion which illuminates an object to be inspected with illuminating light; a detection optical portion system illuminated by the illumination optical portion and provided with a plurality of detectors which respectively detects components of scattering light which scatter from the inspected object each in a different direction of azimuthal angle or in a different direction of angle of elevation with respect to a surface of the inspected object; and a signal processing portion which makes gain adjustments and defect decisions in parallel on plural signals based on the components of the scattering light from the inspected object detected by the detectors, respectively, the defect decisions being based on a threshold value decision, and which extracts defects based on results of the gain adjustments and of the defect decisions. | 11-22-2012 |
20120296576 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEVICE THEREOF - The present invention relates to a defect inspection device which includes: irradiating means for simultaneously irradiating different regions on a sample with illumination light under different optical conditions, the sample being predesigned to include patterns repeatedly formed thereupon, wherein the patterns are to be formed in the same shape; detection means for detecting, for each of the different regions, a beam of light reflected from each region irradiated with the illumination light; defect candidate extraction means for extracting defect candidates under the different optical conditions for each of the different regions, by processing detection signals corresponding to the reflected light which is detected; defect extraction means for extracting defects by integrating the defect candidates extracted under the different optical conditions; and defect classifying means for calculating feature quantities of the extracted defects and classifies the defects according to the calculated feature quantities. | 11-22-2012 |
20130003052 | DEFECT INSPECTION DEVICE AND DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD - A defect inspection device has: an illumination optical system which irradiates a predetermined region of an inspection target with illumination light; a detection optical system which has a detector provided with a plurality of pixels by which scattered light from the predetermined region of the inspection target due to illumination light from the illumination optical system can be detected; and a signal processing portion which is provided with a correction portion which corrects pixel displacement caused by change in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the inspection target with respect to a detection signal based on the scattered light detected by the detector of the detection optical system, and a defect determination portion which determines a defect on the surface of the inspection target based on the detection signal corrected by the correction portion. | 01-03-2013 |
20130070078 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TESTING DEFECT USING SEM - In performing a programmed-point inspection of a circuit pattern using a review SEM, stable inspection can be performed while suppressing the generation of a false report even when a variation in a circuit pattern to be inspected is large. SEM images that are obtained by sequentially imaging a predetermined circuit pattern using the review SEM are stored into a storage unit. Images that meet a set condition are selected from the stored SEM images, and averaged to create an average image (GP image). By performing pattern check by GP comparison using this GP image, an inspection can be performed while suppressing the generation of a false report even when a variation in the circuit patterns is large. | 03-21-2013 |
20130114078 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEVICE THEREFOR - Disclosed is a defect inspection method which makes it possible to scan the entire surface of a sample and detect minute defects without causing thermal damage to the sample. A defect inspection method in which a pulse laser emitted from a light source is subjected to pulse division and irradiated on the surface of a sample which moves in one direction while the divided-pulse pulse laser is rotated, reflection light from the sample irradiated by the divided-pulse pulse laser is detected, the signal of the detected reflection light is processed to detect defects on the sample, and information regarding a detected defect is output to a display screen, wherein the barycentric position of the light intensity of the divided-pulse pulse laser is monitored and adjusted. | 05-09-2013 |
20130119250 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD, AND DEVICE THEREOF - A conventional pattern inspection, which compares an image to be inspected with a reference image and subjects the resulting difference value to the defect detection using the threshold of defect determination, has difficulty in highly-sensitive inspection. Because defects occur only in specific circuit pattern sections, false reports occur in the conventional pattern inspections which are not based on the position. Disclosed are a defect inspection method and a device thereof which perform a pattern inspection by acquiring a GP image in advance, designating a place to be inspected and a threshold map to the GP image on the GUI, setting the identification reference of the defects, next acquiring the image to be inspected, applying the identification reference to the image to be inspected, and identifying the defects with the identification reference, thereby enabling the highly-sensitive inspection. | 05-16-2013 |
20130141715 | FAULT INSPECTION DEVICE AND FAULT INSPECTION METHOD - Proposed is a defect inspection method whereby: illuminating light having a substantially uniform illumination intensity distribution in one direction of a sample surface irradiated on the sample surface; multiple scattered light components, which are output in multiple independent directions, are detected among the scattered light from the sample surface and multiple corresponding scattered light detection signals are obtained; at least one of the multiple scattered light detection signals is processed and the presence of defects is determined; at least one of the multiple scattered light detection signals that correspond to each of the points determined by the processing as a defect is processed and the dimensions of the defect are determined; and the position and dimensions of the defect on the sample surface, at each of the points determined as a defect, are displayed. | 06-06-2013 |
20130155400 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSPECTING FOR DEFECTS - A defect inspecting method is provided which comprises a pre-scan defect inspecting process including a pre-scan irradiating step for casting irradiation light onto the surface of a sample, a pre-scan detecting step for detecting the scattered lights, and a pre-scan defect information collecting step for obtaining information on preselected defects present on the sample surface on the basis of the scattered lights; a near-field defect inspecting process including a near-field irradiating step in which the distance between the sample surface and a near-field head is adjusted so that the sample surface is irradiated, a near-field detecting step for detecting near-field light response, and a near-field defect information collecting step for obtaining information on the preselected defects on the basis of the near-field light response; and a merging process for inspecting defects present on the sample surface by merging the pieces of information on the preselected defects. | 06-20-2013 |
20130202188 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD, DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS, PROGRAM PRODUCT AND OUTPUT UNIT - A defect inspection method has the following steps. An irradiation step of irradiating illumination light on an object. A detection step of detecting scattered light from the object. A defect detection step having the following steps. A first pixel-value information acquisition step of dividing an image based on the scattered light into multiple areas and obtaining first pixel value information, information of the pixel value about each of the multiple areas. A second pixel-value information acquisition step of acquiring second pixel value information, information of the pixel value about all the areas by processing the first pixel value information obtained. A similarity calculation step of calculating the similarity between each image of the multiple areas and the image of all the areas by comparing the first and the second pixel value information. A defect extraction step of extracting a defect of the object using the calculated similarity. | 08-08-2013 |
20130242294 | DEFECT INSPECTION DEVICE AND DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD - To prevent overlooking of a defect due to reduction in a defect signal, a defect inspection device is configured such that: light is irradiated onto an object to be inspected on which a pattern is formed; reflected, diffracted, and scattered light generated from the object by the irradiation of the light is collected, such that a first optical image resulting from the light passed through a first spatial filter having a first shading pattern is received by a first detector, whereby a first image is obtained; the reflected, diffracted, and scattered light generated from the object is collected, such that a second optical image resulting from the light passed through a second spatial filter having a second shading pattern is received by a second detector, whereby a second image is obtained; and the first and second images thus obtained are processed integrally to detect a defect candidate(s). | 09-19-2013 |
20130277553 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBSERVING DEFECTS - Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for observing defects by using an SEM, wherein, in order to observe defects on a wafer at high speed and high sensitivity, positional information of defects on a sample, which has been optically inspected and detected by other inspecting apparatus, and information of the conditions of the optical inspection having been performed by other inspecting apparatus are obtained, and optically detecting the defects on the sample placed on a table, on the basis of the thus obtained information, and on the basis of the detected positional information of the defect on the sample placed on the table, the positional information of the defect having been inspected and detected by other inspecting apparatus is corrected, then, the defects on the sample placed on the table are observed by the SEM using the thus corrected positional information of the defects. | 10-24-2013 |
20130293879 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEVICE THEREFOR - To process a signal from a plurality of detectors without being affected by a variation in the height of a substrate, and to detect more minute defects on the substrate, a defect inspection device is provided with a photoelectric converter having a plurality of rows of optical sensor arrays in each of first and second light-collecting/detecting unit and a processing unit for processing a detection signal from the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit to determine the extent to which the positions of the focal points of the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit are misaligned with respect to the surface of a test specimen, and processing the detection signal to correct a misalignment between the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit, and the corrected detection signal outputted from the first and the second light-collecting/detecting unit are combined together to detect the defects on the test specimen. | 11-07-2013 |
20130293880 | DEFECT TESTING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DEFECT TESTING - In a defect inspection method and an apparatus of the same, for enabling to conduct an inspection of fine defects without applying thermal damages on a sample, the following steps are conducted: mounting a sample on a rotatable table to rotate; irradiating a pulse laser emitting from a laser light source upon the sample rotating; detecting a reflected light from the sample, upon which the pulse laser is irradiated; detecting the reflected light from the sample detected; and detecting a defect on the sample through processing of a signal obtained through the detection, wherein irradiation of the pulse laser emitting from the laser light source upon the sample rotating is conducted by dividing the one pulse emitted from the laser light source into plural numbers of pulses, and irradiating each of the divided pulse lasers upon each of separate positions on the sample, respectively. | 11-07-2013 |
20130294677 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEFECT INSPECTION DEVICE - There is provided a defect inspection method including the steps of: acquiring image data sets of a sample under a plurality of imaging conditions; storing a plurality of image data sets acquired under the plurality of imaging conditions in an image storage unit; acquiring a defect candidate from each of the plurality of image data sets; cutting out, from the image data sets acquired under at least two imaging conditions and stored in the image storage unit, a partial images each including a position of the defect candidate detected in any of the plurality of image data sets and the periphery of the defect candidate position; and integrating the partial images acquired under at least two imaging conditions corresponding to the defect candidates, thereby classifying the defect candidates. | 11-07-2013 |
20130301042 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS - A defect inspection method includes: illuminating an area on surface of a specimen as a test object under a specified illumination condition; scanning a specimen to translate and rotate the specimen; detecting scattering lights to separate each of scattering lights scattered in different directions from the illuminated area on the specimen into pixels to be detected according to a scan direction at the scanning a specimen and a direction approximately orthogonal to the scan direction; and processing to perform an addition process on each of scattering lights that are detected at the step and scatter approximately in the same direction from approximately the same area of the specimen, determine presence or absence of a defect based on scattering light treated by the addition process, and compute a size of the determined defect using at least one of the scattering lights corresponding to the determined defect. | 11-14-2013 |
20130321798 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD, LOW LIGHT DETECTING METHOD AND LOW LIGHT DETECTOR - A defect inspection method includes an illumination light adjustment step of adjusting light emitted from a light source, an illumination intensity distribution control step of forming light flux obtained in the illumination light adjustment step into desired illumination intensity distribution, a sample scanning step of displacing a sample in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the illumination intensity distribution, a scattered light detection step of counting the number of photons of scattered light emitted from plural small areas in an area irradiated with illumination light to produce plural scattered light detection signals corresponding to the plural small areas, a defect judgment step of processing the plural scattered light detection signals to judge presence of a defect, a defect dimension judgment step of judging dimensions of the defect in each place in which the defect is judged to be present and a display step of displaying a position on sample surface and the dimensions of the defect in each place in which the defect is judged to be present. | 12-05-2013 |
20130329227 | OPTICAL INSPECTION METHOD AND OPTICAL INSPECTION APPARATUS - An optical inspection apparatus is provided which suppresses the influence of quantum noise including: light irradiator which irradiates a sample with light; reference light emitter which emits reference light; light interference unit which generates interfering light through interference between transmitted light, scattered light, or reflected light from the sample irradiated with light by the light irradiator, and the reference light emitted by the reference light emitter; light detector which detects the interfering light generated by the light interference unit; defect identifier which identifies the presence or absence of a defect based on a detection signal obtained by the light detector detecting the interfering light; and light convertor which converts at least the state of the transmitted, scattered, or reflected light from the sample, the state of the reference light emitted by the reference light emitter, or the state of the interfering light generated by the light interference unit. | 12-12-2013 |
20140009755 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEVICE USING SAME - In order to enable inspections to be conducted at a sampling rate higher than the pulse oscillation frequency of a pulsed laser beam emitted from a laser light source, without damaging samples, a defect inspection method is disclosed, wherein: a single pulse of a pulsed laser beam emitted from the laser light source is split into a plurality of pulses; a sample is irradiated with this pulse-split pulsed laser beam; scattered light produced by the sample due to the irradiation is focused and detected; and defects on the sample are detected by using information obtained by focusing and detecting the scattered light from the sample. Said defect inspection method is configured such that the splitting a single pulse of the pulsed laser beam into a plurality of pulses is controlled in such a manner that the peak values of the split pulses are substantially uniform. | 01-09-2014 |