Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080219547 | METHOD OF ANALYZING A WAFER SAMPLE - In a method of analyzing a wafer sample, a first defect of a photoresist pattern on the wafer sample having shot regions exposed with related exposure conditions is detected. A first portion of the pattern includes the shot regions exposed with an exposure condition corresponding to a reference exposure condition and a tolerance error range of the reference exposure condition. The first defect repeatedly existing in at least two of the shot regions in a second portion of the pattern is set up as a second defect of the pattern. A first reference image displaying the second defect is obtained. The first defect of the shot regions in the first portion corresponding to the second defect is set up as a third defect corresponding to weak points of the pattern. The exposure conditions of the shot region having no weak points are set up as an exposure margin of an exposure process. | 09-11-2008 |
20090219520 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING A SURFACE OF A WAFER - A surface inspection apparatus and method increase wafer productivity, wherein to increase an efficiency of the surface inspection apparatus to detect defects during a scanning of the wafer surface, a scanning speed for a subsequent defect detection is varied according to an increase/decrease of defect density represented on a plurality of images acquired successively. When the density of defects is reduced, the scanning speed increases and a level of a skip rule increases, and when the density of defects increases, the scanning speed decreases and a level of the skip rule decreases to precisely detect defects, thereby increasing reliability, throughput, and productivity. | 09-03-2009 |
20090238445 | Method of detecting a defect on an object - In a method of detecting a defect on an object, a preliminary reference image can be obtained from a plurality of comparison regions defined on the object. The preliminary reference image is divided into reference zones by a similar brightness. Each of the reference zones is provided with substantially the same gray level, respectively, to obtain a reference image. Whether a defect exists in an inspection region in the comparison regions is determined using the reference image. Thus, defects in the inspection regions having different brightnesses can be detected using the properly obtained reference image. | 09-24-2009 |
20100136717 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO INSPECT DEFECT OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An apparatus and method to inspect a defect of a semiconductor device. The amount of secondary electrons generated due to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) may depend on the topology of a pattern of a semiconductor substrate. The amount of secondary electrons emitted from a recess of an under layer is far smaller than that of secondary electrons emitted from a projection of a top layer. Since the recess is darker than the projection, a ratio of a value of a secondary electron signal of the under layer to a value of a secondary electron signal of the top layer may be increased in order to improve a pattern image used to inspect a defect in the under layer. To do this, a plurality of conditions under which electron beams (e-beams) are irradiated may be set, at least two may be selected out of the set conditions, and the pattern may be scanned under the selected conditions. Thus, secondary electron signals may be generated according to the respective conditions and converted into image data so that various pattern images may be displayed on a monitor. Scan information on the pattern images may be automatically stored in a computer storage along with positional information on a predetermined portion of the semiconductor substrate. When calculation conditions are input to a computer, each of scan information on the pattern images may be calculated to generate a new integrated pattern image. | 06-03-2010 |
20110097829 | METHOD FOR INSPECTION OF DEFECTS ON A SUBSTRATE - A method for inspection of defects on a substrate includes positioning a probe of a scanning probe microscopy (SPM) over and spaced apart from a substrate, includes scanning the substrate by changing a relative position of the probe with respect to the substrate on a plane spaced apart from and parallel to the substrate, and includes measuring a value of an induced current generated via the probe in at least two different regions of the substrate. The value of the induced current is variable according to at least a shape and a material of the substrate. The method further includes determining whether a defect exists by comparing the values of the induced currents measured in the at least two different regions of the substrate. | 04-28-2011 |
20120080597 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO INSPECT DEFECT OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An apparatus and method to inspect a defect of a substrate. Since a recess of an under layer of a substrate is darker than a projection of a top layer, a ratio of a value of a secondary electron signal (of an SEM) of the under layer to a value of the top layer may be increased to improve a pattern image used to inspect an under layer defect. Several conditions under which electron beams are irradiated may be set, and the pattern may be scanned under such conditions. Secondary electron signals may be generated according to the conditions and converted into image data to display various pattern images. Scan information on the images may be stored with positional information on the substrate. Each of scan information on the pattern images may be calculated to generate a new integrated image. | 04-05-2012 |
20120314205 | DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS AND DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD USING THE SAME - A defect inspection apparatus comprises a table on which a substrate is placed, a first detection unit which is disposed above the table to detect an optical signal from the substrate, a second detection unit which is disposed above the table to detect an electrical signal from the substrate, and a signal processing unit which is connected to the first detection unit and the second detection unit to detect a chemical defect using the optical signal and the electrical signal. | 12-13-2012 |
20120315583 | METHODS OF GENERATING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PROCESS WINDOW QUALIFICATION - In a method of generating a three-dimensional process window qualification, a photoresist layer is coated on a substrate including an underlying structure. A plurality of circular-shaped regions of the substrate are distinguished into 1 to n regions to partition the substrate into a center portion and an edge portion, n being a natural number greater than 2. 1 to n exposing ranges are set, including a common exposing condition for the 1 to n regions. A photoresist pattern is fox led by exposing each shot portion in the 1 to n regions using a split exposing condition in the 1 to n exposing ranges. The photoresist pattern is detected, and a normal photoresist pattern with respect to each of the 1 to n regions is selected to generate the three-dimensional process window qualification. | 12-13-2012 |
20130169140 | BROADBAND LIGHT ILLUMINATORS - A broadband light illuminator of an optical inspector for optically detecting defects of an inspection object may include an electrode-less chamber including a plasma area from which broadband light is generated; a first energy provider, exterior to the chamber, configured to provide first energy for ionizing high pressure gases to form ionized gases in the chamber; a second energy provider, exterior to the chamber, configured to provide second energy for transforming the ionized gases into a plasma state to form the plasma area at a central portion of the chamber; an elliptical reflector having a first focus at which the chamber is positioned and a second focus such that the broadband light is reflected from the elliptical reflector toward the second focus; and a lens unit focusing the reflected broadband light onto the inspection object to form an inspection light for detecting the defects of the inspection object. | 07-04-2013 |
20130175445 | MICROELECTRONIC SUBSTRATE INSPECTION EQUIPMENT USING HELIUM ION MICROSCOPY - Microelectronic substrate inspection equipment includes a gas container which contains helium gas, a helium ion generator which is disposed in the gas container and converts the helium gas into helium ions and a wafer stage which is disposed under the gas container and on which a substrate to be inspected is placed. The equipment further includes a secondary electron detector which is disposed above the wafer stage and detects electrons generated from the substrate, a compressor which receives first gaseous nitrogen from a continuous nitrogen supply device and compresses the received first gaseous nitrogen into liquid nitrogen, a liquid nitrogen dewar which is connected to the compressor and stores the liquid nitrogen, and a cooling device that is coupled to the helium ion generator. The cooling device is disposed on the gas container, and cools the helium ion generator by vaporizing the liquid nitrogen. Related methods are also disclosed. | 07-11-2013 |
20130208486 | REFLECTOR STRUCTURE OF ILLUMINATION OPTIC SYSTEM - An illumination optic system includes a convex mirror to reflect light from a light source to towards a lens. The light source is at a first focus position and the lens is at a second focus position of the mirror. The system also includes a reflector to reflect light not incident on the lens toward the convex mirror. The reflector has a light guide hole to guide light to the incidence surface of the lens. | 08-15-2013 |
20130214180 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LIGHT - An optical system includes a first light source to radiate light in a first wavelength band, a reflector to reflect light from the first light source, a second light source to radiate light in a second wavelength band, and a reflector reflect the second light source. The fourth reflector is set at a first position to allow light from the first light source to each the condenser lens and set to a second position to allow light from the second light source to reach the condenser lens. | 08-22-2013 |
20130234021 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MEASURE STEP HEIGHT OF DEVICE USING SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE - A method of measuring a step height of a device using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the method may include providing a device which comprises a first region and a second region, wherein a step is formed between the first region and the second region, obtaining a SEM image of the device by photographing the device using a SEM, wherein the SEM image comprises a first SEM image region for the first region and a second SEM image region for the second region, converting the SEM image into a gray-level histogram and calculating a first peak value related to the first SEM image region and a second peak value related to the second SEM image region, wherein the first peak value and the second peak value are repeatedly calculated by varying a focal length of the SEM, and determining a height of the step by analyzing a trend of changes in the first peak value according to changes in the focal length and a trend of changes in the second peak value according to the changes in the focal length. | 09-12-2013 |
20130301903 | METHOD OF INSPECTING WAFER - A method of inspecting a wafer includes performing a fabricating process on a wafer, irradiating broadband light on the wafer, such that the light is reflected from the wafer, generating a spectral cube by using the light reflected from the wafer, extracting a spectrum of a desired wafer inspection region from the spectral cube, and inspecting the desired wafer inspection region by analyzing the extracted spectrum. | 11-14-2013 |
20150070690 | Method of Detecting a Defect of a Substrate and Apparatus for Performing the Same - In a method of detecting a defect of a substrate, a first light having a first intensity may be irradiated to a first region of the substrate through a first aperture. A defect in the first region may be detected using a first reflected light from the first region. A second light having a second intensity may be irradiated to a second region of the substrate through a second aperture. A defect in the second region may be detected using a second reflected light from the second region. Thus, the defects by the regions of the substrate may be accurately detected. | 03-12-2015 |