Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
348126000 | Of electronic circuit chip or board | 57 |
20090153657 | Method and apparatus for processing the image of the surface of a wafer recorded by at least one camera - A method for processing the image data of the surface of a wafer ( | 06-18-2009 |
20090315988 | OBSERVATION DEVICE, INSPECTION DEVICE AND INSPECTION METHOD - An inspection device is configured having: an illumination unit that illuminates a wafer with illumination light having a plurality of kinds of wavelengths; a photographing unit that photographs the image of the wafer illuminated with the illumination light; and an image processing unit that generates an inspection image of the wafer photographed by the photographing unit, by performing a predetermined weighting for each of the plurality of kinds of wavelengths, and judges whether any defect is present in the wafer based on the generated inspection image. | 12-24-2009 |
20100128119 | DEFECT REVIEW APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WAFER - A defect review apparatus includes a storage device which stores data about a defect of an inspection target object; a first imaging device which captures an image located in a position on a surface of the inspection target object, the position being specified by information regarding the position of the inspection target object which has been input; and a control device which controls the first imaging device. The storage device stores: first defect detection data including a defect number as which the defect of the inspection target object detected by a first defect detection process is labeled, and information regarding the position of the defect; and second defect data including a defect number as which the defect of the inspection target object detected by a second defect detection process is labeled, and information regarding its position. | 05-27-2010 |
20100157046 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING A GROUP OF PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC MASKS - The invention relates to a method for analyzing a group of at least two masks for photolithography, wherein each of the masks comprises a substructure of a total structure, which is to be introduced in a layer of the wafer in the lithographic process, and the total structure is introduced in the layer of the wafer by introducing the substructures in sequence. In this method, a first aerial image of a first one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. Then, a second aerial image of a second one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. A combination image is generated from the data of the first and second aerial images, which combination image is represented and/or evaluated. | 06-24-2010 |
20100182421 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOLAR CELL DEFECTS USING BRIGHT FIELD AND ELECTROLUMINESCENCE IMAGING - Methods and apparatus for integrated, in-line metrology of solar cells involve three distinct inspection and testing operations, prior to string and module assembly. Two of the inspections are performed by image analysis using bright field illumination. The third inspection involves electroluminescence imaging, where luminescence in the solar cell is achieved by inducing a forward bias in the solar cell, and analyzing a resulting grayscale image for defects. | 07-22-2010 |
20100220186 | Method And System For Detecting Micro-Cracks In Wafers - An inspection method comprises receiving light emanating from a first surface of a wafer substantially along a first axis for obtaining a first image of the first surface therefrom, the wafer having a crack formed therein and the first image containing at least one portion of the crack. The inspection method also comprises receiving light emanating from the first surface of the wafer substantially along a second axis for obtaining a second image of the first surface therefrom, the second image containing at least one second portion of the crack, the first surface extending substantially parallel a plane, and the orthographic projection of the first axis on the plane being substantially perpendicular the orthographic projection of the second axis on the plane. The inspection method further comprises constructing a third image from the at least one first portion of the crack and the least one second portion of the crack of the first and second images respectively. More specifically, the third image is substantially processable for inspecting the crack in the wafer. | 09-02-2010 |
20100289891 | APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING OBJECT UNDER INSPECTION - In a board inspection system, a line sensor of a first scanning unit scans, via a telecentric lens, the image of the surface to be inspected on a board, viewed in a perpendicular direction. A line sensor of a second scanning unit scans the image of the surface to be inspected on the board, viewed at an angle, which is tilted toward a first direction by a first angle α from the direction perpendicular to the surface to be inspected. A line sensor of a third scanning unit scans the image of the surface to be inspected on the board, viewed at an angle, which is tilted toward a second direction by a second angle β from the direction perpendicular to the surface to be inspected. A determination unit computes the height of the surface to be inspected on the board with use of image data acquired by a first scanning unit, a second scanning unit, and a third scanning unit. | 11-18-2010 |
20100295938 | Apparatus for the Optical Inspection of Wafers - An apparatus ( | 11-25-2010 |
20100302360 | DEFECT CORRECTING METHOD AND DEFECT CORRECTING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT PATTERN - Provided is a defect correcting device for an electronic circuit pattern, which is capable of making a defect seed obvious, and normalizing a pixel or forming a pixel into a semi-black spot. A defect correcting device for an electronic circuit pattern includes: an imaging unit for irradiating a defective portion of the electronic circuit pattern with irradiation light having a wavelength of a visible light region and a wavelength of an infrared light region, and receiving reflected light having the wavelength of the visible light region and the wavelength of the infrared light region from the electronic circuit pattern; a signal processing unit for extracting the defective portion from a picked-up image, and determining a correcting method; a laser irradiating unit for irradiating the defective portion with laser light; and a correction determining unit for determining success or failure of defect correction before and after laser irradiation. | 12-02-2010 |
20100321491 | ACHIEVING CONVERGENT LIGHT RAYS EMITTED BY PLANAR ARRAY OF LIGHT SOURCES - Systems and methods are provided for achieving convergent light rays emitted by a planar array of light sources. In one embodiment, an imaging device is provided for inspecting semiconductors or other objects. The imaging device includes one or more imaging lens for imaging light reflected from an object. The imaging device also includes a first light source attached to a planar circuit board and a second light source attached to the planar circuit board. The imaging device further includes a first Fresnel prism for directing light from the first light source toward the object from a first direction and a second Fresnel prism for directing light from the second light source toward the object from a second direction. In one embodiment, the imaging device also includes one or more optical elements for increasing or decreasing the divergence of the light. | 12-23-2010 |
20100328446 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING PATTERN DEFECTS - An apparatus for inspecting pattern defects, the apparatus including: an image acquisition unit which acquires an image of a specimen and stores the acquired image in an image memory; a defect candidate extraction unit which performs a defect candidate extraction process by using the acquired image, which is read from the image memory; and a defect detection unit which performs a defect detection process and a defect classification process based on a partial image containing a defect candidate that is extracted by the defect candidate extraction unit, wherein the processes performed by the defect detection unit is performed off-line asynchronously with an image acquisition process that is performed by the image acquisition unit. | 12-30-2010 |
20110109738 | OBSERVATION DEVICE AND OBSERVATION METHOD - An observation device ( | 05-12-2011 |
20110128371 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - Semiconductor wafer inspection device comprising a wager transport arm provided with at least one wafer support element, a wafer gripper, the gripper having two distant branches designed to take hold of the opposed edges of the wafer, the gripper being mounted so as to rotate on a shaft in order to be able to rotate the wafer between an approximately horizontal position and an approximately vertical position, and at least two inspection systems placed on one side of the wafer and on the other, in an approximately vertical position symmetrically with respect to the plane passing through the wafer. | 06-02-2011 |
20110164130 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY INSPECTING MULTIPLE ARRAY REGIONS HAVING DIFFERENT PITCHES - One embodiment relates to a method of automatically inspecting multiple array regions ( | 07-07-2011 |
20110169944 | Dark Field Inspection System With Ring Illumination - A dark field inspection system that minimizes the speckle noise due to sample surface roughness can include a plurality of beam shaping paths for generating a composite, focused illumination line on a wafer. Each beam shaping path can illuminate the wafer at an oblique angle. The plurality of beam shaping paths can form a ring illumination. This ring illumination can reduce the speckle effect, thereby improving SNR. An objective lens can capture scattered light from the wafer and an imaging sensor can receive an output of the objective lens. Because the wafer illumination occurs at oblique angles, the objective lens can have a high NA, thereby improving optical resolution of the imaging sensor, and the resulting signal level. | 07-14-2011 |
20110199480 | OPTICAL INSPECTION SYSTEM USING MULTI-FACET IMAGING - An optical inspection system, the system includes: (i) an image sensor; and (ii) a single optical element, that at least partially surrounds an edge of an inspected object; wherein the optical element is adapted to direct light from different areas of the edge of the inspected object towards the image sensor so that the image sensor concurrently obtains images of the different areas. | 08-18-2011 |
20110216186 | SOLDER PRINTING INSPECTION APPARATUS AND SOLDER PRINTING SYSTEM - A solder printing inspection apparatus for inspection of solder printed on a circuit board has a multiplicity of lands for mounting of electronic components. The apparatus includes an irradiation unit for irradiating a light on the circuit board, an imaging unit for imaging the circuit board irradiated by the light, a solder bridge detection unit for detecting a solder bridge connecting two of the lands based on an image data imaged by the imaging unit, a distance calculation unit for calculating a bridge distance as distance between two lands contacting the solder bridge or solder bridging regions or solder detection frames corresponding to the two lands contacting the solder bridge, and a distance determination unit for determination of whether or not the bridge distance is within a permissible range. | 09-08-2011 |
20110221886 | PATTERN DEFECT INSPECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD - In recent years, a wafer inspection time in semiconductor manufacturing processes is being required to be reduced for reduction in manufacturing time and for early detection of yield reduction factors. To meet this requirement, there is a need to reduce the time required for inspection parameter setup, as well as the time actually required for inspection. Based on the speed or position change information relating to a transport system | 09-15-2011 |
20110234790 | TIME RESOLVED PHOTOLUMINESCENCE IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL INSPECTION - A time-resolved photoluminescence technique is disclosed to image photovoltaic cells and wafers. The effective lifetime is measured directly using a photodetector that has a fast response. A pulsed light source flashes the wafer, generating excess carriers in the silicon. The rate of carrier recombination is monitored by imaging the photoluminescence decay over time. An effective lifetime can be extracted from the photoluminescence decay curve, which can be used to determine the quality of the photovoltaic cells and wafers. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242313 | Contamination monitoring of high voltage insulators - Contamination monitoring of high voltage insulators provides a system and method producing an early predictor for high voltage insulator failure, allowing repairmen to either already be on site when a high voltage insulator fails in order to expedite repair time, or allowing repair and/or replacement of a faulty insulator before the failure actually occurs. The system and method provide transmission of an alarm signal when contaminant levels (such as equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) levels) formed on a high voltage insulator exceed pre-selected threshold values, indicating the likelihood of high voltage insulator failure. | 10-06-2011 |
20110254945 | ELECTRONIC COMPONENT HANDLING APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC COMPONENT TESTING APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENT TESTING METHOD - An electronic device handling apparatus, which handles an electronic device under test having a first main surface provided thereon with first device terminals and a second main surface provided thereon with second device terminals, includes: a contact arm having a holding-side contact arm to which a first socket is attached and a suction pad which holds the electronic device under test; an alignment apparatus which positions the first socket and the electronic device under test; and the alignment apparatus which positions, with respect to a second socket, the electronic device under test being held by the suction pad and contacting the first socket, wherein the contact arm presses the second device terminals of the electronic device under test to the second socket. | 10-20-2011 |
20110261190 | DEFECT OBSERVATION DEVICE AND DEFECT OBSERVATION METHOD - A review SEM is provided with a means to store sets of images acquired using multiple imaging conditions or sets of images for which multiple imaging conditions are simulated using simulation, a means to store defect position information for each set of images, and a means to store information relating to imaging conditions and process time. A means to estimate predicted capture rate and throughput with the individual imaging conditions for the sets of images from the stored information, and a means to display the results thereof are additionally provided. | 10-27-2011 |
20110317003 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EDGE INSPECTION USING A TILTED ILLUMINATION - A method and an edge inspection system, the edge inspection system includes: an illumination unit; a support module for supporting an inspected object and for moving the inspected object in relation to the illumination unit; wherein the inspected object comprises a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one edge facet; an illumination unit that has an illumination axis, wherein the illumination unit is arranged to illuminate an inspected edge area of the inspected object by directing a light beam along the illumination axis; wherein the illumination axis is tilted in relation to a plane of the inspected object by a tilt angle that differs from ninety degrees; wherein the plane of the inspected object is defined by at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface; and a camera that has a collection axis, wherein the camera is arranged to detect light from the inspected edge area. | 12-29-2011 |
20120140060 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - An inspection apparatus and method, which can perform defect determination and estimate a defect on a mask and the resultant influence on a wafer. Each of the transfer images is reviewed in order of following (1) to (3):
| 06-07-2012 |
20120287263 | INFRARED INSPECTION OF BONDED SUBSTRATES - A method and apparatus for obtaining inspection information is described. A standard CCD or CMOS camera is used to obtain images in the near infrared region. Background and noise components of the obtained image are removed and the signal to noise ratio is increased to provide information that is suitable for use in inspection. | 11-15-2012 |
20120287264 | BOARD INSPECTION APPARATUS - An apparatus for inspecting a board is shown. The board inspection apparatus includes at least one illuminating module, an imaging lens, a first beam splitter, a first camera, and a second camera. The illuminating module provides light to an inspection board and the imaging lens transmits a light reflected from the inspection board. The first beam splitter transmits a portion of the light transmitted from the imaging lens and reflects the rest of the transmitted light. The first camera image-captures by receiving the light that transmits the first beam, and the second camera image-captures by receiving the light reflected from the first beam splitter. Therefore, by using one imaging lens to inspect the inspection board, the decrease in accuracy caused by the different optical axis or magnification may be prevented. | 11-15-2012 |
20120314057 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DEFECT DETECTION USING A WHOLE RAW IMAGE - An apparatus for identifying a defect in an electronic circuit having periodic features, the apparatus including at least a camera for obtaining an image of the electronic circuit and an image processing system. The image processing system receives the image of the electronic circuit from the camera, performs a diagonal shift of the received image of the electronic circuit by at least a diagonal size of the periodic features of the electronic circuit to produce a shifted image of the electronic circuit, identifies a candidate defect using the image of the electronic circuit and the shifted image of the electronic circuit, computes one or more local defect-free reference (golden) images of the electronic circuit using at least one selected area in the closest proximity of the identified candidate defect and determines the defect in the electronic circuit using one or more computed local golden images of the electronic circuit, the image of the electronic circuit. | 12-13-2012 |
20130038716 | METHOD OF INSPECTING A MASK AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING THE SAME - In a method of inspecting a mask, an image of a first die in a corrected mask may be obtained. The corrected mask may be corrected using correction data that may include deformation factors related to an exposure process. The first image may be reversely corrected based on correction data. The reversely corrected first image may be compared with a reference image to determine whether the first die may be properly implemented or not. | 02-14-2013 |
20130120560 | CAMERA SYSTEM FOR ALIGNING COMPONENTS OF A PCB - A camera system and associated method for aligning a component with a footprint on a PCB including: a housing having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; a first image sensor positioned on the first side of the housing and pointing to a first direction away from the housing to capture an image of the component and generating a first image signal, wherein the first image sensor includes a first lens assembly without a prism; a second image sensor positioned on the second side of the housing and aligned with the first image sensor pointing to a second direction opposite to the first direction to capture an image of the footprint on the PCB and generating a second image signal, wherein the second image sensor includes a second lens assembly without a prism; a mixing circuit for mixing the first image signal with the second image signal and generating a mixed image signal; and a processor for processing the mixed image signal and displaying a superimposed image of the component and the footprint on a display monitor. | 05-16-2013 |
20130141564 | PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR, DRIVING DEVICE, ELECTRONIC COMPONENT INSPECTION DEVICE, ELECTRONIC COMPONENT CONVEYING DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, ROBOT HAND, AND ROBOT - A vibrating body which is formed of a piezoelectric material and has a convex portion in an end surface is accommodated in a vibrating body case, the convex portion of the vibrating body is pressed against an object along with the vibrating body case, and the vibrating body vibrates to drive the object. An end surface of a front-side pressure spring which presses the vibrating body case against a slide portion of a base is fitted into the vibrating body case such that the vibrating body case does not escape due to a reaction force during driving. | 06-06-2013 |
20130147946 | LENS APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING OBJECT AND MACHINE VISION SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided are a lens apparatus and a machine vision system including the lens apparatus. The lens apparatus includes: a first lens group and a second lens group which are designed to use a wavelength of light of a first single color as a reference wavelength and disposed on opposite sides of an aperture; and a converter lens group which is disposed at an object side of the first lens group, wherein the converter lens group performs selectively at least one of a first conversion for converting a magnification, and a second conversion for converting the reference wavelength. | 06-13-2013 |
20130215262 | BOARD INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - An inspection method includes photographing a measurement target to acquire image data for each pixel of the measurement target, acquiring height data for each pixel of the measurement target, acquiring visibility data for each pixel of the measurement target, multiplying the acquired image data by at least one of the height data and the visibility data for each pixel to produce a result value, and setting a terminal area by using the produced result value. Thus, the terminal area may be accurately determined. | 08-22-2013 |
20130235186 | Apparatus and Method for Inspecting Chip Defects - Disclosed is a chip defect inspection apparatus including a linear array image acquisition module, an illumination control module, a chip defect detection module connected to the LIA module, and an operations and management module connected to the LIA module, the illumination control module and the chip defect detection module. | 09-12-2013 |
20130242084 | DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a defect inspection apparatus comprises an illumination optical system, an image formation optical system, a image data conversion unit, a singular part detecting circuit, an optical path length adjusting mechanism, and a defect determining unit. The image formation optical system forms an optical image derived from light passing through first and second optical paths. The image data conversion unit converts, to image data, each of the optical images. The singular part detecting circuit detects a singular part in each of the image data. The optical path length adjusting mechanism equalizes the optical path lengths of the first and second optical paths. The defect determining unit determines a defect on the basis of singular part detection. | 09-19-2013 |
20130271596 | Systems and Methods for Sample Inspection and Review - The disclosure is directed to systems and methods for sample inspection and review. In some embodiments, images are collected and/or defects are located utilizing separately addressable red, green, and blue (RGB) illumination sources to improve image quality. In some embodiments, illumination sources are pulse width modulated for substantially consistent light intensity in presence of variable sample motion. In some embodiments, a stage assembly is configured to support the sample without blocking access to the supported surface of the sample, and further configured to reduce oscillations or vibrations of the sample. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes an imaging path and a focusing path to allow full field of view focusing. | 10-17-2013 |
20130286189 | SOLDER CONNECTION INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - In accordance to an embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for inspecting at least one through-hole solder connection on a PCB. The device includes a light source and a light sensor on opposite sides of the PCB. If light is sensed, the solder connection is defective. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286190 | THERMAL IMAGING DEVICE, THERMAL IMAGING METHOD AND THERMAL IMAGING CONTROL SYSTEM - A thermal imaging device includes an optical module gathering infrared radiation of a circuit board and correspondingly providing infrared light, a photo sensor converting the infrared light into a first electrical signal, a processor, and a thermal imaging control system having one or more programs stored in a storage and executed by the processor. The system includes an image processing unit converting the first electrical signal into a thermal image signal, a comparing unit comparing the thermal image signal with circuit diagram of the circuit board to determine at least one abnormal temperature element, and a display control unit controlling a screen to display a thermal image of the circuit board together with a label comprising at least one name of the at least one abnormal temperature element on the screen. | 10-31-2013 |
20130314531 | Substrate Storage Condition Inspecting Apparatus and Substrate Storage Facility Having Same - A substrate storage condition inspecting apparatus includes an illumination device, an imaging device, and a substrate storage condition determining unit. The illumination device includes, on the front side of an opening of a transport container located at an inspecting position, a first illumination portion and a second illumination portion that are spaced apart in the width direction of the opening. The substrate storage condition determining unit detects a pair of high-luminance portions on an inspection image captured by the imaging device, the pair of high-luminance portions being generated in locations circumferentially spaced apart in the peripheral edge portion of the semiconductor substrate by light applied by the first illumination portion and the second illumination portion, and determines whether or not the storage orientation of the semiconductor substrate is abnormal on the basis of the positional correspondence in the vertical direction for the pair of high-luminance portions. | 11-28-2013 |
20130329039 | DEFECT INSPECTION METHOD AND DEVICE THEREOF - In order to highly sensitively detect fatal defects present in the vicinity of a direct peripheral circuit section in a chip formed on a semiconductor wafer, in the defect inspection device, which is provided with an illumination optical system that illuminates an inspection subject at predetermined optical conditions and a detection optical system that acquires image data by detecting scattered light from the inspection subject at predetermined detection conditions, a plurality of different defect determinations are performed for each region from a plurality of image data that differ in image data acquisition conditions or optical conditions and that are acquired by the detection optical system, and defect candidates are detected by consolidating the results. | 12-12-2013 |
20140055603 | AUTOMATIC OPTICAL INSPECTION DEVICE - Disclosed is an automatic optical inspection device. The automatic optical inspection device comprises a substrate support platform, a sensor fixed platform, an image sensor, and a backlight source. The automatic optical inspection device of the present invention is capable of inspecting defects in an interior of a substrate for solving the technical problem that the conventional automatic optical inspection device fails to inspect the defects in the interior of the substrate. | 02-27-2014 |
20140104411 | APPARATUS TO PERFORM A NON-CONTACT TEST OF A SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGE - An apparatus to test a semiconductor package includes a vertical illuminator to supply vertical illumination in the same axial direction as a measurement target and a vertical image unit to capture a vertical image of the measurement target so that a testing apparatus may 2-dimensionally determine information on the shape, size, or position of a solder ball. An inclined illuminator may supply inclined illumination in a different axial direction from the measurement target, and an inclined image capture unit may capture a side image of the measurement target so that the testing apparatus may 3-dimensionally determine information on a state of contact of the solder ball with the ball land. The inclined image capture unit may include a color camera using color information, thereby markedly increasing test reliability and yield. | 04-17-2014 |
20140104412 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION APPARATUS SYSTEM - A first output value evaluation device obtains an average value of output values of optical image data for each of unit regions and creates a distribution map of an average value in an inspected region. A first defect history management device creates a distribution map related with the shape of the pattern from the distribution map of the average value and holds the created distribution map. A second output value evaluation device obtains at least one of a variation value and deviation of the output value of each pixel in the unit region. A defect determination device compares the obtained value with a threshold value. A second defect history management device holds information of the output value determined as a defect in the defect determination device. A defect/defect history analysis device analyzes, and checks the information from the first defect history management device and the second defect history management device. | 04-17-2014 |
20140168418 | DELTA DIE INTENSITY MAP MEASUREMENT - With an optical inspection tool, images of a plurality of patches of a plurality of dies of a reticle are obtained. The patch images are obtained so that each patch image is positioned relative to a same reference position within its respective die as another die-equivalent one of the patch images in each the other ones of the dies. For each patch image, an integrated value is determined for an image characteristic of sub-portions of such patch image. For each patch image, a reference value is determined based on the integrated values of the patch image's corresponding die-equivalent patch images. For each patch image, a difference between that patch image's integrated value and an average or median value of its die-equivalent patch images is determined whereby a significant difference indicates a variance in a pattern characteristic of a patch and an average or median pattern characteristic of its die-equivalent patches. | 06-19-2014 |
20140168419 | INSPECTION METHOD - To inspect a board, first, a measurement area is set on the board and a reference data of the measurement area is obtained. Then, a measurement data of the measurement area is obtained per colors, and a lighting condition is set using the reference data of the measurement area and the measurement data obtained per colors. Next, a feature object in the measurement area is set, and a distortion quantity between the reference data and the measurement data is obtained by comparing the reference data corresponding to the feature object and the measurement data corresponding to the feature object obtained under the lighting condition. Then, an inspection area is set by compensating the distortion quantity. Therefore, it is possible to compensate the distortion and set precisely the inspection area. | 06-19-2014 |
20140204202 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - An inspection apparatus comprising, an optical system emitting light having a predetermined wavelength, illuminating a sample while the light is converted into light having a polarization plane not in the range of −5 degrees to 5 degrees and 85 degrees to 95 degrees with respect to a direction of a repetitive pattern on the sample, an optical system for acquiring an image and forming said image on an image sensor using a lens, a half-wave plate, a first image sensor, a second image sensor, an inspection analyzer, wherein these differ in a transmission axis direction, a processor that obtains an average gray level and a standard deviation in each predetermined unit region of the image, and a defect detector, wherein a resolution limit defined by a wavelength of the light source and a numerical aperture of the lens is a value in which the pattern is not resolved. | 07-24-2014 |
20140267692 | AUTOMATED WAFER INSPECTION - In semiconductor fabrication processes, one or more wafers are often exposed to processes such as chemical vapor deposition to form semiconductor components thereupon. Often, some of the wafers exhibit flaws due to contamination or processing errors occurring before, during, or after component formation. Inspection of the wafers is often performed by direct visual inspection of humans, which is prone to errors due to flaws that are too small to view directly; to particles naturally arising in the human eye; and to fatigue caused by inspection of large numbers of wafers. Presented herein are inspection techniques involving positioning the wafer in a dark chamber exposing the surface of the wafer to a light source at a first angle, and capturing with a camera an image of the light source reflected from the surface of the wafer at a second angle. Wafers identified as exhibiting flaws are removed from the wafer set. | 09-18-2014 |
20140354799 | PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD AND PATTERN INSPECTION APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a pattern inspection method includes acquiring a first image using a first condition by irradiating an electron beam onto a pattern to be inspected, acquiring a second image using a second condition by irradiating the electron beam onto the pattern, the second condition being different from the first condition, and judging the existence/absence of defects of the pattern by comparing the first image and the second image. A pattern inspection apparatus includes an electron source, a converging part, a stage, an image acquisition part, a controller and a judgment part. The controller is configured to perform a control to acquire a first image using a first condition and acquire a second image using a second condition different from the first condition. The judgment part is configured to judge the existence/absence of defects of the pattern by comparing the first and the second image. | 12-04-2014 |
20150009319 | Semiconductor Measurement Apparatus and Computer Program - One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor measurement apparatus capable of obtaining a measurement result that appropriately reflects the deformation of a pattern even if plural causes for the deformation of the pattern exist together. In order to attain the above object, the semiconductor measurement apparatus is proposed in the following way. The semiconductor measurement apparatus is capable of measuring the dimensions between plural measurement points of different positions of the edge of a reference pattern and plural corresponding points of the circuit pattern of an electronic device, in which the corresponding points correspond to the plural measurement points. In addition, the semiconductor measurement apparatus is capable of measuring the spacings between the circuit pattern and the reference pattern, both of which exist in a predefined measurement area, selecting a second measured value aggregation from a first measured value aggregation comprised of measured values at plural points in the measurement area based on a predefined sampling condition, and calculating the measurement value based on the second measured value aggregation. | 01-08-2015 |
20150062329 | VISUAL INSPECTION APPARATUS - A visual inspection apparatus | 03-05-2015 |
20150070487 | METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELCTROLUMINESCENCE INSPECTION AND/OR PHOTOLUMINESCENCE INSPECTION - A method and a device are described that implement electroluminescence inspection, photoluminescence inspection or both of an object capable of luminescence. During the inspection, the object is excited by the application of a voltage, by the irradiation of light or both so as to transmit electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation is registered by an optical recording device and is outputted as an image. The image undergoes an evaluation, and possible faults of the object are determined in the image evaluation. Provision is made for the registration of the electromagnetic radiation by the recording device to be undertaken in at least two images in different spectral ranges. | 03-12-2015 |
20150109434 | INSPECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE CAPTURE ELEMENT - An imaging device includes multiple sensor pixels that are arranged in a predetermined direction, each sensor pixel having multiple sensor pixel borders defining an outer edge part of the sensor pixel, among which at least one of a pair of sensor pixel borders that are opposed in the arrangement direction is oblique to a passage direction of a defect image that is vertical to the predetermined direction. This can provide an inspection tool enabling high sensitivity inspection and/or having improved detection reproducibility of a defect. | 04-23-2015 |
20150109435 | INSPECTION APPARATUS - When a size of a block on a wafer is equal to or smaller than an optical resolution of imaging optics, room for improvement in a signal-to-noise ratio has not been sufficiently considered in a conventional technique. One feature of the defect determination of the present invention is to include a filter processing for setting a predetermined partial area serving as a predetermined matrix for a first difference image, scanning the first difference image in the partial area, and outputting a second difference image, and a first threshold processing using a first threshold value for the second difference image. As a result, highly sensitive defect detection can be achieved. | 04-23-2015 |
20150138341 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY INSPECTING COMPONENT SIDEWALLS - A component inspection process includes positioning a component (e.g., a semiconductor component or other object) such that component sidewalls are disposed along an optical path corresponding to sidewall beam splitters configured for receiving sidewall illumination provided by a set of sidewall illuminators, and transmitting this sidewall illumination therethrough, toward and to component sidewalls. Sidewall illumination incident upon component sidewalls is reflected from the component sidewalls back toward the sidewall beam splitters, which reflect or redirect this reflected sidewall illumination along an optical path corresponding to an image capture device for sidewall image capture to enable component sidewall inspection. Sidewall illuminators and sidewall beam splitters can form portions of a five sided inspection apparatus that includes a brightfield illuminator, a darkfield illuminator, and an image capture beam splitter such that the five sided inspection apparatus is configurable for inspecting component bottom surfaces and/or component sidewalls in a selective/selectable manner. | 05-21-2015 |
20150365614 | IMAGE SENSOR DEFECT IDENTIFICATION USING OPTICAL FLARE - Embodiments described herein may operate to compare an illuminance corresponding to a signal from an image sensor array (ISA) element in a production imaging system with an illuminance associated with optical flare incident to an ISA from which the ISA element is selected. The ISA element may be identified as unusable if the illuminance corresponding to the signal from the ISA element is less than the illuminance associated with the optical flare incident to the ISA. | 12-17-2015 |
20150379707 | MASK INSPECTION APPARATUS, MASK EVALUATION METHOD AND MASK EVALUATION SYSTEM - A mask inspection apparatus includes an optical image acquisition unit configured to acquire an optical image by irradiating light on a mask, a reference image generation unit configured to generate a reference image from design data of the mask, a comparison circuit configured to compare the optical image with the reference image, a pattern data extraction unit configured to obtain coordinates of a defective portion determined to be defective by the comparison unit and to extract, from the design data, pattern data of a predetermined dimension range including the coordinates, and an interface unit configured to supply an aerial image measurement apparatus with information associated with the defect, the information including the defect coordinates and the extracted pattern data. | 12-31-2015 |
20160123897 | COMPUTATIONAL WAFER IMAGE PROCESSING - A method for designing a filter to image a feature on a surface, comprising: acquiring an image of said feature, with said image of feature comprising information from multiple points of said feature; generating a structural model of said feature by extracting predetermined properties of said feature from said image of feature; computing a scattering model for said feature from said structural model of said feature, with said scattering model for feature having information on scattered electromagnetic field from feature propagating in a plurality of scattering angles, wherein said scattered electromagnetic field from feature is generated by scattering of an electromagnetic radiation by said feature; acquiring an image of said surface, with said image of surface comprising information from multiple points of said surface; generating a structural model of said surface by extracting predetermined properties of said surface from said image of surface; computing a scattering model for said surface from said structural model of said surface, with said scattering model for surface having information on scattered electromagnetic field from surface propagating in a plurality of scattering angles, wherein said scattered electromagnetic field from surface is generated by scattering of an electromagnetic radiation by said surface; and computing said filter by combining said scattering model for feature and said scattering model for surface to achieve a predetermined filter performance metric, whereby said filter is designed to modulate scattered electromagnetic field from said feature and scattered electromagnetic field from said surface to image a feature on said surface. A system and method for recognizing a feature, comprising: acquiring an image of said feature using an imaging module, with said image of feature comprising information from multiple points of said feature; computing a feature spread function from scattering model of a previously known feature and transfer function of said imaging module, wherein said feature spread function represents a model of an image of said previously known feature; and comparing said image of feature with said feature spread function by computing a match metric between said image of feature and said feature spread function, whereby said match metric determines if said feature is similar to said previously known feature. | 05-05-2016 |
20160203595 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION METHOD | 07-14-2016 |