Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080273193 | PATTERN DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished. | 11-06-2008 |
20090161943 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION METHOD - The invention is directed to find a false defect from defect candidates and obtain a threshold with which the false defect can be eliminated by the smallest number of review times. Defect candidates are reviewed and selected as a defect or a false defect. By deleting a defect candidate having a characteristic quantity equal to or less than that of the false defect from a map or displaying it in another sign, the false defect can be determined visually. Since the defect candidate having the characteristic quantity equal to or less than that of the selected false defect is deleted from the map or displayed in another sign, the defect candidates unnecessary to set a threshold are not reviewed. The number of defect candidates to be reviewed can be largely reduced as compared with that in the conventional technique. Further, by repeating the above work, the threshold is automatically calculated, and an inspection result map with the threshold is displayed, so that a re-inspection is unnecessary. | 06-25-2009 |
20100106443 | Defect Inspection Apparatus and Defect Inspection Method - A defect inspection apparatus includes: stages each mounting an inspecting object on which a circuit pattern having a group of parallel lines is formed, and each running perpendicular or parallel to the group of lines; an illumination optical system which illuminating a surface of the inspecting object with a slit beam being slit light so that a longitudinal direction of the slit beam is substantially perpendicular to the running directions of the stages, and which has a first inclined angle formed by the direction of the group of lines and a projection line, of an optical axis of the slit beam, to the inspecting object; a spatial filter that shields or transmits reflected and scattered light of the inspecting object according to a difference in distribution of orientation; and a detection optical system that detects the reflected and scattered light transmitted through the spatial filter by image sensors. Moreover, the illumination optical system illuminates the inspecting object with another slit beam from a direction opposite to an incident direction of the slit beam on a plane. | 04-29-2010 |
20100194876 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION - In the case of die-to-die comparison, threshold processing units process the differential image between the image of a sample chip and the images of left and right adjacent chips using a second threshold value lower than a first threshold value thereby to determine a defect candidate for the sample chip. Further, threshold processing units process the differential image using the first threshold value. The defect candidates which develops a signal not smaller than the first threshold is detected as a defect. Also in the cell-to-cell comparison, the differential image is first processed by the second threshold value to determine a defect candidate, and the differential image is further processed by the first threshold value. The defect candidates which develops a signal not smaller than the first threshold value is detected as a defect. | 08-05-2010 |
20100225903 | PATTERN DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished. | 09-09-2010 |
20100239156 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION - A visual inspection apparatus includes an image-data acquisition unit for acquiring plural pieces of image data A to C on an inspection target, image comparison units for comparing the image data A to C with each other thereby to create plural pieces of sign-affixed difference-image data D and E, the image data A to C being acquired by the image-data acquisition unit, difference-image comparison units for determining the difference between the sign-affixed difference-image data D and E created by the image comparison units, and a judgment unit for subjecting, to a threshold-value processing, difference data F between the difference-image data D and E, the difference data F being acquired by the difference-image comparison units, obtaining a detection sensitivity by enlarging the difference between an abnormal signal level of an image of an area where an abnormality exists from the visual inspection. | 09-23-2010 |
20110019200 | APPARATUS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION - An apparatus is provided which reduces the dependency of the direction of polarization on channels of an image sensor so as to improve the sensitivity of inspection. In the apparatus, the direction of an illumination beam incident on a polarizing beam splitter is made to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of a field of view of an image sensor projected on the polarizing beam splitter. | 01-27-2011 |
20110141272 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING AN OBJECT SURFACE DEFECT - Disclosed is an apparatus having a light source of a deep ultraviolet ray for detecting a small foreign matter or pattern defect, which may arise during a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device or the like, in high resolution. The apparatus comprises a means for detecting a damage on an optical system due to a wavelength reduction thereby to save a damaged portion, and a means for comparing an optical system arrangement with that at the manufacturing time and detecting the abnormality thereof, to thereby make a correction, so that the apparatus can inspect the defect on an object substrate stably at a high speed and in high sensitivity. Also disclosed is a method for the stable inspection. The apparatus is provided, in the optical path of the optical system, with a means for detecting the intensity and the convergent state of an illumination light, and a means for detecting the abnormality of the optics system and for saving an abnormal portion from alignment with an optical axis. The apparatus is constituted such that the optical system is adjusted to make corrections for the optical conditions at the manufacturing time, thereby to elongate the lifetime of the optical system in the inspecting apparatus and to detect the small defect stably. | 06-16-2011 |
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 |
20120114222 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION - In the case of die-to-die comparison, threshold processing units process the differential image between the image of a sample chip and the images of left and right adjacent chips using a second threshold value lower than a first threshold value thereby to determine a defect candidate for the sample chip. Further, threshold processing units process the differential image using the first threshold value. The defect candidates which develops a signal not smaller than the first threshold is detected as a defect. Also in the cell-to-cell comparison, the differential image is first processed by the second threshold value to determine a defect candidate, and the differential image is further processed by the first threshold value. The defect candidates which develops a signal not smaller than the first threshold value is detected as a defect. | 05-10-2012 |
20120268734 | PATTERN DEFECT INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished. | 10-25-2012 |
20130011043 | DEFECT INSPECTING DEVICE AND DEFECT INSPECTING METHOD - The present invention provides a defect inspecting device which enables an improvement in the efficiency of spatial filter settings, and at the same time enables automation of the spatial filter settings. An adjustable field of view diaphragm ( | 01-10-2013 |
20130088590 | FAR INFRARED IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD USING SAME - Provided are a far infrared imaging device that illuminates a specimen with far infrared light and detects an image of the specimen, which is a device capable of imaging a specimen speedily without using a high-power light source and without generating damage or a non-linear phenomenon in the specimen as a target to be imaged and a method using the same. A specimen is illuminated with the far infrared light in a line shape or in a shape of a plurality of points arranged in line on the specimen; and an image of the specimen is detected while moving the specimen in a direction perpendicular to the line illuminated by the far infrared light. The far infrared light is emitted by applying pulsed pump light from a femtosecond pulse light source to the far infrared light emission element. | 04-11-2013 |
20130100446 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION METHOD - The invention is directed to find a false defect from defect candidates and obtain a threshold with which the false defect can be eliminated by the smallest number of review times. Defect candidates are reviewed and selected as a defect or a false defect. By deleting a defect candidate having a characteristic quantity equal to or less than that of the false defect from a map or displaying it in another sign, the false defect can be determined visually. Since the defect candidate having the characteristic quantity equal to or less than that of the selected false defect is deleted from the map or displayed in another sign, the defect candidates unnecessary to set a threshold are not reviewed. The number of defect candidates to be reviewed can be largely reduced as compared with that in the conventional technique. Further, by repeating the above work, the threshold is automatically calculated, and an inspection result map with the threshold is displayed, so that a re-inspection is unnecessary. | 04-25-2013 |
20130148113 | INSPECTION APPARATUS AND INSPECTION METHOD - The light scattered from the sample surface and foreign matter is imaged on an image intensifier and detected by a lens-coupled multi-pixel sensor such as a TDI sensor or a CCD sensor. The light scattered by surface roughness is spatially eliminated to detect the light scattered from foreign matter with increased sensitivity. A mechanism for shifting the image intensifier is incorporated to prevent a signal intensity decrease, which may be caused by a decrease in the sensitivity of the image intensifier. | 06-13-2013 |
20130320216 | DEVICE FOR DETECTING FOREIGN MATTER AND METHOD FOR DETECTING FOREIGN MATTER - The present invention provides a device for detecting foreign matter and a method for detecting foreign matter to detect a foreign matter on a surface of an object such as a film of an electrode mixture etc. or a foreign matter contained in the object, thereby to improve the reliability of the object. By irradiating an object with a terahertz illumination light | 12-05-2013 |
20140042332 | Defect Inspection Apparatus And Defect Inspection Method - Method for realizing an inspection with short wavelength, high power light source and large numerical aperture, high performance optics to improve defect inspection sensitivity is disclosed. Short wavelength high power laser is realized by using a pulse oscillation type laser suitable for generation of high output power in a short-wavelength region, In addition, a spectral bandwidth of the laser is narrowed down so that amount of chromatic aberration of detection optics with single glass material (i.e. without compensation of chromatic aberration) is lowered to permissible level. Using highly workable glass material to construct the detection optics enables necessary surface accuracy or profile irregularity conditions to be met, even if the number of lenses is increased for large NA or the lens doesn't have a rotationally symmetrical aperture. | 02-13-2014 |