Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Apparatus and method for defect inspection
- Patent Title (中): 缺陷检查装置及方法
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Application No.: US11437643Application Date: 2006-05-22
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Publication No.: US07535562B2Publication Date: 2009-05-19
- Inventor: Shigeru Matsui , Masaaki Ito
- Applicant: Shigeru Matsui , Masaaki Ito
- Applicant Address: JP Tokyo
- Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
- Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
- Current Assignee Address: JP Tokyo
- Agency: McDermott Will & Emery LLP
- Priority: JP2005-148885 20050523
- Main IPC: G01N21/00
- IPC: G01N21/00

Abstract:
In the conventional methods for enhancing defect detection sensitivity by improving the resolving power, if a microscopic pattern, which is a high spatial-frequency structure as is the case with a microscopic defect, has become the brightest portion, the gray-scale contrast of the microscopic defect will be enhanced. At the same time, however, the gray-scale contrast of the microscopic pattern will also be enhanced simultaneously. Consequently, there has existed a problem that it is impossible to enhance the microscopic-defect detection sensitivity further than that. In the present invention, an aperture stop which is divided into a plurality of small apertures is located on an illumination pupil plane. Then, light-shield/light-transmission for each small aperture is controlled independently of each other. This control allows an inspection-target object to be illuminated at only an incident angle at which the gray-scale contrast of the microscopic defect will be emphasized more sharply.
Public/Granted literature
- US20060262297A1 Apparatus and method for defect inspection Public/Granted day:2006-11-23
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