公开(公告)号：US08305568B2

公开(公告)日：2012-11-06

申请号：US13032165

申请日：2011-02-22

Applicant: Shigeru Matsui ,  Masayuki Hachiya

Inventor： Shigeru Matsui ,  Masayuki Hachiya

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: Light from a light source becomes two illumination beams by a beam splitter. The beams are irradiated onto a semiconductor wafer from two mutually substantially orthogonal azimuthal angles having substantially equal elevation angles to form illumination spots. When the sum of scattered, diffracted, and reflected lights due to the illumination beams is detected, influence of the anisotropy which a contaminant particle and a defect existing in the wafer itself or thereon have with respect to an illumination direction, can be eliminated.

Abstract translation: 来自光源的光由分束器变成两个照明光束。 光束从具有基本相等的仰角的两个相互基本正交的方位角照射到半导体晶片上，以形成照明点。 当检测到由于照明光束引起的散射，衍射和反射光的总和时，可以消除晶片本身或其上存在的污染颗粒和缺陷相对于照明方向的各向异性的影响。

公开(公告)号：US20120008138A1

公开(公告)日：2012-01-12

申请号：US13221314

申请日：2011-08-30

Applicant: Yoshimasa OSHIMA ,  Toshiyuki NAKAO ,  Shigeru MATSUI

Inventor： Yoshimasa OSHIMA ,  Toshiyuki NAKAO ,  Shigeru MATSUI

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/4716

Abstract: A surface defect inspection apparatus and method for irradiating a beam multiple times to a same region on a surface of an inspection sample, detecting each scattered light from the same region by detection optical systems individually to produce plural signals, and wherein irradiating the beam includes performing a line illumination of the beam on a line illumination region of the sample surface. The line illumination region is moved in a longitudinal direction at a pitch shorter than a length of the line illumination region in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract translation: 一种表面缺陷检查装置和方法，用于将多个光束照射到检查样品的表面上的相同区域，分别通过检测光学系统检测来自相同区域的每个散射光以产生多个信号，并且其中照射光束包括执行 在样品表面的线照射区域上的光束的线照明。 线照明区域沿纵向方向以比线照明区域的长度方向的长度短的间距移动。

公开(公告)号：US20110255082A1

公开(公告)日：2011-10-20

申请号：US13167298

申请日：2011-06-23

Applicant: Shigeru MATSUI

Inventor： Shigeru MATSUI

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/94

Abstract: In the conventional contaminant particle/defect inspection method, if the illuminance of the illumination beam is held at not more than a predetermined upper limit value not to give thermal damage to the sample, the detection sensitivity and the inspection speed being in the tradeoff relation with each other, it is very difficult to improve one of the detection sensitivity and the inspection speed without sacrificing the other or improve both at the same time. The invention provides an improved optical inspection method and an improved optical inspection apparatus, in which a pulse laser is used as a light source, and a laser beam flux is split into a plurality of laser beam fluxes which are given different time delay to form a plurality of illumination spots. The scattered light signal from each illumination spot is isolated and detected by using a light emission start timing signal for each illumination spot.

Abstract translation: 在常规污染物颗粒/缺陷检查方法中，如果照明光束的照度被保持在不对样品造成热损伤的预定上限值以下，则检测灵敏度和检查速度与 彼此难以提高检测灵敏度和检测速度之一而不牺牲另一方或同时改善两者。 本发明提供了一种改进的光学检查方法和改进的光学检查装置，其中使用脉冲激光器作为光源，并且激光束通量被分割成多个激光束，其被给予不同的时间延迟以形成 多个照明点。 通过使用每个照明点的发光开始定时信号来隔离并检测来自每个照明点的散射光信号。

公开(公告)号：US07916287B2

公开(公告)日：2011-03-29

申请号：US12754634

申请日：2010-04-06

Applicant: Shigeru Matsui ,  Masayuki Hachiya

Inventor： Shigeru Matsui ,  Masayuki Hachiya

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: Light from a light source becomes two illumination beams by a beam splitter. The beams are irradiated onto a semiconductor wafer from two mutually substantially orthogonal azimuthal angles having substantially equal elevation angles to form illumination spots. When the sum of scattered, diffracted, and reflected lights due to the illumination beams is detected, influence of the anisotropy which a contaminant particle and a defect existing in the wafer itself or thereon have with respect to an illumination direction, can be eliminated.

Abstract translation: 来自光源的光由分束器变成两个照明光束。 光束从具有基本相等的仰角的两个相互基本正交的方位角照射到半导体晶片上，以形成照明点。 当检测到由于照明光束引起的散射，衍射和反射光的总和时，可以消除晶片本身或其上存在的污染颗粒和缺陷相对于照明方向的各向异性的影响。

公开(公告)号：US20100271625A1

公开(公告)日：2010-10-28

申请号：US12814518

申请日：2010-06-14

Applicant: Shigeru MATSUI

Inventor： Shigeru MATSUI

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/4738

Abstract: A surface inspection method and a surface inspection apparatus in which a plurality of photodetectors are arranged in a plurality of directions so that light scattered, diffracted or reflected on a surface of an object to be inspected or in the vicinity of the surface is detected and a plurality of signals obtained by this are subjected to weighted addition processing or weighted averaging processing by linear combination.

Abstract translation: 表面检查方法和表面检查装置，其中多个光电检测器被布置在多个方向上，使得在被检测物体的表面或表面附近检测到散射，衍射或反射的光，并且 通过这样获得的多个信号通过线性组合进行加权相加处理或加权平均处理。

公开(公告)号：US20100259750A1

公开(公告)日：2010-10-14

申请号：US12823290

申请日：2010-06-25

Applicant: Kenji OKA ,  Shigeru MATSUI

Inventor： Kenji OKA ,  Shigeru MATSUI

IPC: G01N21/00

CPC classification number: G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/9501

Abstract: An appearance inspection apparatus analyzes a difference in detection characteristics of detection signals obtained by detectors to flexibly meet various inspection purposes without changing a circuit or software. The apparatus includes a signal synthesizing section that synthesizes detection signals from the detectors in accordance with a set condition. An input operating section sets a synthesizing condition of the detection signal by the signal synthesizing section, and an information display section displays a synthesizing map structured based on a synthesized signal which is synthesized by the signal synthesizing section in accordance with a condition set by the input operating section.

Abstract translation: 外观检查装置分析由检测器获得的检测信号的检测特性的差异，以灵活地满足各种检查目的，而不改变电路或软件。 该装置包括信号合成部，其根据设定条件合成来自检测器的检测信号。 输入操作部分通过信号合成部分设置检测信号的合成条件，并且信息显示部分显示由信号合成部分根据由输入设置的条件合成的合成信号构成的合成图 操作部分。

公开(公告)号：US07761246B2

公开(公告)日：2010-07-20

申请号：US12349206

申请日：2009-01-06

Applicant: Shigeru Matsui

Inventor： Shigeru Matsui

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/47

Abstract: When detecting light scattered by an object to be inspected by using a pulse laser as a light source, noise increases unless a sampling repletion period of an A/D converter is determined so as to be related to a pulse oscillation repetition period of the light source. (1) The sampling repletion period of the A/D converter is set equal to the pulse oscillation repetition period of the light source or an integer times thereof, and the sampling is synchronized with oscillation of the light source. Or (2) the sampling repletion period of the A/D converter is set equal to a half-integer times the pulse oscillation repetition period of the light source. Even if a ripple component resulting from emission pulses of the light source remains in the scattered light signal supplied to the A/D converter remains, therefore, its influence can be eliminated or reduced.

Abstract translation: 当通过使用脉冲激光器作为光源检测被检查物体散射的光时，噪声增加，除非确定A / D转换器的采样恢复周期以与光源的脉冲振荡重复周期相关 。 （1）A / D转换器的采样补偿周期被设定为等于光源的脉冲振荡重复周期或其整数倍，采样与光源的振荡同步。 或者（2）将A / D转换器的采样恢复周期设定为等于光源的脉冲振荡重复周期的半个整数倍。 即使由于光源的发射脉冲而产生的纹波分量残留在供给A / D转换器的散射光信号中，因此可以消除或减小其影响。

公开(公告)号：US20090323051A1

公开(公告)日：2009-12-31

申请号：US12556144

申请日：2009-09-09

Applicant: Shigeru MATSUI

Inventor： Shigeru MATSUI

IPC: G01N21/94

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N2021/8861

Abstract: An optical inspection apparatus irradiates a light beam onto the outer surface of an object to be inspected, in the form of an illumination spot having an illumination intensity which is higher in the outer peripheral part of the object to be inspected than in the inner peripheral part thereof while uniformly maintains a temperature rise caused by the irradiation of the light beam, over the outer surface of the object to be inspected, in order to prevent the effective entire signal value of a scattered light signal from lowering, without lowering the linear speed of a movable stage for the object to be inspected in the outer peripheral part of the object to be inspected, thereby it is possible to prevent lowering of the detectability for a foreign matter or a defect, for preventing lowering of inspection throughput.

Abstract translation: 光学检查装置将光束照射到被检查物体的外周部的照明强度比要检查对象的外周部的照明强度高于内周部的照明光斑的形状 同时在被检查物体的外表面上均匀地保持由光束照射引起的温度升高，以防止散射光信号的有效整体信号值降低，而不会降低线性速度 在待检查物体的外周部分中可检测物体的可移动台，从而可以防止异物或缺陷的可检测性的降低，以防止检查吞吐量的降低。

公开(公告)号：US20090244529A1

公开(公告)日：2009-10-01

申请号：US12482479

申请日：2009-06-11

Applicant: Kenji Oka ,  Shigeru Matsui

Inventor： Kenji Oka ,  Shigeru Matsui

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/9501

Abstract: An appearance inspection apparatus analyzes a difference in detection characteristics of detection signals obtained by detectors to flexibly meet various inspection purposes without changing a circuit or software. The apparatus includes a signal synthesizing section that synthesizes detection signals from the detectors in accordance with a set condition. An input operating section sets a synthesizing condition of the detection signal by the signal synthesizing section, and an information display section displays a synthesizing map structured based on a synthesized signal which is synthesized by the signal synthesizing section in accordance with a condition set by the input operating section.

Abstract translation: 外观检查装置分析由检测器获得的检测信号的检测特性的差异，以灵活地满足各种检查目的，而不改变电路或软件。 该装置包括信号合成部，其根据设定条件合成来自检测器的检测信号。 输入操作部分通过信号合成部分设置检测信号的合成条件，并且信息显示部分显示由信号合成部分根据由输入设置的条件合成的合成信号构成的合成图 操作部分。

公开(公告)号：US20090213364A1

公开(公告)日：2009-08-27

申请号：US12367673

申请日：2009-02-09

Applicant: Shigeru Matsui

Inventor： Shigeru Matsui

IPC: G01N21/47

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/8806

Abstract: If an illuminance of a measurement spot is limited in order to prevent heat damage on an article to be inspected, since detection sensitivity and a detection speed are in a relation of trade-off, it is difficult to improve one of them without sacrificing the other or to improve both of them. Also, there is a problem that the detection sensitivity is lowered on an outer circumference portion than on an inner circumference portion of the article to be inspected.A plurality of measurement units comprising an illumination optics, a measurement spot, a collection optics, and a light detection optics are provided, inspection results obtained from the plurality of measurement spots are integrated, and light-amount distribution to each measurement spot is controlled according to a scan radial position.

Abstract translation: 如果测量点的照度受到限制，以防止被检查物品的热损伤，由于检测灵敏度和检测速度处于权衡关系，因此难以改进其中之一而不牺牲其他 或改善两者。 此外，存在检测灵敏度在外周部比被检查物品的内周部低的问题。 提供包括照明光学元件，测量点，收集光学元件和光检测光学元件的多个测量单元，从多个测量点获得的检查结果被整合，并且根据以下测量点控制对每个测量点的光量分布 到扫描径向位置。