公开(公告)号：US20050110986A1

公开(公告)日：2005-05-26

申请号：US11020603

申请日：2004-12-21

申请人： Mehrdad Nikoonahad ,  Stanley Stokowski ,  Keith Wells ,  Brian Leslie

发明人： Mehrdad Nikoonahad ,  Stanley Stokowski ,  Keith Wells ,  Brian Leslie

IPC分类号： G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/88

CPC分类号： G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/956

摘要： An optical scanning system and method for detecting anomalies, including pattern defects and particulate contaminants, on both patterned and unpatterned surfaces, using a light beam, scanning at a grazing angle with respect to the surfaces, a plurality of detectors and an interchannel communication scheme to compare data from each detector, which facilitates characterizing anomalies. The light beam illuminates a spot on the surface which is scanned over a short scan-line. The surface is moved in a manner so that the spot is scanned over its entire area in a serpentine fashion along adjacent striped regions. The plurality of detectors include groups of collector channels disposed circumferentially around the surface, a bright field reflectivity/autoposition channel, an alignment/registration channel and an imaging channel. The collector channels in each group are symmetrically disposed, in the azimuth, on opposite sides of the center of the scan line. The position of the collector channels, as well as the polarization of the beam, facilitates distinguishing pattern defects from particulate contaminants. The bright field reflectivity/autoposition channel is positioned to receive specularly reflected light that carries information concerning local variation in reflectivity, which is used to classify detected anomalies, as well as determine variations in the height of the surface. The alignment/registration channel is positioned to detect a maximum of the light scattered from the pattern on the surface to ensure that the streets of die present on the surface are oriented so as not to be oblique with respect to the scan line. The imaging channel combines the advantages of a scanning system and an imaging system while improving signal/background ratio of the present system.

摘要翻译： 一种光学扫描系统和方法，用于使用光束，相对于表面以掠射角扫描，在图案化和未图案化的表面上检测包括图案缺陷和颗粒污染物的异常，多个检测器和通道间通信方案， 比较每个检测器的数据，这有助于表征异常。 光束照射在短扫描线上扫描的表面上的斑点。 表面以使得斑点沿着相邻条纹区域以蛇形方式在其整个区域上扫描的方式移动。 多个检测器包括围绕表面周向设置的集电极通道组，亮场反射率/自动对位通道，对准/配准通道和成像通道。 每个组中的收集器通道在扫描线的中心的相对侧对称地设置在方位角上。 收集器通道的位置以及光束的极化有助于区分图案缺陷和颗粒污染物。 亮场反射率/自动定位通道被定位成接收镜面反射光，其携带关于反射率的局部变化的信息，其用于对检测到的异常进行分类，以及确定表面高度的变化。 定位/配准通道用于检测从表面上的图案散射的光的最大值，以确保表面上存在的模具的街道被定向成相对于扫描线不倾斜。 成像通道结合了扫描系统和成像系统的优点，同时提高了本系统的信号/背景比。

公开(公告)号：US20050036137A1

公开(公告)日：2005-02-17

申请号：US10948814

申请日：2004-09-22

申请人： Mehrdad Nikoonahad ,  Stanley Stokowski

发明人： Mehrdad Nikoonahad ,  Stanley Stokowski

IPC分类号： G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N21/88

CPC分类号： G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/956

摘要： A high sensitivity and high throughput surface inspection system directs a focused beam of light at a grazing angle towards the surface, to be inspected. Relative motion is caused between the beam and the surface so that the beam scans a scan path covering substantially the entire surface and light scattered along the path is collected for detecting anamolies. The scan path comprises a plurality of arrays of straight scan path segments. The focused beam of light illuminates an area of the surface between 5-15 microns in width and this system is capable of inspecting in excess of about 40 wafers per hour for 150 millimeter diameter wafers (6-inch wafers), in excess of about 20 wafers per hour for 200 millimeter diameter wafers (8-inch wafers) and in excess of about 10 wafers per hour for 300 millimeter diameter wafers (12-inch wafers).

摘要翻译： 高灵敏度和高通量的表面检查系统将聚焦光束以掠射角朝向表面引导，以进行检查。 在光束和表面之间产生相对运动，使得光束扫描覆盖基本上整个表面的扫描路径，并且收集沿着路径散射的光以便用于检测烟雾。 扫描路径包括多个直扫描路径段阵列。 聚焦光束照射宽度为5-15微米之间的表面区域，该系统能够对于150毫米直径的晶片（6英寸晶片）每小时检查超过约40个晶片，超过约20个 对于300毫米直径的晶片（12英寸晶圆），每小时200毫米直径晶圆（8英寸晶圆）的晶片每小时超过约10片。