摘要:
A cylindrical mirror or lens is used to focus an input collimated beam of light onto a line on the surface to be inspected, where the line is substantially in the plane of incidence of the focused beam. An image of the beam is projected onto an array of charge-coupled devices parallel to the line for detecting anomalies and/or features of the surface, where the array is outside the plane of incidence of the focused beam. For inspecting surface with a pattern thereon, the light from the surface is first passed through a spatial filter before it is imaged onto the charge-coupled devices. The spatial filter includes stripes of scattering regions that shift in synchronism with relative motion between the beam and the surface to block Fourier components from the pattern. The spatial filter may be replaced by reflective strips that selectively reflects scattered radiation to the detector, where the reflective strips also shifts in synchronism with the relative motion.
摘要:
Systems for inspection of patterned and unpatterned wafers are provided. One system includes an illumination system configured to illuminate the specimen. The system also includes a collector configured to collect light scattered from the specimen. In addition, the system includes a segmented detector configured to separately detect different portions of the light such that azimuthal and polar angular information about the different portions of light is preserved. The detector may also be configured to produce signals representative of the different portions of the light. The system may also include a processor configured to detect defects on the specimen from the signals. In another embodiment, the system may include a stage that is configured to rotate and translate the specimen. In one such embodiment, the system may also include an illumination system configured to scan the specimen in a wide scan path during rotation and translation of the specimen.
摘要:
A curved mirrored surface is used to collect radiation scattered by a sample surface and originating from a normal illumination beam and an oblique illumination beam. The collected radiation is focused to a detector. Scattered radiation originating from the normal and oblique illumination beams may be distinguished by employing radiation at two different wavelengths, by intentionally introducing an offset between the spots illuminated by the two beams or by switching the normal and oblique illumination beams on and off alternately. Beam position error caused by change in sample height may be corrected by detecting specular reflection of an oblique illumination beam and changing the direction of illumination in response thereto. Butterfly-shaped spatial filters may be used in conjunction with curved mirror radiation collectors to restrict detection to certain azimuthal angles.
摘要:
A method and system of using exposure control to inspect a surface, such as a wafer. One inspection system comprises charge coupled devices (CCDs) as detectors. The exposure control function of each CCD is used to adjust integration times on individual taps of the CCD such that light scattered from the surface, which may contain multiple scattering regions, is within a dynamic range of the CCD during inspection.
摘要:
A massively parallel inspection and imaging system is provided which employs multiple focused beams to illuminate a specimen. Laser light energy passes through a relatively low resolution diffraction grating or digital optical element, which is either one or two dimensional, and concentrates the transmitted energy into multiple discrete directions or orders. The beams split by the diffraction grating pass through a beam expander or telescope and are recombined onto an optical element and diverted toward the specimen. On reflection toward the specimen, the beams diverge again toward a focusing objective. The resultant light thus comprises multiple focused beams, and a relatively large area of the specimen is illuminated simultaneously by these beams. Upon reflection of the light from the sample, light passes back through the focusing objective in multiple beams, and the beams converge toward the optical element and diverge outward in collimated beams. The collimated beams pass through a focusing lens, which brings all beams onto foci on a detector array. Scanning of patterned wafers by the system may occur using coordinated motion of both the scanning beam and the wafer. To achieve proper orientation and observation, the stage speed in the cross direction is set at the ratio of the distance between the first and last lines divided by the period of the scanner.
摘要:
Scattered radiation from a sample surface is collected by means of a collector that collects radiation substantially symmetrically about a line normal to the surface. The collected radiation is directed to channels at different azimuthal angles so that information related to relative azimuthal positions of the collected scattered radiation about the line is preserved. The collected radiation is converted into respective signals representative of radiation scattered at different azimuthal angles about the line. The presence and/or characteristics of anomalies are determined from the signals. Alternatively, the radiation collected by the collector may be filtered by means of a spatial filter having an annular gap of an angle related to the angular separation of expected pattern scattering. Signals obtained from the narrow and wide collection channels may be compared to distinguish between micro-scratches and particles. Forward scattered radiation may be collected from other radiation and compared to distinguish between micro-scratches and particles. Intensity of scattering is measured when the surface is illuminated sequentially by S- and P-polarized radiation and compared to distinguish between micro-scratches and particles. Representative films may be measured using profilometers or scanning probe microscopes to determine their roughness and by the above-described instruments to determine haze in order to build a database. Surface roughness of unknown films may then be determined by measuring haze values and from the database.
摘要:
A significantly improved focusing technique is set forth for use with electron beams, particularly in scanning electron microscopes and/or CRTs. This technique utilizes an in-situ differential signal measurement of an object surface to form a signal which is particularly sensitive to edges in the sample at a superimposed frequency. Perfect focus is obtained when the signal strength at the superimposed frequency is a maximum thereby resulting in a minimum spot size.
摘要:
The operating characteristics of an SEM apparatus are enhanced by carrying out in situ deflection during electron beam scanning of an object to be examined. Differential signals derived from the in situ deflection are a direct measure of the spatial derivative of any geometric or material variations on the surface of the scanned object.
摘要:
Systems and methods for inspecting a wafer are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to illuminate the wafer; a collection subsystem configured to collect light scattered from the wafer and to preserve the polarization of the scattered light; an optical element configured to separate the scattered light collected in different segments of the collection numerical aperture of the collection subsystem, where the optical element is positioned at a Fourier plane or a conjugate of the Fourier plane of the collection subsystem; a polarizing element configured to separate the scattered light in one of the different segments into different portions of the scattered light based on polarization; and a detector configured to detect one of the different portions of the scattered light and to generate output responsive to the detected light, which is used to detect defects on the wafer.
摘要:
An apparatus for illuminating a target surface, the apparatus having a plurality of LED arrays, where each of the arrays has a plurality of individually addressable LEDs, and where at least one of the arrays is disposed at an angle of between about forty-five degrees and about ninety degrees relative to the target surface, where all of the arrays supply light into a light pipe, the light pipe having interior walls made of a reflective material, where light exiting the light pipe illuminates the target surface, and a controller for adjusting an intensity of the individually addressable light sources.