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：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：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：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。

公开(公告)号：US20090202138A1

公开(公告)日：2009-08-13

申请号：US12361954

申请日：2009-01-29

Applicant: Masaaki Ito ,  Minori Noguchi ,  Shigeru Matsui

Inventor： Masaaki Ito ,  Minori Noguchi ,  Shigeru Matsui

IPC: G06K9/00

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/95623 ,  G01N2021/8822 ,  G06K9/74

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus having a high throughput and high sensitivity with respect to a number of various manufacturing processes and defects of interest in inspection of a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer on which a pattern is formed. The apparatus illuminates with light the specimen having the pattern formed thereon, forms an image of the specimen on an image sensor through a reflective optics, and determines the existence/nonexistence of a defect. The reflective optics has a conjugate pair of Fourier transform optics. An aberration of the reflective optics is corrected off-axis. The reflective optics has a field of view in non-straight-line slit form on the specimen surface. Also, the optics is of a reflection type, includes a conjugate pair of Fourier transform optics and has a field of view in non-straight-line slit form. An optimum wavelength band is selected according to the specimen (FIG. 1).

Abstract translation: 本发明提供了一种检测装置，其相对于在其上形成有图案的半导体晶片的样本的检查中的多种制造工艺和多个不同的制造工艺和缺陷而具有高生产率和高灵敏度。 该装置用光照射具有形成在其上的图案的样本，通过反射光学元件在图像传感器上形成样本的图像，并且确定缺陷的存在/不存在。 反射光学器件具有傅立叶变换光学器件的共轭对。 反射光学器件的像差被偏离校正。 反射光学元件在样品表面上具有非直线狭缝形式的视场。 此外，光学器件是反射型的，包括傅立叶变换光学器件的共轭对，并且具有非直线狭缝形式的视场。 根据样品选择最佳波长带（图1）。

公开(公告)号：US07557911B2

公开(公告)日：2009-07-07

申请号：US11830320

申请日：2007-07-30

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：US07535562B2

公开(公告)日：2009-05-19

申请号：US11437643

申请日：2006-05-22

Applicant: Shigeru Matsui ,  Masaaki Ito

Inventor： Shigeru Matsui ,  Masaaki Ito

IPC: G01N21/00

CPC classification number: G01N21/8806 ,  G01N21/956

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.

Abstract translation: 在通过提高分辨能力来提高缺陷检测灵敏度的常规方法中，如果与微观缺陷一样的高空间频率结构的微观图案已经成为最亮部分，则灰度对比度 微观缺陷将得到加强。 然而，同时，微观图案的灰度对比度也将同时提高。 因此，存在不可能进一步提高微观缺陷检测灵敏度的问题。 在本发明中，分割成多个小孔的孔径光阑位于照明光瞳平面上。 然后，彼此独立地控制每个小孔的遮光/透光。 该控制允许仅在更明显地强调微观缺陷的灰度对比度的入射角度照射检查对象物体。

公开(公告)号：US07456948B2

公开(公告)日：2008-11-25

申请号：US11822330

申请日：2007-07-05

Applicant: Takahiro Togashi ,  Shigeru Matsui

Inventor： Takahiro Togashi ,  Shigeru Matsui

IPC: G01N21/88 ,  G01N21/86

CPC classification number: G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N2021/8861 ,  G01N2021/8874 ,  G01N2021/95676

Abstract: A method and equipment which includes an illustrated-spot illumination-distribution data table for storing an illumination distribution within an illustrated spot and which calculates a coordinate position for a particle or a defect and the diameter of the particle on the basis of detection light intensity data about the particle or defect and the illustrated-spot illumination-distribution data table. Thus, even when the illumination distribution within the illustrated spot based on an actual illumination optical system is not a Gaussian distribution, the calculation of the particle diameter of the detected particle or defect and the calculation of a coordinate position on the surface of an object to be inspected can be attained with an increased accuracy.

Abstract translation: 一种方法和设备，其包括用于存储所示斑点内的照明分布的示出点照度分布数据表，并且基于检测光强度数据计算颗粒或缺陷的坐标位置和颗粒的直径 关于颗粒或缺陷以及所示的点光照度分布数据表。 因此，即使在基于实际的照明光学系统的所示光点内的照明分布不是高斯分布的情况下，检测出的粒子或缺陷的粒径的计算以及物体表面上的坐标位置的计算 被检查可以提高准确度。

公开(公告)号：US20080279445A1

公开(公告)日：2008-11-13

申请号：US12216642

申请日：2008-07-09

Applicant: Shigeru Matsui ,  Katsuya Suzuki

Inventor： Shigeru Matsui ,  Katsuya Suzuki

IPC: G06K9/46

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  G01N21/95607 ,  G03F7/7065 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: The pattern defect inspection apparatus is operable to detect defects by comparing a detection image, which is obtained through scanning by an image sensor those patterns that have the identical shape and are continuously disposed on the object under tested at equal intervals in row and column directions, with a reference image obtained by scanning neighboring identical shape patterns in the row and column directions. This apparatus has a unit for generating an average reference image by statistical computation processing from the images of identical shape patterns lying next to the detection image including at least eight nearest chips on the up-and-down and right-and-left sides and at diagonal positions with the detection image being intermediately situated. The apparatus also includes a unit that detects a defect by comparing the detection image to the average reference image thus generated.