公开(公告)号：US20080225286A1

公开(公告)日：2008-09-18

申请号：US12124653

申请日：2008-05-21

申请人： Yukihiro SHIBATA ,  Shunji MAEDA ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA

发明人： Yukihiro SHIBATA ,  Shunji MAEDA ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA

IPC分类号： G01J3/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/95607 ,  G01N2021/8822

摘要： A defect inspection method and apparatus that can easily and quickly determine, from among a plurality of inspection conditions, a condition that allows for an inspection with high sensitivity. The inspection apparatus has a variety of optical functions to cover a variety of kinds of defects to be inspected (shape, material, nearby pattern, etc.). For each optical function, grayscale depths of defects that the operator wants detected and of pseudo defects that he or she wants undetected are accumulated for future use, so that conditions conducive to a higher sensitivity and a lower pseudo defect detection rate can be selected efficiently. Conditions that can be selected for optical systems include a bright-field illumination, a dark-field illumination and a bright-/dark-field composite illumination, illumination wavelength bands, polarization filters and spatial filters.

摘要翻译： 一种缺陷检查方法和装置，其可以容易且快速地从多个检查条件中确定允许以高灵敏度进行检查的条件。 检查装置具有各种光学功能，可以覆盖要检查的各种缺陷（形状，材料，附近图案等）。 对于每个光学功能，操作者想要检测到的缺陷的灰度深度和他或她想要未检测到的伪缺陷被累积以供将来使用，使得可以有效地选择有利于更高灵敏度和更低伪缺陷检测率的条件。 可以选择用于光学系统的条件包括亮场照明，暗场照明和亮/暗场复合照明，照明波长带，偏振滤光器和空间滤光器。

公开(公告)号：US20130002849A1

公开(公告)日：2013-01-03

申请号：US13608501

申请日：2012-09-10

申请人： Kaoru SAKAI ,  Shunji MAEDA ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA

发明人： Kaoru SAKAI ,  Shunji MAEDA ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA

IPC分类号： G06K9/00 ,  H04N7/18

CPC分类号： G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/30148

摘要： According to the present invention, for a pattern inspection apparatus that compares images in corresponding areas of two patterns that are identical and that determines an unmatched portion between the images is a defect, a plurality of detection systems and a plurality of corresponding image comparison methods are provided. With this configuration, the affect of uneven brightnesses for a pattern that occurs due to differences in film thicknesses can be reduced, a highly sensitive pattern inspection can be performed, a variety of defects can be revealed, and the pattern inspection apparatus can be applied for processing performed within a wide range. Furthermore, the pattern inspection apparatus also includes a unit for converting the tone of image signals of comparison images for a plurality of different processing units, and when a difference in brightness occurs in the same pattern of the images, a defect can be correctly detected.

摘要翻译： 根据本发明，对于对相同的两个图案的相应区域中的图像进行比较并且确定图像之间的不匹配部分的图像的图案检查装置是缺陷，多个检测系统和多个对应的图像比较方法是 提供。 利用这种结构，可以降低由于膜厚度差异而产生的图案的不均匀亮度的影响，可以进行高灵敏度图案检查，可以显示各种缺陷，并且图案检查装置可以应用于 在广泛的范围内进行处理。 此外，图案检查装置还包括用于转换多个不同处理单元的比较图像的图像信号的色调的单元，并且当在相同图案中出现亮度差时，可以正确地检测缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US20100259751A1

公开(公告)日：2010-10-14

申请号：US12823510

申请日：2010-06-25

申请人： Sachio UTO ,  Minori NOGUCHI ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Yoshimasa OHSHIMA ,  Akira HAMAMATSU ,  Takahiro JINGU ,  Toshihiko NAKATA ,  Masahiro WATANABE

发明人： Sachio UTO ,  Minori NOGUCHI ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Yoshimasa OHSHIMA ,  Akira HAMAMATSU ,  Takahiro JINGU ,  Toshihiko NAKATA ,  Masahiro WATANABE

IPC分类号： G01N21/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/00 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T2207/30148

摘要： An inspecting apparatus and method including first and second illuminating units for illuminating a surface of a specimen to be inspected with different incident angles and first and second detecting optical units arranged at different elevation angle directions to the surface of the specimen for detecting images of the specimen illuminated by the first and second illuminating units.

摘要翻译： 一种检查装置和方法，包括：第一和第二照明单元，用于以不同的入射角照射待检查样本的表面;以及第一和第二检测光学单元，其以不同的仰角方向布置在样本的表面上，用于检测样本的图像 由第一和第二照明单元照亮。

公开(公告)号：US20120133929A1

公开(公告)日：2012-05-31

申请号：US13347245

申请日：2012-01-10

申请人： Akira HAMAMATSU ,  Minori NOGUCHI ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Yoshimasa OHSHIMA ,  Takahiro JINGU ,  Sachio UTO

发明人： Akira HAMAMATSU ,  Minori NOGUCHI ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Yoshimasa OHSHIMA ,  Takahiro JINGU ,  Sachio UTO

IPC分类号： G01N21/55

CPC分类号： G01N21/8806 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/95623

摘要： The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and inspection method. The inspection apparatus includes a stage mechanism for supporting an object under inspection. A spatial filter is provided in the detection optical system to inspect the object. A printer is used to print the results of the spatial filter. The spatial filter can be provided in the form of a Fourier transformed image.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种检查装置和检查方法。 检查装置包括用于支撑被检查物体的台架机构。 在检测光学系统中设置空间滤波器来检查物体。 打印机用于打印空间滤镜的结果。 空间滤波器可以以傅里叶变换图像的形式提供。

公开(公告)号：US20120074319A1

公开(公告)日：2012-03-29

申请号：US13311734

申请日：2011-12-06

申请人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Toshifumi HONDA ,  Sachio UTO

发明人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Toshifumi HONDA ,  Sachio UTO

IPC分类号： H01J37/26

CPC分类号： G01N23/225 ,  G02B15/14 ,  G02B21/0016 ,  H01J37/226 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/216 ,  H01J2237/2482 ,  H01J2237/2817 ,  H01K3/02

摘要： A method of inspecting defects of a sample on a movable table includes a first step for, on a basis of position information of the defects which is previously detected by an other inspection system, driving the table so that the defects come into a viewing field of an optical microscope having a focus which is adjusted, a second step for re-detecting the defects to obtain a first detection result, a third step for correcting the position information of defects on a basis of position information of the re-detected defects, and a fourth step for reviewing the defects whose position information is corrected to obtain a second detection result. At the second step, re-detecting is performed using reflection light or scattered light from the sample which passes an optical filter which includes a light shielding portion and a light transmitting portion.

摘要翻译： 一种在可移动台上检查样本的缺陷的方法包括：第一步骤，用于基于先前由另一检查系统检测到的缺陷的位置信息来驱动该表，使得缺陷进入到 具有调整焦点的光学显微镜，用于重新检测缺陷以获得第一检测结果的第二步骤，基于重新检测到的缺陷的位置信息来校正缺陷的位置信息的第三步骤，以及 检查位置信息被校正以获得第二检测结果的缺陷的第四步骤。 在第二步骤中，使用来自通过包括遮光部分和透光部分的滤光器的样品的反射光或散射光进行再检测。

公开(公告)号：US20120268734A1

公开(公告)日：2012-10-25

申请号：US13535955

申请日：2012-06-28

申请人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Kei SHIMURA ,  Sachio UTO ,  Minori NOGUCHI

发明人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Kei SHIMURA ,  Sachio UTO ,  Minori NOGUCHI

IPC分类号： G01N21/01

CPC分类号： G01N21/95607 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/4711

摘要： A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished.

摘要翻译： 实现能够以高灵敏度检测样品上的微小缺陷而不产生信号中的斑点噪声的图案缺陷检查装置。 通过在相互不同的定时使用两个检测器来检测晶片表面上的基本上相同的区域。 来自两个检测器的输出信号被相加和平均以消除噪声。 由于大量的照明光线不能同时照射到晶片上的相同区域，所以能够抑制由于大量光线的干扰而产生的噪声的图案缺陷检查装置，消除由于其它原因引起的噪声和高检测 可以实现样品上的灵敏度微小缺陷，而不会在信号中发生斑点噪声。

公开(公告)号：US20080273193A1

公开(公告)日：2008-11-06

申请号：US12113781

申请日：2008-05-01

申请人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Kei SHIMURA ,  Sachio UTO ,  Monori NOGUCHI

发明人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Kei SHIMURA ,  Sachio UTO ,  Monori NOGUCHI

IPC分类号： G01N21/00 ,  G01N21/55

CPC分类号： G01N21/95607 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/4711

摘要： A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished.

摘要翻译： 实现能够以高灵敏度检测样品上的微小缺陷而不产生信号中的斑点噪声的图案缺陷检查装置。 通过在相互不同的定时使用两个检测器来检测晶片表面上的基本上相同的区域。 来自两个检测器的输出信号被相加和平均以消除噪声。 由于大量的照明光线不能同时照射到晶片上的相同区域，所以能够抑制由于大量光线的干扰而产生的噪声的图案缺陷检查装置，消除由于其它原因引起的噪声和高检测 可以实现样品上的灵敏度微小缺陷，而不会在信号中发生斑点噪声。

公开(公告)号：US20120008132A1

公开(公告)日：2012-01-12

申请号：US13238464

申请日：2011-09-21

申请人： Keiya SAITO ,  Yasuhiro YOSHITAKE ,  Shunichi MATSUMOTO ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA

发明人： Keiya SAITO ,  Yasuhiro YOSHITAKE ,  Shunichi MATSUMOTO ,  Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA

IPC分类号： G01N21/88

CPC分类号： G01N21/8806 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/8822 ,  G01N2021/8861 ,  G02B21/0032 ,  G02B21/0072

摘要： The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for reviewing a defect with high throughput by detecting the defect to be reviewed with high sensitivity, comprising: an optical microscope; a correction means; and a scanning electron microscope which reviews the existing defect on the sample; wherein the optical microscope has: an optical height detection system which optically detects a vertical position of an upper surface of the sample placed on the stage; an illumination optical system which illuminates the defect with light; an image detection optical system which converges and detects reflected light or scattered light generated from the defect illuminated by the illumination optical system to obtain an image signal; and a focus adjusting means which adjusts a focus position of the optical microscope based on the vertical position of the upper surface of the sample, which is detected by the optical height detection system.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种通过以高灵敏度检测待检查的缺陷来检查具有高通量的缺陷的装置和方法，包括：光学显微镜; 修正手段; 和扫描电子显微镜，用于回顾样品上现有的缺陷; 其中所述光学显微镜具有：光学高度检测系统，其光学地检测放置在所述台上的样品的上表面的垂直位置; 用光照亮缺陷的照明光学系统; 会聚和检测由照明光学系统照射的缺陷产生的反射光或散射光以获得图像信号的图像检测光学系统; 以及焦点调节装置，其基于由光学高度检测系统检测到的样本的上表面的垂直位置来调整光学显微镜的对焦位置。

公开(公告)号：US20100225903A1

公开(公告)日：2010-09-09

申请号：US12781682

申请日：2010-05-17

申请人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Kei Shimura ,  Sachio Uto ,  Minori Noguchi

发明人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Kei Shimura ,  Sachio Uto ,  Minori Noguchi

IPC分类号： G01N21/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/95607 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2021/4711

摘要： A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished.

摘要翻译： 实现能够以高灵敏度检测样品上的微小缺陷而不产生信号中的斑点噪声的图案缺陷检查装置。 通过在相互不同的定时使用两个检测器来检测晶片表面上的基本上相同的区域。 来自两个检测器的输出信号被相加和平均以消除噪声。 由于大量的照明光线不能同时照射到晶片上的相同区域，所以能够抑制由于大量光线的干扰而产生的噪声的图案缺陷检查装置，消除由于其它原因引起的噪声和高检测 可以实现样品上的灵敏度微小缺陷，而不会在信号中发生斑点噪声。

公开(公告)号：US20080246964A1

公开(公告)日：2008-10-09

申请号：US12138889

申请日：2008-06-13

申请人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Minori Noguchi ,  Yoshimasa Ooshima ,  Akira Hamamatsu ,  Kenji Watanabe ,  Tetsuya Watanabe ,  Takahiro Jingu

发明人： Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA ,  Minori Noguchi ,  Yoshimasa Ooshima ,  Akira Hamamatsu ,  Kenji Watanabe ,  Tetsuya Watanabe ,  Takahiro Jingu

IPC分类号： G01N15/02

CPC分类号： G01N21/4738 ,  G01N21/8806 ,  G01N21/93 ,  G01N21/94 ,  G01N21/9501 ,  G01N2015/1486 ,  G01N2015/1493

摘要： Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result. A failure analysis is conducted by setting a threshold for identifying a failure in each of regions on a semiconductor device or the like to statistically evaluate detected particles.

摘要翻译： 通常，作为检测结果，粒子/缺陷检查装置输出检测出的粒子/缺陷的总数。 对于制造过程中的故障采取对策，分析检查装置检测到的颗粒/缺陷。 由于检查装置输出大量检测到的粒子/缺陷，所以需要巨大的时间来分析检测到的粒子/缺陷，从而导致制造过程中的失败的对策的延迟。 在本发明中，用于光学检查颗粒或缺陷的装置在检查结果中将颗粒或缺陷尺寸与故障原因相关联。 数据处理电路从检查结果统计中指出故障原因，并显示检查结果信息。 通过设定用于识别半导体装置等上的各区域的故障的阈值来进行故障分析，以统计学评价检测出的粒子。