Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Chung-Sam Jun

Yu-sin Yang

Sun-Yong Choi

Sang-Mun Chon

Kye-Weon Kim

Dong-Chun Lee

Tae-Kyoung Kim

Young-Jee Yoon

Koung-Su Shin

Tae-Sung Kim

Kwang-Soo Kim

Sang-bong Choi

Moon-Kyung Kim

Kwang-Jun Yoon

Jeong-Hyun Choi

Jung-Taek Lim

Yu-Sin Yang

Byung-Sug Lee

Sung-Hong Park

Joung-Soo Kim

Hyo-Hoo Kim

Ji-Young Shin

Dong-Jin Park

Hyoung-jin Kim

Sang-Hee Kim

Dong-chun Lee

Jong-An Kim

Sang-mun Chon

Sang-moon Chon

Yun-Jung Jee

Kwan-Woo Ryu

Tae-Min Eom

Hwan-Shik Park

Jeong-kon Kim

Hyun-Tae Kang

Ki-Suk Chung

Park-Song Kim

Sung-gon Ryu

Tae-min Eom

Ik-Chul Kim

Woo-Seok Ko

Mi-Sung Lee

In an embodiment of a method of inspecting a substrate, the substrate on which minute structures are formed is divided into a plurality of inspection regions. A main inspection region among the inspection regions is selected. A main image of the main inspection region and sub-images of sub-inspection regions adjacent to the main inspection region are obtained. An average image of the main image and the sub-images is obtained. The average image is then compared with the main image to detect defects in the main inspection region. Gray levels may be used. The average image may have improved quality so that the defects in the selected inspection region may be rapidly and accurately detected. This process has an improved reliability. Further, the number of inspecting processes for the substrate may be reduced. And a line for the inspection process may be automated so that a worker-free line may be established.

Method and apparatus for inspecting a substrate

An optical inspection tool used to detect surface defects of a substrate include a chuck for holding a substrate and a lens unit disposed over the chuck. The lens unit includes at least a pair of oblique beam paths therein, wherein light penetrating the beam paths travels without angular deflection. The beam paths take the form of spaces formed through the lens unit, or flat portions formed on a lens within the lens unit. A camera is installed on the lens unit, and the camera converts light passing through the lens unit into an image. Methods of detecting surface defects of the substrate using the inspection tool are also provided.

Optical inspection tool having lens unit with multiple beam paths for detecting surface defects of a substrate and methods of using same

A surface inspection apparatus and method increase wafer productivity, wherein to increase an efficiency of the surface inspection apparatus to detect defects during a scanning of the wafer surface, a scanning speed for a subsequent defect detection is varied according to an increase/decrease of defect density represented on a plurality of images acquired successively. When the density of defects is reduced, the scanning speed increases and a level of a skip rule increases, and when the density of defects increases, the scanning speed decreases and a level of the skip rule decreases to precisely detect defects, thereby increasing reliability, throughput, and productivity.

Apparatus and method for inspecting a surface of a wafer

In an embodiment, a method of scanning a substrate, and a method and an apparatus for analyzing crystal characteristics are disclosed. A sequential scan on the scan areas using a first electron beam and a second electron beam are repeatedly performed. The electrons accumulated in the scan areas by the first electron beam are removed from the scan areas by the second electron beam. When a size of the scan area is substantially the same as a spot size of the first electron beam, adjacent scan areas partially overlap each other. When each of the scan areas is larger than a spot size of the first electron beam, the adjacent scan areas do not overlap each other. Images of the scan areas are generated using back-scattered electrons emitted from each of the scan areas by irradiating the first electron beam to analyze crystal characteristics of circuit patterns on the substrate.

Method of scanning a substrate, and method and apparatus for analyzing crystal characteristics

A method of inspecting a substrate is provided comprising applying ultrasonic waves to a substrate, receiving echo pulse signals transmitted through the substrate, and analyzing received echo pulse signals to detect defects in the substrate. Thus, defects in the substrate may be detected.

Method of inspecting a substrate using ultrasonic waves and apparatus for performing the same

A method of classifying defects of an object includes irradiating multi-wavelength light onto the object, splitting light reflected from the object into light beams, each of the light beams having different wavelengths, obtaining image information of the object based on each of the light beams, forming a characteristic matrix that represent the wavelengths and the image information, and analyzing the characteristic matrix to determine types of the defects on the object. Thus, the defects may be accurately classified using a difference between reactivity of each of the defects in accordance with variations of the wavelengths and inspection conditions.

Method of classifying defects

In a method of inspecting defects, a first actual region of an actual object is inspected based on a first characteristic parameter as an inspection condition. A point where an inspection region of the actual object is changed into a second actual region from the first actual region is determined. The second actual region is then inspected based on a second characteristic parameter as the inspection condition. The first and second parameters may include contrast of a light that is reflected from a reference object, intensity of the light, brightness of the light, a size of a minute structure on the reference object, etc. The characteristic parameters of each reference region on the reference object are set. Thus, the defects may be accurately classified so that a time and a cost for reviewing the defects may be markedly reduced.

Method and apparatus for inspecting defects in multiple regions with different parameters

In a method and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional image for an inspection pattern, a reference intensity function of an inspection X-ray is formed in accordance with a continuous scanning depth, and is differentiated with respect to the scanning depth. The differential reference intensity function is decomposed into a start function and a characteristic function. The differential reference intensity function is then repeatedly integrated while a temporary vertical profile function is substituted for the start function until the temporary intensity of a reference X-ray is within an allowable error range. The temporary vertical profile function satisfying the error range is selected as an optimal vertical profile function. A surface shape is combined to the optimal vertical profile function along a depth of the inspection pattern to thereby form the three-dimensional image for the inspection pattern.

Method of forming a three-dimensional image of a pattern to be inspected and apparatus for performing the same

A defect inspecting apparatus includes a first support unit supporting a standard sample having standard defects, a second support unit supporting a wafer having target defects, a light source irradiating an incident light to the standard sample or the wafer, a light receiving part collecting reflection light reflected from the standard sample and the wafer, a detection part detecting the standard defects and the target defects by using the reflection light, a comparing part comparing information obtained using the reflection light reflected from the standard sample with a predetermined standard information of the standard defects to confirm a reliability of a step for detecting the target defects and a determination portion determining whether the step is allowed to be performed or not.

Method and apparatus for inspecting target defects on a wafer

In a method of measuring a surface voltage of an insulating layer, the number of times that surface voltages are measured in a depletion region increases so that precise data about the depletion region may be obtained. The number of times that the surface voltages are measured in an accumulation region and an inversion region decreases so that the data about the depletion region may be rapidly obtained.

Method of measuring a surface voltage of an insulating layer

An apparatus and method of measuring the thickness of a substrate. A first light is reflected from a standard sample having a known thickness. The light is concentrated through the light-focusing lens. The first light is converted into a first electrical signal by a detector responding to a light intensity of the concentrated first light. A second light is reflected from a substrate, and then is concentrated through the light-focusing lens. The second light is converted into a second electrical signal by the detector responding to a light intensity of the concentrated second light. An operating unit determines first and second peak values from the first and second electrical signals, respectively. The operating unit calculates the thickness of the substrate by using a standard distance corresponding to the first peak value, a moving distance of the substrate corresponding to the second peak value, and the known thickness of the standard sample.

Apparatus and method for measuring a thickness of a substrate

For an automatic defect inspection of an edge exposure area of a wafer, an optical unit supplies a light beam onto the edge portion of a wafer and a detection unit detects light reflected from the edge portion. The detection unit converts the detected light into an electrical signal to transmit the electrical signal to a processing unit. The processing unit analyzes the electrical signal to measure the reflectivity of the edge portion, compares the measured reflectivity with a reference reflectivity, and calculates the width of the edge exposure area. The processing unit compares the calculated width with a reference width to detect any defect in the edge exposure area.

Method and apparatus for inspecting an edge exposure area of a wafer

A system and method of measuring a distance of semiconductor patterns is provided. The system includes a microscope and a control unit. The control unit calculates standard coordinates of standard points in view-fields that include spots, spot coordinates of spots with respect to standard points, real coordinates of spots from both of the standard coordinates and spot coordinates, and finally the distance between the two spots from the first and second real coordinates. Coordinates are determined using high magnification, in conjunction with pixel counting, allowing more precise distance measurements.

Systems and methods for measuring distance of semiconductor patterns

In a method for inspecting a defect in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an object is divided into a plurality of regions. Reflectivity of each of the plurality of regions is obtained. Amplification ratio for each region is determined using the reflectivity. A light is irradiated onto the regions. A light reflected from a first region is amplified by a first amplification ratio that is determined for the first region. Moving the irradiated light from the first region to a second region is detected. A light reflected from the second region is amplified by a second amplification ratio that is determined for the second region. The amplified lights from the first region and the second region are analyzed to determine an existence of a defect on the object.

Method and apparatus for inspecting defects

In a method and an apparatus for inspecting defects on a substrate using a light beam, a light source irradiates light beams having different wavelengths onto the substrate. A detector detects first lights scattered from a surface of the substrate and second lights scattered from impurities on the substrate by irradiation of the light beams. An operation unit compares first intensities of the first lights with second intensities of the second lights in order to produce differential values therebetween, and selects a wavelength corresponding to a maximum value of the differential values. An inspection process for inspecting the defects on the substrate is performed using a light beam having the selected wavelength.

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Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Chung-Sam Jun