Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Katsuhiro Kitahashi

Takehiro Hirai

Toshifumi Honda

Ryo Nakagaki

Yasuhiko Ozawa

Kazuhisa Machida

Kenji Nakahira

Yohei Minekawa

Hirohito Okuda

Hitoshi Komuro

Akira Yoshikawa

A defect observation device including an input-output unit supplied with information of a taught defect, and information of an ideal output of the taught defect, and configured to display a processing result based upon a determined image processing parameter set; and an automatic determination unit configured to: select image processing parameter sets which are less in number than the total number of all image processing parameter sets, out of all image processing parameter sets, calculate image processing results on an input defect image, by using the selected image processing parameter sets, calculate a coincidence degree for each of the selected image processing parameter sets, estimate distribution of an index value in all image processing parameter sets from distribution of the coincidence degree for the selected image processing parameter sets, and determine an image processing parameter set to have a high coincidence degree out of all image processing parameter sets.

Defect observation method and defect observation device

An image picked up by a detection system capable of actualizing a three-dimensional inclination is usually poor in the signal-to-noise ratio, and it is difficult to stably detect minute defects. Images that actualize a three-dimensional inclination are picked up from opposed directions. The images are subject to subtraction and addition. The images improved in signal-to-noise ratio as compared with original images are calculated. The images calculated and improved in signal-to-noise ratio respectively of a defect portion and a reference portion are compared with each other. Regions differing in comparison results are detected as defects. As a result, minute defects can be inspected stably.

Defect inspection method

The present invention relates to an inspection device and inspection method of a specimen, particularly to the inspection device and inspection method of defects of semiconductor wafers, and the object is to cope with the increase of inspection images and provide an inspection device and inspection method which is capable of classification by sub class, meeting the user needs, in addition to the automatic classification by an inspection device. To achieve the afore-mentioned object, the present invention provides an inspection device, comprising a storage means for storing the images obtained and a display means equipped with the first display area for displaying multiple images stored in the storage means and the second display area for displaying the images which are classified according to the characteristics of the displayed images (called the classified images), wherein the display means displays the class of the specimen, displays the sub class which is set manually for each class, and also displays the images selected by the sub class as a mass of the classified images for each sub class.

Investigation device and investigation method

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Hitachinaka, Japan

Katsuhiro Kitahashi