Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Keiya Saito

Hiroshi Yamaguchi

Akira Shimase

Tateoki Miyauchi

Satoshi Haraichi

Takenori Hirose

Mikio Hongo

Takahiko Takahashi

Hideaki Sasazawa

Shoji Shukuri

Tohru Ishitani

Yasuhiro Yoshitake

Shinji Sakano

Mineo Nomoto

Shinji Kuniyoshi

Koji Ishida

Susumu Aiuchi

Fumikazu Itoh

Masao Tamura

Tsuneo Ichiguchi

Masahiro Watanabe

Hidetoshi Nishiyama

Minoru Yoshida

Takanori Ninomiya

Shunichi Matsumoto

Takeshi Kimura

Nobuyuki Akiyama

Yasuo Nakagawa

Mitsuyoshi Koizumi

Yasuhiko Hara

Akira Sase

Shigeru Serikawa

Koichi Karasaki

An inspection region is specified using the design information to perform region division for measurement through a scatterometry method. The obtained detection data is classified by pattern into a periodic region and a non-periodic region. A spectroscopic characteristic is detected by an optical sensor to extract features. The extracted features are compared with features stored in a feature map database for each region to evaluate a state of a patterned medium.

Scatterometry method and device for inspecting patterned medium

This invention relates to a pattern shape inspection method and an apparatus thereof for conducting a first step of irradiating wideband illuminating light which contains far ultraviolet light to a sample from a perpendicular direction, inspecting a shape of the pattern based on a spectral waveform of reflecting light detected from the sample, and detecting an edge roughness of the pattern based on the spectral waveform of the reflecting light detected from the sample, and a second step of irradiating a laser beam to the sample from an oblique direction, and detecting the edge roughness of the pattern based on scattered light detected from the sample.

Pattern shape inspection method and apparatus thereof

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.

Method and apparatus for reviewing defect

An apparatus for inspecting a pattern shape of a magnetic record medium or its stamper includes: a moving mechanism, on which an object to be inspected where a pattern is formed is placed and which moves the object to be inspected in a radial direction while rotating the object; an irradiating optical system that applies illuminating light of a wide band including far ultraviolet light to the object to be inspected moved in the radial direction while rotating the object by the moving mechanism in a polarized state suitable for the object to be inspected from an oblique direction; a detecting optical system that detects zero-order reflected light generated from the object to be inspected irradiated by the irradiating optical system; and a shape inspection unit that inspects a pattern shape formed on the object to be inspected based on a spectral reflectance waveform obtained by dispersing the detected zero-order reflected light, thereby inspecting the pattern shape at a high speed and with high sensitivity.

Method and apparatus for inspecting a pattern shape

The present invention provides an optical height detection method and electron beam apparatus to which the method is applied, in which the focusing accuracy of the CD-SEM apparatus, a SEM inspection apparatus, and others is improved by reducing detection errors and improving detection accuracy so as to improve the accuracy of the optical height detection method, and throughput of a CD-SEM apparatus or others is improved by reducing the processing time of automatic focus control performed based on the detected height according to the optical height detection method. An optical detection optical system projects two-dimensional slit light to a measurement object from diagonally above it, detects the light reflected by the measurement object, converts a detected two-dimensional slit image into an electrical signal by a two-dimensional area sensor, eliminates slit parts having a large detection error from the electrical signal, and detects the height of the measurement object.

Method for optically detecting height of a specimen and charged particle beam apparatus using the same

A manufacturing method and manufacturing device for high-precision thin film devices is disclosed, whereby the film thickness and film thickness distribution of a transparent film is measured to a high degree of accuracy during a CMP process without being affected by the film thickness distribution between LSI regions or within the semiconductor wafer surface generated by CMP processing. Film thickness is measured by specifying relatively level measurement regions, according to a characteristic quantity of the spectral waveform of the reflected light from the transparent film, such as the reflection intensity, frequency spectrum intensity, or the like, thereby permitting highly accurate control of film thickness. The leveling process in CMP processing can be optimized on the basis of the film thickness distribution. The film deposition conditions in the film deposition stage and the etching conditions in the etching stage can also be optimized. Accordingly, a high-precision semiconductor device can be manufactured.

Method and apparatus for measuring thickness of thin film and device manufacturing method using same

A method for high-precision measurement of film thickness and the distribution of film thickness of a transparent film is disclosed. The method is performed during a CMP process, without being affected by the film thickness distribution among the LSI regions or on the semiconductor wafer surface. The film thickness is measured by specifying relatively level measurement regions, according to a characteristic quantity of the spectral waveform of the reflected light from the transparent film, such as the reflection intensity, frequency spectrum intensity. This permits highly accurate control of film thickness. The leveling process in CMP processing can be optimized on the basis of the film thickness distribution.

An IC wiring connecting method for interconnecting conductive lines of the same wiring plane of an IC chip for correcting the wiring, for interconnecting conductive lines of different wiring lanes of a multilayer IC chip at the same position, or for connecting a conductive line of a lower wiring plane of a multilayer IC chip to a conductive line formed at a separate position on the same multilayer IC chip. The insulating film or films covering conductive lines to be interconnected are processed by an energy beam such as a concentrated ion beam to form holes so as to expose the respective parts of the conductive lines where the conductive lines are to be interconnected, then a metal is deposited over the surfaces of the holes and an area interconnecting the holes by irradiating the surfaces of the holes and the area by an energy beam or a concentrated ion beam in an atmosphere of a gaseous organic metal compound to form a conductive metal film electrically interconnecting the conductive lines. Also provided is an apparatus for carrying out the IC wiring connecting method, which comprises, as essential components, an ion beam material processing system, an insulating film forming system such as a laser induced CVD unit, a conductive film forming system, and an insulating film etching system.

IC wiring connecting method using focused energy beams

IC wiring connecting method and apparatus

A method and apparatus for processing a fine pattern of a sample of one of an electronic device, molecular device and bioelement device, wherein a needle having a sharpened tip is disposed in opposed relation to the sample with a gap therebetween. A voltage is applied between the needle and the sample so as to enable a tunnel current and/or a field emission current to flow therebetween and the fine pattern is provided to correct the fine pattern by effecting at least one of removal, repositioning, annealing and film formation of at least one of individual atoms and individual molecules.

Method and apparatus for processing a fine pattern

Disclosed is an apparatus for forming a device having a fine structure, the apparatus including a high intensity ion source. The apparatus can be used to form fine grooves and/or a fine film, by supplying a reactive gas to the surface to be etched or coated while irradiating a focused ion beam on the surface. A laser or electron beam can be irradiated on substantially the same axis as that of the focused ion beam, whereby defects arising due to ion beam processing can be repaired. The apparatus can further include ion beam current detection and measurement structure to determine when a predetermined thickness of coating or depth of etching is achieved. The apparatus can include multiple chambers sequentially holding the surface treated, and can include a scanning electron microscope for scanning the surface being coated or etched.

Device having superlattice structure, and method of and apparatus for

An ion beam (113) focused into a diameter of at most 0.1 .mu.m bombards substantially perpendicularly to the superlattice layers of a one-dimensional superlattice structure and is scanned rectilinearly in a direction of the superlattice layers so as to form at least two parallel grooves (108, 109, 110, 111) or at least two parallel impurity-implanted parts (2109) as potential barrier layers, whereby a device of two-dimensional superlattice structure can be manufactured. At least two parallel grooves (114, 115, 116, 117) or impurity-implanted parts are further formed orthogonally to the potential barrier layers of the two-dimensional superlattice structure, whereby a device of three-dimensional superlattice structure can be manufactured. In addition, deposition parts (2403, 2404, 2405) may well be provided by further depositing an insulator into the grooves (108, 109, 110, 111, 114, 115, 116, 117) which are formed by the scanning of the ion beam. Owing to these expedients, the portions of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional superlattice structures can be manufactured with ease and at high precision.

Method of manufacturing devices having superlattice structures

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for correcting defects of an X-ray mask which includes a focused ion beam used to irradiate at least a region having a defective portion of an X-ray mask having a protective film and eliminating the protective film; exposing a circuit pattern having a defective portion located under the region or setting this circuit pattern to the state near the exposure; detecting one of the secondary electrons, secondary ions, reflected electrons, or absorbing current generated from that region and detecting a true defective position. Then positioning the focused ion beam to the true defective position and irradiating the focused ion beam to the defective portion thereby correcting the defect.

Method and apparatus for correcting defects of X-ray mask

A method of correcting a circuit pattern such as an X-ray mask, carried out by first preparing a circuit pattern structure where a circuit pattern on a conductive film is coated with a protective film, then forming a hole or a slit by irradiating a high-intensity focused ion beam to a dropout defective portion in the circuit pattern of the circuit pattern structure, and plating such hole or slit while utilizing the conductive film as a plating electrode, thereby forming a metal frame to correct the dropout defective portion.

Growing community of inventors

Hiratsuka, Japan

Keiya Saito