Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Masateru Doi

Keishi Kubo

Keiichi Yoshizumi

Hiroyuki Mochizuki

Takashi Inoue

Makoto Okazaki

Koji Handa

Takanori Funabashi

Yukiya Usui

Takaaki Kassai

Takayuki Kurata

Syojiro Satake

Naofumi Hino

Hiroyuki Motizuki

A measurement probe of the present disclosure that scans a surface of a measurement object to measure a three-dimensional shape or the like of the surface of the measurement object includes a first movable portion having a stylus, a second movable portion that is connected to the first movable portion to be movable in a Z direction, a third movable portion that is connected to the second movable portion to be movable in the Z direction, a first position measurer that measures a first position of the first movable portion in the Z direction, a second position measurer that measures a second position of the second movable portion in the Z direction, and a third position measurer that measures a third position of the third movable portion in the Z direction. A first relative position is calculated based on the first position and the second position. A second relative position is calculated based on the first position and the third position. The first relative position of the second movable portion with respect to the first movable portion in the Z direction and the second relative position of the third movable portion with respect to the first movable portion in the Z direction are maintained constant.

Measurement probe

A moving vector calculation unit calculates a moving vector M representing a quantity and a direction of movement of a probe on basis of a stylus displacement vector, a stylus displacement vector D, and a direction change angle &#x3b8; of the stylus displacement vector D that is caused by a frictional force between a stylusand the measuring surfaceduring scanning of the measuring surfaceby the stylus. The stylus displacement vector D is a vector including a quantity and a direction of position displacement of the stylusrelative to the probe. Movement of an XY-stageis controlled so that the probemoves in accordance with the moving vector M.

Shape measuring apparatus and shape measuring method

A measuring apparatus including a fixed stator, a rotor to rotate in the state of being disposed outside the center of rotation of the stator, a retaining mechanism for retaining a thin board on the rotor, and a measuring section to measure physical properties of the thin board. This construction makes it possible to avoid wind generated by rotation of the rotor in the vicinity of the thin board, and to suppress vibration of the thin board. Further, since a portion exposed to the thin board can be minimized, safe measurement can be implemented.

Measuring apparatus and method for thin board

A measuring probe for obtaining positional information on a measuring target face has: a movable member having a contact portion which is formed in its top and comes into contact with the measuring target face and a reflecting plane formed on its base end for reflecting a measuring light beam; a magnetic substance mounted on the movable member; a fixed member disposed in a fixed state; a bearing provided on the fixed member for supporting the movable member movably in axis line direction; and a magnetic force generating portion provided on the fixed member for generating force acting upon the magnetic substance to move the movable member in the axis line direction. The movable member is formed from a nonmagnetic material, and the bearing and the fixed member are formed from a magnetic material.

Measurement probe and using method for the same

A method for a quantitative evaluation of a substrate such as wafer defines a number of sequential first regions so that each of the first regions overlaps the adjacent region. A surface data (e.g., thickness data) in each of the first regions is used to determine a normal vector representing a surface configuration (e.g., thickness variation) of the first region. Then, an angular difference between the normal vectors is determined for each combination of adjacent two first regions. Subsequently, the determined angular difference is compared with a reference to evaluate a quality of a second region including at least one of the first regions, e.g., chip region, strip-like region and/or the entire of the wafer.

Method and apparatus for quantitative quality inspection of substrate such as wafer

Substantially collimated displacement detection light is led to a first lens and condensed by the first lens to proximities to a reflecting surface of a probe. The reflected light is displaced by an atomic force acting against a surface of a sample, where the reflected light varies in reflection angle according to the displacement. The displaced light is lead to the first lens, changed in direction by a mirror, and detected by magnifying the displacement of the probe. The detection further includes steps of moving a Z direction scan block in a direction vertical to the sample surface by a Z direction driving device, the Z direction scan block having the first lens and the probe, moving an X direction scan block in a first axial direction within a plane parallel to the sample surface by an X direction driving device, the X direction scan block having the Z direction scan block, the Z direction driving device, and the mirror, and moving a Y direction scan block by a Y direction driving device in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction within a plane parallel to the sample surface, the Y direction scan block having the X direction scan block, the X direction driving device, the detection light radiation system, and the displacement detection system.

Growing community of inventors

Hirakata, Japan

Masateru Doi