Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Masayuki Ochi

Shuichi Chikamatsu

Shigehisa Nozawa

Minori Noguchi

Kenji Aiko

Yoshio Bamba

Koichi Taniguchi

Kei Shimura

Masaaki Ito

Hiroyuki Yamashita

Seiji Otani

Takuaki Sekiguchi

Takahiko Suzuki

Shigeo Otsuki

Tadashi Suga

Hideki Soeda

Shigeru Abe

A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.

Foreign matter inspection apparatus and foreign matter inspection method

A defect inspection apparatus emits light to a test object, detects reflected of scattered light from the test object and detects a defect in the test object The apparatus comprises a temperature-controlled part accommodating section that accommodates parts having a need for controlling a temperature, which is out of a plurality of parts in the defect inspection apparatus. A first temperature measuring instrument measures a temperature in the temperature-controlled part accommodating section; and a temperature control unit controls a temperature of the interior of the temperature-controlled part accommodating section at a prescribed temperature according to the temperature measured by the first temperature measuring instrument. Accordingly, a defect inspection apparatus can efficiently perform temperature control without involving an enlarged size can be achieved.

Inspection apparatus and inspection method

An inspection device for inspecting defects of an inspection object including a light source for irradiating a luminous flux to the inspection object; an optical system for guiding reflected light from the inspection object; a photoelectric image sensor having a plurality of photoelectric cells arranged, for converting the light guided to detection signals; a detection signal transfer unit having channels each constituted by a signal correction unit, a converter and an image formation unit, and corresponding to each of a plurality of regions formed by dividing the photoelectric image sensor, respectively; and an image synthesis unit for forming an image of the surface of the object by synthesizing partial images outputted; the inspection device inspecting defects of the object by processing the synthesized image; whereby it becomes possible to correct a detection signal from said photoelectric cell close to a predetermined reference target value.

Inspection device and inspection method

Provided are a defect inspection apparatus having a large range for receiving light scattering from fine defects while securing a sufficiently large signal strength; and a defect inspection method for the same. The defect inspection apparatus includes: a stage part capable of traveling relative to optical systems with a substrate to be inspected mounted on the stage part; an illumination optical system for illuminating an inspection area on the substrate; a detection optical system for detecting light coming from the inspection area on the substrate; an image sensor for converting, to a signal, an image which is formed on the image sensor by the detection optical system; a signal processor for detecting defects by processing the signal from the image sensor; and a plane reflecting mirror, arranged between the detection optical system and the substrate, for transmitting the light, which comes from the substrate, to the detection optical system.

Defect inspection method and defect inspection apparatus

An optical semiconductor wafer inspection system and a method thereof are provided for voids and particles produced in a flattening process by classifying and inspecting defects such as scratches, a polishing or grinding technique used for semiconductor manufacturing. The present invention is an optical semiconductor wafer inspection system and a method thereof characterized by obliquely illuminating a scratch, void or particle produced on the surface of a polished or ground insulating film at substantially the same velocity of light, detecting scattered light at the time of oblique illumination from the surface of an inspection target at different angles and thereby classifying the scratch, void or particle.

Optical inspection method and optical inspection system

A defect inspection apparatus enable to efficiently perform a temperature control without involving an enlarged size can be achieved. The parts constituting the defect inspection apparatus are classified into parts need temperature control and parts not to need temperature control; all the parts need temperature control are accommodated together into a temperature-controlled part accommodating section, and the parts not to need temperature control are arranged in a heat radiating unit. The temperature in the temperature-controlled part accommodating sectionis measured by a temperature measuring instrumentand a control CPUin a temperature control unitcarries out control according to the measured temperature so that the interior of the temperature-controlled part accommodating sectionis kept at a fixed temperature. Therefore, it becomes easy to keep the fixed temperature, when compared with a case in which individual parts are temperature-controlled separately by being heated or cooled, yielding an energy saving effect.

A defect inspection apparatus includes: stages each mounting an inspecting object on which a circuit pattern having a group of parallel lines is formed, and each running perpendicular or parallel to the group of lines; an illumination optical system which illuminating a surface of the inspecting object with a slit beam being slit light so that a longitudinal direction of the slit beam is substantially perpendicular to the running directions of the stages, and which has a first inclined angle formed by the direction of the group of lines and a projection line, of an optical axis of the slit beam, to the inspecting object; a spatial filter that shields or transmits reflected and scattered light of the inspecting object according to a difference in distribution of orientation; and a detection optical system that detects the reflected and scattered light transmitted through the spatial filter by image sensors. Moreover, the illumination optical system illuminates the inspecting object with another slit beam from a direction opposite to an incident direction of the slit beam on a plane.

Defect inspection apparatus and defect inspection method

An optical semiconductor wafer inspection system and a method thereof are provided for classifying and inspecting defects such as scratches, voids and particles produced in a flattening process by a polishing or grinding technique used for semiconductor manufacturing. The present invention is an optical semiconductor wafer inspection system and a method thereof characterized by obliquely illuminating a scratch, void or particle produced on the surface of a polished or ground insulating film at substantially the same velocity of light, detecting scattered light at the time of oblique illumination from the surface of an inspection target at different angles and thereby classifying the scratch, void or particle.

Growing community of inventors

Kamisato, Japan

Masayuki Ochi