Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Hitachi Kenki Fine Tech Co., Ltd.

Shigenobu Maruyama

Yuta Urano

Toshiyuki Nakao

Akira Hamamatsu

Toshifumi Honda

Shunji Maeda

Hisae Shibuya

Yoshimasa Oshima

Yukihiro Shibata

Yukio Kembo

Mineo Nomoto

Toru Kurenuma

Yuichi Kunitomo

A defect inspecting method and apparatus for inspecting a surface state including a defect on a wafer surface, in which a polarization state of a laser beam irradiated onto the wafer surface is connected into a specified polarization state, the converted laser beam having the specified polarization state is inserted onto the wafer surface, and a scattering light occurring from an irradiated region where the laser beam having the specified polarization state is irradiated, is separated into a first scattering light occurring due to a defect on the wafer and a second scattering light occurring due to a surface roughness on the wafer. An optical element for optical path division separates the first and second scattering lights approximately at the same time.

Defect inspecting method and defect inspecting apparatus

A defect inspection device has: an illumination optical system which irradiates a predetermined region of an inspection target with illumination light; a detection optical system which has a detector provided with a plurality of pixels by which scattered light from the predetermined region of the inspection target due to illumination light from the illumination optical system can be detected; and a signal processing portion which is provided with a correction portion which corrects pixel displacement caused by change in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the inspection target with respect to a detection signal based on the scattered light detected by the detector of the detection optical system, and a defect determination portion which determines a defect on the surface of the inspection target based on the detection signal corrected by the correction portion.

Defect inspection device and defect inspection method

Proposed is a defect inspection method whereby: illuminating light having a substantially uniform illumination intensity distribution in one direction of a sample surface irradiated on the sample surface; multiple scattered light components, which are output in multiple independent directions, are detected among the scattered light from the sample surface and multiple corresponding scattered light detection signals are obtained; at least one of the multiple scattered light detection signals is processed and the presence of defects is determined; at least one of the multiple scattered light detection signals that correspond to each of the points determined by the processing as a defect is processed and the dimensions of the defect are determined; and the position and dimensions of the defect on the sample surface, at each of the points determined as a defect, are displayed.

Fault inspection device and fault inspection method

An inspecting method and apparatus for inspecting a substrate surface includes illuminating a light to the substrate surface having a film, detection of a scattered light or reflected light from a plurality of positions of the substrate surface to obtain a plurality of electrical signals, comparison of the plurality of electrical signals and a database which indicates a relationship between the electrical signals and surface roughness, and calculation of a surface roughness value based on the result of comparison.

Inspecting method and inspecting apparatus for substrate surface

Provided are a defect inspecting method and a defect inspecting apparatus, wherein defect detecting sensitivity is improved and also haze measurement is performed using polarization detection, while suppressing damages to samples. The defect inspecting apparatus is provided with a light source which oscillates to a sample a laser beam having a wavelength band wherein a small energy is absorbed, and two independent detecting optical systems, i.e., a defect detecting optical system which detects defect scattered light generated by a defect, by radiating the laser beams oscillated by the light source, and a haze detecting optical system which detects roughness scattered light generated due to roughness of the wafer surface. Polarization detection is independently performed with respect to the scattered light detected by the two detecting optical systems, and based on the two different detection signals, defect determination and haze measurement are performed.

A defect inspection method wherein illumination light having a substantially uniform illumination intensity distribution in a certain direction on the surface of a specimen is radiated onto the surface of the specimen; wherein multiple components of those scattered light beams from the surface of the specimen which are emitted mutually different directions are detected, thereby obtaining corresponding multiple scattered light beam detection signals; wherein the multiple scattered light beam detection signals is subjected to processing, thereby determining the presence of defects; wherein the corresponding multiple scattered light detecting signals is processed with respect to all of the spots determined to be defective by the processing, thereby determining the sizes of defects; and wherein the defect locations on the specimen and the defect sizes are displayed with respect to all of the spots determined to be defective by the processing.

Defect inspection device and inspection method

In order to maximize the effect of signal addition during inspection of foreign substances in wafers, a device structure including line sensors arranged in plural directions is effective. Low-angle detection optical systems that detect light beams in plural azimuth directions, the light beams being scattered in low angle directions among those scattered from a linear area on a sample illuminated by illuminating means, each include a combination of a first imaging lens group () and a diffraction grating () and a combination of a second imaging lens group () and an image detector () having a plurality of light receiving surfaces. A signal processing unit processes signals from the image detectors of the low-angle detection optical systems by adding the signals from the light receiving surfaces corresponding between the image detectors.

Flaw inspecting method and device therefor

An inspecting method and apparatus for inspecting a substrate surface includes application of a light to the substrate surface, detection of scattered light or reflected light from the substrate surface due to the applied light at a plurality of positions to obtain a plurality of electrical signals, extraction of a signal in a mutually different frequency band from each of the plurality of electrical signals, and calculation of a value regarding a state of film of the substrate through an arithmetical operation process of a plurality of extracted signals in the frequency bands.

To inspect a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate for surface roughness at high precision. The surface roughness of the substrate is measured in each frequency band of the surface roughness by applying a light to the substrate surface and detecting a scattered light or reflected light at a plurality of azimuth or elevation angles.

A scanning probe microscope for measuring a surface profile of a sample by bringing a probe into close proximity to or contact with the surface of the sample and scanning the sample surface includes: a sample stage movable in at least one axis direction; the probe which is brought into close proximity to or contact with the surface of the sample mounted on the sample stage and scans the sample surface; a probe-driving unit for moving the probe three-dimensionally; a probe deflection detector for detecting a deflection of the probe; and an observation optical system which has an objective lens and observes the probe disposed on substantially the optical axis of the objective lens, and the sample. The probe-driving unit is disposed with three sets of paired drive sources arranged essentially with symmetry with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens.

Growing community of inventors

Oiso, Japan

Shigenobu Maruyama