Hitachi-High-Technologies Corporation

Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Tomohisa Ohtaki

Masahiko Ajima

Akira Omachi

Sukehiro Ito

Mitsuru Oonuma

Yusuke Ominami

Takayuki Mizuno

Akira Kageyama

Shinsuke Kawanishi

Toru Fujimura

Ryo Hirano

Masaaki Komori

Yasuhiko Nara

Katsuo Ohki

Shigehiko Kato

Mami Konomi

Toru Iwaya

Mitsuru Onuma

Ryoichi Ishii

Kenichi Hirane

Haruhiko Hatano

Sakae Kobori

Haruhisa Takahata

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in which probes and the layout of the electrode pads of a test element group (TEG) are associated is provided. As a semiconductor device is miniaturized, a scribe area on a wafer also tends to decrease. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the size of a TEG arranged in the scribe area, and efficiently arrange an electrode pad for probe contact. Thus, it is necessary to associate the probes and the layout of the electrode pad. According to the method, a layout of a TEG electrode pad corresponding to a plurality of probes arranged in a fan shape or probes manufactured by Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology is provided.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device

As a semiconductor device is miniaturized, a scribe area on a wafer also tends to decrease. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the size of a TEG arranged in the scribe area, and efficiently arrange an electrode pad for probe contact. Therefore, it is necessary to associate probes and the efficient layout of the electrode pad. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique for associating probes and the layout of the electrode pads of a TEG so as to facilitate the evaluation of electrical characteristics. According to an evaluation apparatus for a semiconductor device of the present invention, the above described problems can be solved by providing a plurality of probes arranged in a fan shape or probes manufactured by Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology.

Evaluation apparatus for semiconductor device

As a semiconductor device is miniaturized, a scribe area on a wafer also tends to decrease. Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the size of a TEG arranged in the scribe area, and efficiently arrange an electrode pad for probe contact. Therefore, it is necessary to associate probes and the efficient layout of the electrode pad. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique for associating probes and the layout of an electrode pad of a TEG to facilitate the evaluation of electrical characteristics. According to the present invention, the above described problem can be solved by arranging a plurality of probes in a fan shape or manufacturing the probes with micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology.

Probe module and probe

A charged particle beam device capable of observing a sample in an air atmosphere or gas atmosphere has a thin film for separating the atmospheric pressure space from the decompressed space. A vacuum evacuation pump evacuates a first housing; and a detector detects a charged particle beam (obtained by irradiation of the sample) in the first housing. A thin film is provided to separate the inside of the first housing and the inside of a second housing at least along part of the interface between the first and second housings. An opening part is formed in the thin film so that its opening area on a charged particle irradiation unit's side is larger than its opening area on the sample side; and the thin film which covers the sample side of the opening part transmits or allows through the primary charged particle beam and the charged particle beam.

Charged particle beam device, method for adjusting charged particle beam device, and method for inspecting or observing sample

A charged particle beam device () includes a charged particle optical lens barrel (), a support housing () equipped with the charged particle optical lens barrel () thereon, and an insertion housing () inserted in the support housing (). A first aperture member () is disposed in the vicinity of the center of the magnetic field of an objective lens, and a second aperture member () is disposed so as to externally close an opening part provided at the upper side of the insertion housing (). Further, when a primary charged particle beam () is irradiated to a sample () arranged under the lower side of the second aperture member (), secondary charged particles thus emitted are detected by a detector ().

Charged particle beam device

A sample observation method uses a charged particle beam apparatus comprising a charged particle optical column irradiating a charged particle beam, a vacuum chamber, and a sample chamber being capable of storing a sample. The method includes maintaining a pressure of the sample chamber higher than that of the vacuum chamber by a thin film which permits the charged particle beam to be transmitted, determining a relation between a height of a lower surface of the thin film and a height of a lower end of a lens barrel of an optical microscope, measuring a distance between the sample and the lens barrel, and setting a distance between the sample and thin film based on the relation and the distance.

Inspection or observation apparatus and sample inspection or observation method

Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus or charged particle microscope capable of observing an observation target sample in an air atmosphere or a gas environment without making significant changes to the configuration of a conventional high vacuum charged particle microscope. In a charged particle beam apparatus configured such that a thin film () is used to separate a vacuum environment and an air atmosphere (or a gas environment), an attachment () capable of holding the thin film () and whose interior can be maintained at an air atmosphere or a gas environment is inserted into a vacuum chamber () of a high vacuum charged particle microscope. The attachment () is vacuum-sealed and fixed to a vacuum partition of the vacuum sample chamber. Image quality is further improved by replacing the atmosphere in the attachment with helium or a light-elemental gas that has a lower mass than atmospheric gases such as nitrogen or water vapor.

Charged particle beam apparatus

Provided is an inspection apparatus or observation apparatus enabling appropriate inspection or observation of a sample in an easy-to-use manner, using a charged-particle technique and an optical technique. Specifically, provided is an inspection or observation apparatus including: a first casing forming at least part of a first space constituting at least part of a region through which a primary charged-particle beam emitted from a charged-particle irradiation section reaches a sample, the first space capable of being maintained in a vacuum state; a second casing provided on the first casing to form at least part of a second space capable of storing the sample therein; a partition wall section for partitioning the first space and the second space from each other, the partition wall section disposed so as to be coaxial with the charged-particle irradiation section when the sample is irradiated with the primary charged-particle beam from the charged-particle irradiation section; and an optical observation section for casting light onto the sample and detecting light from the sample from the same direction as the charged-particle irradiation section.

There is provided a scanning electron microscope capable of achieving a size reduction of the device while at the same time suppressing the increase in column temperature as well as maintaining performance, e.g., resolution, etc. With respect to a scanning electron microscope for observing a sample by irradiating the sample with an electron beam emitted from an electron source and focused by condenser lenses, and detecting secondary electrons from the sample, the condenser lenses comprise both an electromagnetic coil-type condenser lens and a permanent magnet-type condenser lens.

Scanning electron microscope

A scanning electron microscope includes a main scanning electron microscope unit having an electron optical column and a sample chamber, a controller over the main scanning electron microscope unit, a single housing that houses both the main scanning electron microscope unit and the controller, and a bottom plate disposed under the single housing, the main scanning electron microscope unit and the controller. A first leg member is attached to a bottom face of the bottom plate on a side of the controller with a first opening hole provided through the bottom plate on a side of the main scanning electron microscope unit, and a damper is fixed to a bottom face of the main scanning electron microscope unit and disposed through the first opening hole.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Tomohisa Ohtaki