Hitachi, Ltd.

Other

Japan Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd.

Hitachi Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.

Toshimitsu Hamada

Yasuo Nakagawa

Takafumi Miyatake

Mineo Nomoto

Seiji Kashioka

Hiroshi Makihira

Michihiro Mese

Kozo Nakahata

Takanori Ninomiya

Kenji Watanabe

Masataka Shiba

Seiji Ishikawa

Masakazu Ejiri

Mari Nozoe

Yasuhiro Yoshitake

Asahiro Kuni

Fumio Mizuno

Seiji Isogai

Ikuo Suzuki

Kazushi Yoshimura

Isao Miyazaki

Jun Nakazato

Yuichi Ohyama

Yoshiharu Shigyo

Masami Ikota

Makoto Udaka

Isamu Yamazaki

Makoto Ariga

Tetsuji Yokouchi

Terushige Asakawa

Hidekuni Sugimoto

Takashi Hiroi

Takahiro Jingu

Hiroyuki Tanaka

Aizo Kaneda

Tetsuya Watanabe

Koichi Sugimoto

Hisafumi Iwata

Tsutomu Mimata

Toshihiko Sakai

Hiroya Koshishiba

Keiichi Okamoto

Michio Takahashi

Toshiaki Ichinose

Yoshifumi Morioka

Tooru Mita

Toshiaki Yachi

Kouji Serizawa

Keizo Matsukawa

Toshihiko Ayabe

Naoki Go

Kohichi Karasaki

A process management system in accordance with the present invention includes inspection apparatuses for inspecting defects on a wafer, the inspection apparatuses being connected through a communication network, inspection information and image information obtained from these inspection apparatuses being collected to construct a data base and an image file, therein definition of defects is given by combinations of elements which characterize the defect based on the inspection information and the image information obtained from the inspection apparatuses. By giving definition of the defect, characteristics of the defect can be subdivided and known. Therefore, the cause of a defect can be studied.

Process management system

Process control system

Inspection apparatuses of an inspection apparatus group are connected to a network and transfer inspected result to a data collection system. The same wafer selected from a specific process is inspected by the different inspection apparatuses and the inspected data are collected and analyzed to calculate a correlation degree among the inspection apparatuses. On the other hand, the course of occurrence of failures in the same process can be analyzed to thereby calculate an average occurrence frequency of failures. An optimum inspection apparatus and inspection frequency are successively obtained on the basis of calculated results of an inter-apparatus correlation degree calculation process and a failure occurrence frequency calculation process, so that a feeding method of wafers to the inspection apparatus group is indicated through an inspection apparatus group management system. In the manufacturing of electronic components, complicated conditions such as the optimum inspection apparatus to be applied, the inspection frequency and the like can be set easily and the expected total loss value can be minimized to improve the economical efficiency of inspection remarkably.

System for quality control where inspection frequency of inspection

A method and apparatus for inspecting a solder joint by an X-ray fluoroscopic image in which an X-ray is irradiated on an object to be inspected located by a specimen stage and having a lead of an electronic part soldered to a substrate to detect an X-ray fluoroscopic image signal, a position of a lead in a tip direction is obtained by a distribution of projection with said X-ray fluoroscopic image signal projected in a lead row direction, a position of a lead in a row direction is obtained by a distribution of projection with said X-ray fluoroscopic image projected in a lead tip direction to extract a position of a solder joint as an object to be inspected, and said X-ray fluoroscopic image is evaluated every solder joint in accordance with the postion information to effect a defect detection.

Method and apparatus for inspection of solder joints by x-ray

A method and an apparatus for inspecting a soldered joint with an X-ray, the soldered joint being formed by soldering a lead to a surface of a substrate. The method may include moving the substrate so as to move the surface of the substrate in an XY plane to position the soldered joint at a desired position in the XY plane, rotating the substrate so as to rotate the surface of the substrate in the XY plane to position the soldered joint at a desired orientation in the XY plane, rotating an X-ray source and a detector about the soldered joint in both of two mutually perpendicular planes perpendicular to the XY plane while maintaining the X-ray source and the detector at fixed positions relative to each other to establish a desired oblique irradiation angle between an X-ray from the X-ray source and the lead on the surface of the substrate, irradiating the soldered joint with the X-ray from the X-ray source at the desired oblique irradiation angle such that the X-ray is transmitted through the soldered joint and the substrate, detecting the X-ray transmitted through the soldered joint and the substrate with the detector, the detector producing an output signal indicative of the detected X-ray, and determining a condition of the soldered joint based on the output signal of the detector. The apparatus may operate in the same fashion.

Inspection method for soldered joints using x-ray imaging and apparatus

The present invention relates to a multi-pin chip mounting method and apparatus based on a TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) system in which leads formed on a tape and bumps formed an IC chip are aligned with each other and compress-bonded to each other. An IC chip having bumps formed on a surface thereof and inner leads formed on a carrier tape are disposed opposite to each other at a bonding station. A position of the IC chip on a stage is detected through the inner leads at the bonding station to determine the amount of correction of position of the stage. The inner leads and the IC chip are aligned with each other on the basis of the determined correction amount and are thereafter bonded to each other.

Method of aligning and bonding tab inner leads

A method for inspecting the filled state of a plurality of via-holes which pass through a non-conductive circuit board and are filled with a conductive substance and an apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed. The surface of the circuit board is illuminated in two directions to generate shadows depending on the concave or convex state of the fillers in a plurality of via-holes. An optical image of the illuminated surface of the circuit board is detected. Each edge of the two shadow areas, which exist in the detected optical image and are generated in one via-hole by light irradiation in two directions, is detected. Whether the filler in this one via-hole is in the concave state or convex state is identified according to the mutual position relationship of the detected edges. The length of each shadow area is detected, and whether the concave state or convex state of the filler is within a predetermined allowance is decided according to the detection results. The area of the image of the filler is detected according to differences between the brightness of the board surface or of the via-hole wall and the brightness of the filler in the via-hole in the detected optical image, and whether the filler is lacking or not is decided according to the detection result.

Method for inspecting filled state of via-holes filled with fillers and

In an X-ray tomographic imaging system and method, an object to be inspected is irradiated with X-rays from an X-ray source to obtain an X-ray transmission image of the object. The X-ray transmission image is converted by an X-ray fluorescence image intensifier into a detection image. The intensity of the detection image is also intensified by the X-ray fluorescence image intensifier. A photo-electric converter converts the intensified detection image from the X-ray fluorescence image intensifier into an electrical signal. The object to be inspected is held by an object holder rotatably at a position in proximity to the X-ray source and movably in a direction of the axis of rotation of the object and a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. The electrical signal from the photo-electric converter is processed to a cross-sectional image.

X-ray tomographic imaging system and method

Two kinds of image corresponding to a reference pattern and a pattern to be inspected are converted into binary images and local images cut out from the binary images are compared with each other to detect differences between the cut out images and recognize these differences as a defect. One of the main subjects of the inspecting method is to moderate excess sensitivity to the different portions to the extent of allowing non-serious actual defects. By setting don't care areas each of which consists of one pixel row neighboring on a binary boundary line in the image, and comparing the remaining portions of the images other than the don't care areas by logical processing it is possible to detect various defects without regarding the quantization error as a defect.

Pattern inspection method

An apparatus for inspecting an appearance of soldered portions connected between the pads formed on a printed circuit board and leads of an electronic body part. A slit light beam is directed to portions to be inspected and scanned thereon with a light fluorescent image generated from the substrate portion of the printed circuit board and a dark fluorescent image generated from the leads, pads and soldered portions being detected with an image signal being generated in accordance therewith. The image signal is binarized and different functions are extracted from the binarized signal which functions are utilized in connection with other functions and previously obtained data to determine whether an abnormal portion is present or not in a predetermined position on the circuit board.

Apparatus and method for inspecting soldered portions

An apparatus for testing printed wiring patterns for use in combination with an apparatus including a plurality of dedicated pattern generators for generating arcuate wiring patterns. In contrast to the conventional LSI pattern inspection effected with design data being inputted, the apparatus can inspect the pattern including curved portions peculiar to the printed wiring pattern. Although the conventional LSI inspection technique involves an impracticably increased amount of design data, the invention allows the test or inspection to be performed at a high speed with an improved reliability and can be applied to the inspection of any pattern including arcuate patterns. By inputting graphic data in conformance with the order for generating patterns, pattern generation can be accomplished not only through ordinary raster scan but also by other various scanning methods.

Pattern test apparatus including a plurality of pattern generators

In a method and apparatus for detecting the edge of a fine pattern formed on a specimen such as a fine circuit pattern formed on a semiconductor element or the like, there is prepared a predetermined model waveform based on theoretical secondary electron emission from the edge portion. Secondary electrons emitted from successive scanning points across the pattern edge portion through the irradiation of a scanning electron beam thereonto are detected to produce an actual signal waveform reflecting the secondary electron emission from the pattern edge portion. The actual signal waveform is compared with the model waveform, and one of the scanning points at which the highest coincidence exists between both the actual and model waveforms, is determined as a position of the pattern edge.

Method and apparatus for detecting edge of fine pattern on specimen

An apparatus for inspecting the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical object is disclosed, in which the light in slit form is radiated on the surface of an object such as a nuclear fuel pellet at an angle thereto, the light regularly reflected on the surface is detected by a detector, the detected image signal is quantized at threshold values higher and lower than an average level, and the binary signals are used to detect surface losses separately from an unground part and a metal inclusion as a first detection process. The diffused light is radiated onto the surface of the nuclear fuel pellet at an angle thereto, parallel light rays are radiated onto the surface from the direction perpendicular thereto, the light reflected from the surface of the object is detected by a detector from the direction perpendicular to the surface, the detected image signal is quantized at a threshold level lower than an average level of the image signal for the normal surface, and the binary signal is used to detect, as a second detection process, a crack and a pit separately from a chip, said crack, pit or chip included in surface missing defects detected in said first detection process. The surface defects of the nuclear fuel pellet or the like are thus detected by separating them into at least three types including a chip, an unground part and a metal inclusion, and a crack and a pit.

Method and apparatus for appearance inspection

A surface defect inspection system comprises an image pick-up device for picking up an image by sequentially scanning the surface of an object two-dimensionally, a threshold circuit for quantizing the image signal produced from the image pick-up device as a binary code, a pattern feature extracting device for making calculations for extracting the features of image patterns from the quantized signal in synchronism with the scanning, and for temporarily storing the result of the calculations, a pattern region end decision device for deciding that individual pattern regions have ended in one direction, and a defect decision device for reading out from the pattern feature extracting device the result of the calculations on the pattern features corresponding to the positions each of the patterns in the direction perpendicular to the one direction each time of the decision that each pattern region has ended, so that the feature of each pattern scanned is compared with a predetermined reference, thus deciding and an indication of producing the presence or absence of a defect.

Surface defect inspection system

An apparatus for detecting the position of an object. The apparatus has an optical device for magnifying or enlarging a plurality of portions on the object, a photoelectric converter adapted for converting the enlarged portion image into electric signals, a plurality of thresholding circuits adapted for changing analogue signals from the respective photoelectric converter into binary signals with a threshold value determined by a signal level given by a first signal holding circuit, a circuit for calculating the threshold value from the analogue signals, a circuit for detecting the approximate position of a specific pattern in the enlarged portion images through a coarse sampling of the binary signals. A circuit for detecting the exact position of the specific pattern through measuring the area of a specific brightness in a plurality of regions in the enlarged portion images, by a fine sampling of the binary signals, and a controller for controlling the operations of respective circuits.

System for detecting the position of an object

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Yokohama, Japan

Toshimitsu Hamada