Horiba, Ltd.

Toyoki Kanzaki

Dainichiro Kinoshita

Takashi Hagiwara

Kunio Ohtsuki

Tatsuo Ohka

Shu Yoshinaga

Teruhiko Ikeda

The present invention is to lessen work burden on a user, to eliminate determination error, to prevent a substrate from being damaged, and to prevent prolonged working time by automatically determining whether or not a particle to be removed is present. A particle inspection and removal apparatus of the present invention includes a particle information acquisition section acquiring particle information on a particle adhering onto a substrate surface, a particle removal section removing the particle adhering onto the substrate surface, a comparison section comparing a threshold set for each of regions of the substrate surface with the particle information on each of the region obtained by the particle information acquisition section, and a particle removal control section controlling the particle removal section to remove the particle on the substrate surface based on a comparison result of the comparison section.

Particle inspection and removal apparatus and particle inspection and removal program

The defect inspection apparatus and method for determining an acceptable condition of a reticle/mask member with a pattern area to be developed on a semiconductor device includes determining a non-pattern area and designating an inspection target area within a non-pattern area. Light is scanned across the inspection target area and detected to provide representative signals. The representative signals are processed to define the status of foreign matter including size and location and further compared with predetermined values to determine the acceptability of the mask for continued production purposes.

Defect inspection apparatus and method

An apparatus for inspecting foreign matter on substrates on which circuit patterns, such as reticles or masks, are formed, reduces false detection due to scattered/diffracted light from circuit patterns and also reduces the occurrence of undetected foreign matters. A light source such as a scanning laser beam having a certain polarization angle to the surface of an inspection object substrate is provided. A main detector extinguishes scattered/diffracted light caused by a circuit pattern formed on the surface of the inspection substrate and detects an output signal. A reference detector transmits scattered/diffracted light caused by the circuit pattern, and detects an output signal. A signal processor calculates a difference signal by subtracting the intensity of a polarization component detected by the reference detector from the intensity of a polarization component detected by the main detector, and discriminates a signal with a large width caused by the circuit pattern and a signal with an acute peak caused by foreign matter.

Foreign matter inspection apparatus and method

A spectroscopic ellipsometer is provided for measuring a small target surface with a high degree of precision. An irradiating optical system provides a polarized light to the surface of the target, while a detecting optical system is provided with a higher F-number for collecting the reflected light from the target surface to introduce it into the spectrometer for measuring a thickness of a thin film on the surface of the sample in accordance with the polarization state of change of the detected light rays.

Spectroscopic ellipsometer with adjustable detection area

A signal processing method and an improved defect detecting apparatus which scans a circuit substrate with a laser beam is provided to enable a distinction between a circuit pattern signal and a defect signal. A laser beam is scanned across the surface of a substrate with the reflected light picked up by a photodetector. The photodetector provides an output signal that can comprise both a pattern signal and a defect signal. This output signal is applied to a first signal processing line having a low-pass filter characteristic and a second signal processing line without a low-pass filter characteristic. The signals can be appropriately amplified and/or delayed and are finally submitted to a subtraction circuit so that the resulting output signal enables a ready determination of a defect apart from the existence of any pattern signal.

Signal process method and apparatus for defect inspection

A laser beam particle-detecting apparatus can automatically detect the position of minute particles on a substrate. A laser beam can be scanned across the substrate, and optical detectors can optically detect the laser beam after incidence with the substrate to define the position of any minute particles. Correction factors characteristic of the laser beam particle-detecting apparatus can be utilized to adjust the coordinates of the particle position, whereby any inaccuracies in the detecting apparatus can be compensated.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Toyoki Kanzaki