The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 08, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 10, 2008
Kenji Aiko, Hitachinaka, JP;
Shuichi Chikamatsu, Kounosu, JP;
Minori Noguchi, Joso, JP;
Hisafumi Iwata, Hayama, JP;
Kenji Aiko, Hitachinaka, JP;
Shuichi Chikamatsu, Kounosu, JP;
Minori Noguchi, Joso, JP;
Hisafumi Iwata, Hayama, JP;
Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A defect inspection system can suppress an effect of light from a sample rough surface or a regular circuit pattern and increase a gain of light from a defect such as a foreign material to detect the defect on the sample surface with high sensitivity. When a lens with a large NA value is used, an oblique detection optics system receives the light from the defect at a reduced elevation angle with respect to the sample surface to reduce light from the sample rough surface, an oxide film rough bottom surface, and a circuit pattern, and increases the amount of the light from the defect and detected. The diameter of a lens is smaller than the diameter of a second lens, resulting in a reduction in the ability to focus the scattered light.