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:
Apr. 28, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 07, 2013
Hitachi High-technologies Corporation, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JP;
Nobuhiro Kanda, Izumo, JP;
Hiroshi Mukai, Ishioka, JP;
Masatoshi Watanabe, Ushiku, JP;
Kazuyuki Sugimura, Hitachinaka, JP;
Katsuyasu Inagaki, Hitachinaka, JP;
Yuichirou Iijima, Yorii, JP;
Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In semiconductor surface inspection apparatus, foreign matter that sticks to the wafer can reduce the quality of the wafer. The present invention is directed to improving the internal cleanliness of the apparatus. Specifically, during rotation of a semiconductor wafer, foreign matter suspended in an atmosphere surrounding the wafer is attracted to a central section of the wafer, and that while heading from the central section of the wafer, towards an outer edge thereof, the foreign matter is most likely to stick to the wafer. In conventional techniques, sufficient consideration is not given to such likelihood of foreign matter sticking. This invention supplies a medium from two directions to an inner circumferential section of a substrate. In accordance with the invention, foreign matter that sticks to a wafer can be reduced more significantly than in the conventional techniques.