Defect inspection method, defect inspection system, and computer readable storage medium
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsMakoto Hayakawa, Hiroshi Tomita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the present invention, an image of a substrate is picked up by an image pickup unit with the substrate being held by a transfer member. A drive unit for the transfer member is controlled by a driving signal from a first controller. A driving signal outputted to the first controller is outputted also to a second controller so that the second controller controls the image pickup unit based on the driving signal, thereby synchronizing drive of the transfer member with the image pickup by the image pickup unit. According to the present invention, the throughput in performing a defect inspection for the substrate is improved and a precise image is captured and subjected to accurate inspection.
Claims13
A method of picking up an image of a substrate by an image pickup unit to inspect the substrate for a defect,
- wherein the image pickup is performed with the substrate being held and transferred by a transfer member for transferring the substrate, and
- wherein drive of the transfer member is synchronized with the image pickup by the image pickup unit when the image pickup unit picks up the image of the substrate.
An inspection system for picking up an image of a substrate held by a transfer member for transferring the substrate to inspect the substrate for a defect, comprising:
- a drive unit for driving said transfer member;
- a first controller for controlling said drive unit;
- an image pickup unit for picking up an image of the substrate on said transfer member;
- and
- a second controller for controlling said image pickup unit,
- wherein a driving signal outputted from said first controller or outputted to said first controller in order to drive said drive unit is outputted also to said second controller so that said second controller controls said image pickup unit based on the driving signal.
An inspection system for picking up an image of a substrate held by a transfer member for transferring the substrate to inspect the substrate for a defect, comprising:
- a drive unit for driving said transfer member;
- a first controller for controlling said drive unit;
- an image pickup unit for picking up an image of the substrate on said transfer member;
- and
- a second controller for controlling said image pickup unit,
- wherein a feedback signal outputted from said drive unit to said first controller is outputted also to said second controller from said first controller directly or via another controller so that said second controller controls said image pickup unit based on the feedback signal.
An inspection system for picking up an image of a substrate held by a transfer member for transferring the substrate to inspect the substrate for a defect, comprising:
- a drive unit for driving said transfer member;
- a first controller for controlling said drive unit;
- an image pickup unit for picking up an image of the substrate on said transfer member;
- and
- a second controller for controlling said image pickup unit,
- wherein said second controller includes a reference clock for controlling a timing of image capture by said image pickup unit so that a driving signal is outputted to said first controller based on said reference clock.
A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method of picking up an image of a substrate by an image pickup unit to inspect the substrate for a defect,
- wherein the image pickup is performed with the substrate being held and transferred by a transfer member for transferring the substrate, and
- wherein drive of the transfer member is synchronized with the image pickup by the image pickup unit when the image pickup unit picks up the image of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.