# US 5,353,116 A · Defect inspection system for phase shift masks

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- Number: US 5,353,116 A
- Document ID: US5353116A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/975,681
- Filed: 1992-11-13
- Granted: 1994-10-04
- Earliest claimed: 1991-11-21
- Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Makoto Tanigawa; Hiroki Tabuchi; Hiroyuki Moriwaki; Takayuki Taniguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5353116A

## CPC

- G03F 1/84: Inspecting
- G01B 9/08: Optical projection comparators
- G01N 21/95607: {using a comparative method}
- G03F 7/70483: {Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring}
- G01N 2021/95676: {Masks, reticles, shadow masks}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

In the system according to the present invention detects defects by projecting illumination light for exposure having a certain wavelength perpendicularly onto a phase shift mask to be examined; picking up, by means of an image acquisition section, two pattern images which are formed from the irradiated light having passed through two neighboring dies on the phase shift mask and image-formed individually through respective magnifying projection optical systems, and superposing the image patterns of two dies through an alignment to compare therebetween.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks comprising:
a light source for irradiating light perpendicularly onto a surface of a phase shift mask to be examined, the mask having a pair of dies that are identical except for possible flaws;
a monochromatic light selection means disposed between said light source and the phase shift mask for filtering and separating light having a certain wave length from the light emitted by said light source;
a pair of projection optical systems each of which forms an image pattern of the irradiated light having passed through a corresponding one of the dies and which projects the formed image pattern;
means for forming a superposed image of the image patterns formed by the pair of projection optical systems; and
a detection section for detecting defects on the phase shift mask to be examined by processing the superposed image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 1, wherein each of said pair of projection optical systems is a magnifying projection optical system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 1, wherein the means for forming a superposed image of the image patterns is a composite half mirror.

### Claim 4

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks comprising:
a light source for irradiating light perpendicularly onto the surface of a phase shift mask to be examined, the mask having a pair of dies that are identical except for possible flaws;
a monochromatic light selection means disposed between said light source and the phase shift mask for filtering and separating light having a certain wave length from the light emitted by said light source;
a 180.degree. phase shift means disposed on an optical path of the irradiated light after a first of the pair of dies;
a pair of projection optical systems, a first of which forms a first image of the irradiated light for exposure transmitted through said 1800 phase shift means and projects the formed first image, and a second of which forms a second image of the irradiated light having passed through a second die of the pair of dies and projects the formed second image;
means for forming a superposed image of the first image and the second image; and
a detection section for detecting defects on the phase shift mask by processing the superposed image.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 4, wherein each of said projection optical systems is a magnifying projection optical system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 4, wherein the means for forming a superposed image of the image patterns is a composite half mirror.

### Claim 7

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks comprising:
a source of monochromatic light source for irradiating light perpendicularly onto a surface of a phase shift mask to be examined, the mask having a pair of dies that are identical except for possible flaws;
a pair of projection optical systems each of which forms an image pattern of the irradiated light having passed through a corresponding one of the dies and which projects the formed image pattern;
means for forming a superposed image of the image patterns formed by the pair of projection optical systems; and
a detection section for detecting defects on the phase shift mask to be examined by processing the superposed image.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 7, wherein each of said pair of projection optical systems is a magnifying projection optical system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 7, wherein the means for forming a superposed image of the image patterns is a composite half mirror.

### Claim 10

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks comprising:
a monochromatic light source for irradiating light perpendicularly onto the surface of a phase shift mask to be examined, the mask having a pair of dies that are identical except for possible flaws;
a 180.degree. phase shift means disposed on an optical path of the irradiated light after a first of the pair of dies;
a pair of projection optical systems, a first of which forms a first image of the irradiated light for exposure transmitted through said 180.degree. phase shift means and projects the formed first image, and a second of which forms a second image of the irradiated light having passed through a second die of the pair of dies and projects the formed second image;
means for forming a superposed image of the first image and the second image; and
a detection section for detecting defects on the phase shift mask by processing the superposed image.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 10, wherein each of said projection optical systems is a magnifying projection optical system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A defect inspection system for phase shift masks according to claim 10, wherein the means for forming a superposed image of the image patterns is a composite half mirror.