X-ray thin film inspection apparatus and thin film inspection apparatus and method for patterned wafer
AssigneeRigaku Corporation
InventorsAsao Nakano, Takao Kinefuchi, Hiroshi Motono, Atsunori Kiku
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An X-ray thin film inspection apparatus including a sample table on which an inspection target such as a product wafer or the like is mounted, a positioning mechanism for moving the sample table, a goniometer having first and second swing arms, at least one X-ray irradiation unit that are mounted on the first swing arm and containing an X-ray tube and an X-ray optical element in a shield tube, an X-ray detector mounted on a second swing arm, and an optical camera for subjecting the inspection target disposed on the sample table to pattern recognition.
Claims18
An X-ray thin film inspection apparatus comprises:
- a sample table for disposing an inspection target on the upper surface thereof;
- a pattern recognition unit for recognizing an image of the inspection target disposed on the upper surface of the sample table;
- a positioning mechanism that is controlled on the basis of a pattern recognition result of the inspection target achieved by the pattern recognition unit and moves the sample table in two directions orthogonal to each other on any plane, a direction perpendicular to the plane concerned and an in-plane rotational direction of the plane concerned;
- a goniometer having first and second swing members swinging along a virtual plane perpendicular to the upper surface of the sample table;
- at least one X-ray irradiation unit that is mounted on the first swing member and has an X-ray tube and an X-ray optical element mounted in the main body of the X-ray irradiation unit;
- and an X-ray detector mounted on the second swing member.
A product wafer thin film inspection apparatus comprises:
- an X-ray thin film inspection apparatus including a sample table for disposing an inspection target on the upper surface thereof, a pattern recognition unit for recognizing an image of the inspection target disposed on the upper surface of the sample table, a positioning mechanism that is controlled on the basis of a pattern recognition result of the inspection target achieved by the pattern recognition unit and moves the sample table in two directions orthogonal to each other on any plane, a direction perpendicular to the plane concerned and an in-plane rotational direction of the plane concerned, a goniometer having first and second swing members swinging along a virtual plane perpendicular to the upper surface of the sample table, at least one X-ray irradiation unit that is mounted on the first swing member and has an X-ray tube and an X-ray optical element mounted in the main body of the X-ray irradiation unit, and an X-ray detector mounted on the second swing member;
- a feeding robot for feeding thin-film-formed semiconductor wafers in a semiconductor manufacturing process to the sample table of the X-ray thin film inspection apparatus one by one;
- and
- a mount cover in which the X-ray thin film inspection apparatus and the feeding robot are accommodated.
A product wafer thin film inspection method using an X-ray thin film inspection apparatus including a sample table for disposing an inspection target on the upper surface thereof, a pattern recognition unit for recognizing an image of the inspection target disposed on the upper surface of the sample table, a positioning mechanism that is controlled on the basis of a pattern recognition result of the inspection target achieved by the pattern recognition unit and moves the sample table in two directions orthogonal to each other on any plane, a direction perpendicular to the plane concerned and an in-plane rotational direction of the plane concerned, a goniometer having first and second swing members swinging along a virtual plane perpendicular to the upper surface of the sample table, at least one X-ray irradiation unit that is mounted on the first swing member and has an X-ray tube and an X-ray optical element mounted in the main body of the X-ray irradiation unit, and an X-ray detector mounted on the second swing member, comprises the steps of:
- setting a minute thin film pattern of a semiconductor device formed on a product wafer as a measurement target site;
- positioning the measurement target site to a measurement position of the X-ray thin film inspection apparatus;
- and
- carrying out thin film inspection on the measurement target site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.