US 7,443,496 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for testing defects

AssigneesHitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation

InventorsMinori Noguchi, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Shunichi Matsumoto, Yukio Kembo, Ryouji Matsunaga, Keiji Sakai, Takanori Ninomiya, Tetsuya Watanabe, Hisato Nakamura, Takahiro Jingu, Yoshio Morishige, Shuichi Chikamatsu

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Abstract

A defect inspection apparatus includes an illumination optical unit for obliquely illuminating an object with a slit-like shaped laser, a first detection optical unit for detecting a first image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a first direction substantially normal to a surface of the object, a second detection optical unit for detecting a second image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a second direction inclined to the normal direction to the surface of the object, an image signal processing unit which processes a signal outputted from the first detection optical unit and a signal outputted from the second detection optical unit, and an output unit which outputs information processed by the image signal processing unit.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A defect inspection apparatus comprising:

an illumination optical unit for obliquely illuminating an object with a slit-like shaped laser, the slit-like shaped laser being converged in one direction and collimated in a direction transverse to the one direction;
a first detection optical unit including a first image sensor for detecting a first image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a first direction substantially normal to a surface of the object;
a second detection optical unit including a second image sensor for detecting a second image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a second direction inclined to the normal direction to the surface of the object;
an image signal processing unit which processes both of a signal outputted from the first detection optical unit by the detection of the first image and a signal outputted from the second detection optical unit by the detection of the second image;
and
an output unit which outputs information processed by the image signal processing unit;
wherein the first detection optical unit includes a spatial filter which cuts off light reflected from patterns formed on the object;
and
wherein the second detection optical unit includes a variable spatial filter which cuts off light reflected from patterns formed on the object.

6 more elements

A defect inspecting apparatus comprising:

an illumination optical unit which obliquely projects a slit-like shaped laser focused onto a line on a surface of an object, the slit-like shaped laser being converged in one direction and collimated in a direction transverse to the one direction;
a first detection optical unit including a first image sensor for detecting a first image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the laser and reflected in a first direction to a surface of the object;
a second detection optical unit including a second image sensor for detecting a second image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the laser and reflected in a second direction inclined to the first direction to the surface of the object;
an image signal processing unit which processes both of a signal outputted from the first detection optical unit by the detection of the first image and a signal outputted from the second detection optical unit by the detection of the second image;
and
an output unit which outputs information processed by the image signal processing unit;
wherein the first detection optical unit includes a spatial filter which cuts off light from patterns formed on the object;
and
wherein the second detecting optical unit includes a variable spatial filter which cuts off light reflected from patterns formed on the object.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/681,996Filed 5 Mar 2007 · continuation
Priority: JP P10-21305628 Jul 1998
Published: US 2007/0146697 A128 Jun 2007
Granted: 28 Oct 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

G01N 21/94
Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination: investigating contamination, e.g. dust
B82Y 15/00
Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating
G01N 21/95623
Inspecting patterns on the surface of objects: using a spatial filtering method
G01N 21/95684
Inspecting patterns on the surface of objects: patterns showing highly reflecting parts, e.g. metallic elements

Family

Application07/679,317Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 2 Apr 1991
Application07/778,363Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Oct 1991
Application08/046,720Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Apr 1993
Application08/535,577Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 28 Sep 1995
Application09/362,135Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jul 1999
Application10/170,378Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jun 2002
Application11/244,080Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Oct 2005
US 2007/0146697 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Jun 2007
US 7,037,735 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,411,377 B1Parent of this continuation
Application09/362,135Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,463,459 AParent of this continuation
Application08/535,577Parent of this continuation
US 5,274,434 AParent of this continuation-in-part
Application08/046,720Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,233,191 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 2002/0168787 A1Published application
US 2006/0030060 A1Published application
US 7,692,779 B2Related patent
US 7,443,496 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.