IP Library Granted Patent US 7,491,959
Granted Patent B2
US 7,491,959 · App. 11/526,638 · Granted Feb 17, 2009

Defect inspection apparatus

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,491,959
App. No.
11/526,638
Granted
Feb 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A defect inspection apparatus includes an illumination optical system which sets a transmission illumination region and a reflection illumination region on an inspection target surface of a mask, first and second imaging units having first and second visual fields which are set on the inspection target surface, an imaging optical system that provides images, which are present on the first and second visual fields, on the first and second imaging units, a defect detection unit which detects a defect of the mask on the basis of the images provided on the first and second imaging units, and a control unit which controls a positional relationship between setting positions of the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region and setting positions of the first and second visual fields.

Claims (19)

1. A defect inspection apparatus comprising:

an illumination optical system which sets a transmission illumination region and a reflection illumination region on an inspection target surface of a mask;

first and second imaging units having first and second visual fields which are set on the inspection target surface;

an imaging optical system that provides images, which are present on the first and second visual fields, on the first and second imaging units;

a defect detection unit which detects a defect of the mask on the basis of the images provided on the first and second imaging units; and

a control unit which controls a positional relationship between setting positions of the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region and setting positions of the first and second visual fields, the control unit including an illumination region position control unit which controls positions of the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region, and a visual field position control unit which controls positions of the first and second visual fields;

wherein the visual field position control unit controls the positions of the first and second visual fields to space the first and second visual fields apart from each other, and

wherein the visual field position control unit executes a first position control in which a center axis of the first visual field agrees with a center axis of an objective visual field, a second position control in which a center axis of the second visual field agrees with the center axis of the objective visual field, and a third position control in which the center axis of the objective visual field lies between the center axis of the first visual field and the center axis of the second visual field.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the visual field position control unit controls the positions of the first and second visual fields to place the first and second visual fields in the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region, respectively.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the illumination region position control unit controls the positions of the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region to space the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region apart from each other.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination region position control unit controls the positions of the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region to cause the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region to have a common region.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination optical system includes first and second diaphragms which set the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region, respectively.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the illumination region position control unit includes mechanisms which move the first and second diaphragms.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the visual field position control unit includes mechanisms which move the first and second imaging units.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination optical system includes a splitter which separates light from a light source into light for the transmission illumination region and light for the reflection illumination region.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging optical system includes a first imaging optical part which guides the image on the first visual field to the first imaging unit, and a second imaging optical part which guides the image on the second visual field to the second imaging unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the defect detection unit includes a comparison unit which compares the images provided on the first and second imaging units with reference images.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit automatically controls the positional relationship.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit automatically controls the positional relationship to cause the setting positions of the first and second visual fields to correspond to the setting positions of the transmission illumination region and the reflection illumination region, respectively.

Assignments (4)
DE-MERGER Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051260/0291 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION; K.K PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051262/0776 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051262/0881 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2006
From: OGAWA, RIKI; MITSUI, SOICHIRO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 018638/0007 →