IP Library Granted Patent US 8,203,705
Granted Patent B2
US 8,203,705 · App. 12/350,581 · Granted Jun 19, 2012

Inspection apparatus and inspection method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,203,705
App. No.
12/350,581
Granted
Jun 19, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention is directed to detect a warp amount in a real-time manner in a wafer rotating at high speed under inspection. An inspection apparatus includes: a first light irradiating unit for irradiating an object to be inspected with light; a first detector for detecting scattered light from the object to be inspected; a second light irradiating unit for irradiating the object to be inspected with light; a second detector for detecting light reflected from the object to be inspected, of light of the second light irradiating unit; a stage for moving an object to be inspected, which moves the object to be inspected so as to change irradiation positions on the object to be inspected, of the light of the first light irradiating unit and the light of the second light irradiating unit; an inspection coordinate detector for outputting information of coordinates of a position irradiated with light; an elevation control circuit for outputting height information of the object to be inspected on the basis of a detection signal from the second detector; and a data processing unit for calculating a warp amount of the object to be inspected on the basis of the information of the position coordinates from the inspection coordinate detector and the height information from the elevation control circuit.

Claims (95)

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a first light irradiating unit for irradiating an object to be inspected with a first irradiating light;

a first detector for detecting a first scattered light from the object;

a second light irradiating unit for irradiating the object with a second irradiating light;

a second detector for detecting a second scattered light from the object;

a stage for moving the object to first and second irradiation positions to receive the first and second irradiating lights, respectively;

an inspection coordinate detector for detecting information of coordinates of a position on the object irradiated with the second irradiating light;

an elevation control circuit for outputting height information of the object based upon a detection signal from the second detector; and

a data processing unit for acquiring a deformation state of the object based upon the outputted height and coordinate information.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing unit uses an offset value corresponding to a translucent layer provided on the object to acquire the deformation state.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing unit acquires at least one of: a warpage amount of the object, a curvature of the warpage, and a direction of the warpage.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing unit includes memory for storing information about an anomaly of the object and information about the deformation state.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a gas supplying unit which supplies the object with gas from a backside of the object.

6. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the data processing unit executes a simulation for supplying the gas.

7. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:

an edge-grip-system which mounts the object, wherein:

the edge-grip-system comprises a plurality of bumps arranged on a plane facing the backside of the object, and

the plurality of bumps are more tightly-packed towards a center of the object.

8. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:

the edge-grip-system further comprises a rim for mounting a edge portion of the object, and

the bumps are arranged at a position lower than a position of the rim.

9. The inspection apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:

an exhausting aperture for exhausting the gas,

wherein the exhausting aperture is arranged between the rim and the bumps.

10. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the gas supplying unit supplies the gas to change a warpage of the object to a target warpage.

11. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a flow control unit which changes flow of the gas.

12. The inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a pipe for supplying the gas;

a first valve which gates a path of the pipe; and

a second valve which controls the first valve.

13. The inspection apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first valve is operated by compressed air and the second valve is an electromagnetic valve which controls supply of the compressed air.

14. The inspection apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the pipe is polished.

15. The inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the flow control unit further comprises a filter arranged at a flow path of the gas.

16. The inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the flow control unit changes the flow of the gas according to a type of the gas.

17. The inspection apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the flow control unit changes the flow by using a conversion-factor as a function of the type of the gas.

18. The inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a chuck which mounts the object,

wherein the flow control unit supplies the gas by providing a delay time until the chuck mounts the object.

19. The inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a rotating unit which rotates the object,

wherein the flow control unit stops supplying the gas providing a delay time until a number of rotations of the rotating unit decreases below a predetermined number of rotations.

20. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second light irradiating unit includes a broadband-light-source which outputs from visible-light to UV-light, or a white light source.

21. A method of inspecting an object, the method comprising steps of:

irradiating an object with a first irradiating light from a first light irradiating unit;

detecting a first scattered light from the object by a first detector;

irradiating the object with a second irradiating light from a second light irradiating unit;

detecting a second scattered light from the object by a second detector;

moving a stage on which the object is mounted to first and second irradiation positions to receive the first and second irradiating lights, respectively;

detecting information of coordinates of a position on the object irradiated with the second irradiating light;

outputting height information of the object based upon a detection signal from the second detector; and

acquiring a deformation state of the object by a data processing unit based upon the outputted height and coordinate information.

22. The method according to claim 21 , further comprising the step of:

using an offset value corresponding to a translucent layer provided on the object to acquire the deformation state.

23. The method according to claim 21 , further comprising the step of:

acquiring at least one of: a warpage amount of the object, a curvature of the warpage, and a direction of the warpage.

24. The method according to claim 21 , further comprising the step of:

storing information about an anomaly of the object and information about the deformation state in memory.

25. The method according to claim 21 , further comprising the step of:

supplying the object with gas with a gas supplying unit from a backside of the object.

26. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising the step of:

executing a simulation for supplying the gas.

27. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising the step of:

mounting the object with an edge-grip-system, wherein:

the edge-grip-system comprises a plurality of bumps arranged on a plane facing the backside of the object, and

the plurality of bumps are more tightly-packed towards a center of the object.

28. The method according to claim 27 , wherein:

the edge-grip-system further comprises a rim for mounting a edge portion of the object, and

the bumps are arranged at a position lower than a position of the rim.

29. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

exhausting the gas through an exhausting aperture,

wherein the exhausting aperture is arranged between the rim and the bumps.

30. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising the step of:

supplying the gas to change a warpage of the object to a target warpage.

31. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising the step of:

changing a flow of the gas with a control unit.

32. The method according to claim 31 , further comprising the steps of:

supplying the gas through a pipe;

providing a gated path with a first valve of the pipe; and

controlling the first valve with a second valve.

33. The method according to claim 32 , wherein the first valve is operated by compressed air and the second valve is an electromagnetic valve which controls supply of the compressed air.

34. The method according to claim 32 , wherein the pipe is polished.

35. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the flow control unit further comprises a filter arranged at flow path of the gas.

36. The method according to claim 31 , further comprising the step of:

changing the flow of the gas according to a type of the gas.

37. The method according to claim 36 , further comprising the step of:

changing the flow of gas by using a conversion-factor as a function of the type of the gas.

38. The method according to claim 31 , further comprising the step of:

mounting the object with a chuck,

wherein the flow control unit supplies the gas by providing a delay time until the chuck mounts the object.

39. The method according to claim 31 , further comprising the step of:

rotating the object with a rotating unit,

wherein the flow control unit stops supplying the gas providing a delay time until a number of rotations of the rotating unit decreases below a predetermined number of rotations.

40. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the second light irradiating unit includes a broadband-light-source which outputs from visible-light to UV-light, or a white light source.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052259/0227 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2009
From: OOYAMA, MASAMI; HACHIYA, RIEKO (HEIRESS) LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF HACHIYA, MASAYUKI; HACHIYA, KIMIKO (HEIRESS) LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF HACHIYA, MASAYUKI; ZAMA, KAZUHIRO; NAGASAKI, KEIICHI
To: HITACHI-HIGH TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022485/0768 →