IP Library Granted Patent US 8,228,495
Granted Patent B2
US 8,228,495 · App. 13/221,935 · Granted Jul 24, 2012

Defects inspecting apparatus and defects inspecting method

Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
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 8,228,495
App. No.
13/221,935
Granted
Jul 24, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An inspecting apparatus and method including first and second illuminating units for illuminating a surface of a specimen to be inspected with different incident angles and first and second detecting optical units arranged at different elevation angle directions to the surface of the specimen for detecting images of the specimen illuminated by the first and second illuminating units.

Claims (31)

1. A defect inspecting apparatus, comprising:

a stage, configured to mount a specimen to be inspected and configured to be movable in at least one direction;

an illuminating unit, configured to illuminate a surface of the specimen with at least three slit-like shaped polarized laser beams, wherein each of at least three slit-like shaped polarized laser beams is inclined at a different vertical angle in relation to the surface of the specimen than the others of the at least three slit-like shaped polarized laser beams;

a detecting optical unit, installed at an inclined angle direction in relation to the surface of the specimen, and having image-forming optics and at least one aligned light receiving element to detect a first image of the specimen illuminated by the illuminating unit;

a processor, configured to process images detected by the at least one aligned light receiving element, in order to detect a defect on the specimen if a defect exists.

2. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the illuminating unit is configured to illuminate a surface of the specimen with three slit-like shaped polarized laser beams, wherein each of the three slit-like shaped polarized laser beams is inclined at a different vertical angle in relation to the surface of the specimen than the others of the three slit-like shaped polarized laser beams.

3. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the detecting optical unit is disposed in an upper-directed direction in relation to the surface of the specimen.

4. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the illuminating unit illuminates the surface of the specimen with a ultraviolet laser beam.

5. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image-forming optics of the detecting optical unit includes a spatial filter.

6. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one aligned light receiving element includes at least one of: a TDI sensor, a TV camera, a CCD linear sensor, an anti-blooming TDI sensor and a photo-multiplier tube.

7. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the illuminating unit illuminates the specimen with the slit-like shaped polarized laser beam in a longitudinal direction of the slit-like shaped polarized laser beam.

8. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one aligned light receiving element of the detecting optical unit comprises at least one linear image sensor.

9. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the detecting optical unit is disposed in an upper-directed direction in relation to the surface of the specimen.

10. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the illuminating unit illuminates the surface of the specimen with a ultraviolet laser beam.

11. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the image-forming optics of the detecting optical unit includes a spatial filter.

12. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the at least one aligned light receiving element includes at least one of: a TDI sensor, a TV camera, a CCD linear sensor, an anti-blooming TDI sensor and a photo-multiplier tube.

13. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the illuminating unit illuminates the specimen with the slit-like shaped polarized laser beam in a longitudinal direction of the slit-like shaped polarized laser beam.

14. A defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the at least one aligned light receiving element of the detecting optical unit comprises at least one linear image sensor.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2002-344327 · Nov 27, 2002 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 12823510 · Jun 25, 2010
Continuation 12192578 · Aug 15, 2008
Continuation 10536715 · Oct 21, 2005
Related Publication 20110310382A1 · Dec 22, 2011