IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,823,929
Granted Patent B2
US 8,823,929 · App. 14/019,920 · Granted Sep 2, 2014

Inspection apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,823,929
App. No.
14/019,920
Granted
Sep 2, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides an inspection apparatus having a high throughput and high sensitivity with respect to a number of various manufacturing processes and defects of interest in inspection of a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer on which a pattern is formed. The apparatus illuminates with light the specimen having the pattern formed thereon, forms an image of the specimen on an image sensor through a reflective optics, and determines the existence/nonexistence of a defect. The reflective optics has a conjugate pair of Fourier transform optics. An aberration of the reflective optics is corrected off-axis. The reflective optics has a field of view in non-straight-line slit form on the specimen surface. Also, the optics is of a reflection type, includes a conjugate pair of Fourier transform optics and has a field of view in non-straight-line slit form. An optimum wavelength band is selected according to the specimen (FIG. 1 ).

Claims (46)

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

an illumination system which supplies a sample with light;

a detection unit;

a Fourier transform system which includes a first Fourier transform unit which includes an objective reflective element for reflecting light from the sample and a second Fourier transform unit which reflects light reflected by the first Fourier transform unit to the detection unit,

wherein an aberration of the Fourier transform system is corrected off-axis.

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

a filter which is arranged between the first and second Fourier transform units.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the filter is a blocking filter which blocks an undesirable component.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the blocking filter includes at least one of a spatial filter and a polarization filter.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first and second transform unit are conjugate.

6. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a field of view of the Fourier transform system on a surface of the sample is non-straight line form.

7. The inspection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the light supplied by the illumination system includes a predetermined wave length in a range from a visible light region to an extreme ultra-violet region.

8. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes one or more layers for coating at least one of the first and second Fourier transform units.

9. The inspection apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes a metal layer.

10. The inspection apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes Al or Au layer.

11. The inspection apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes multiple layers having Mo and Si layers.

12. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second transform unit are conjugate.

13. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a field of view of the Fourier transform system On a surface of the sample is non-straight line form.

14. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light supplied by the illumination system includes a predetermined wave length in a range from a visible light region to an extreme ultra-violet region.

15. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes one or more layers for coating at least one of the first and second Fourier transform units.

16. The inspection apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes a metal layer.

17. The inspection apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes Al or Au layer.

18. The inspection apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes multiple layers having Mo and Si layers.

19. An inspection apparatus comprising:

an illumination system which supplies a sample with light;

a detection unit;

a Fourier transform system which includes a first Fourier transform unit which includes an objective reflective element for reflecting light from the sample and a second Fourier transform unit which reflects light reflected by the first Fourier transform unit to the detection unit,

wherein a field of view of the Fourier transform system on a surface of the sample is non-straight line form.

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

a filter which is arranged between the first and second Fourier transform units.

21. The inspection apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the filter is a blocking filter which blocks an undesirable component.

22. The inspection apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the blocking filter includes at least one of a spatial filter and a polarization filter.

23. The inspection apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the first and second transform unit are conjugate.

24. The inspection apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein an aberration of the Fourier transform system is corrected off-axis.

25. The inspection apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the light supplied by the illumination system includes a predetermined wave length in a range from a visible light region to an extreme ultra-violet region.

26. The inspection apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes one or more layers for coating at least one of the first and second Fourier transform units.

27. The inspection apparatus according to claim 26 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes a metal layer.

28. The inspection apparatus according to claim 27 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes Al or Au layer.

29. The inspection apparatus according to claim 28 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes multiple layers having Mo and Si layers.

30. The inspection apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the first and second transform unit are conjugate.

31. The inspection apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein an aberration of the Fourier transform system is corrected off-axis.

32. The inspection apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the light supplied by the illumination system includes a predetermined wave length in a range from a visible light region to an extreme ultra-violet region.

33. The inspection apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes one or more layers for coating at least one of the first and second Fourier transform. units.

34. The inspection apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes a metal layer.

35. The inspection apparatus according to claim 34 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes Al or Au layer.

36. The inspection apparatus according to claim 34 , wherein the Fourier transform system includes multiple layers having Mo and Si layers.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052259/0227 →