Defect inspecting apparatus and defect inspecting method
View Patent ↗An invention being applied is a defect detecting apparatus that has: an illuminating optical system with a laser light source for irradiating a sample on whose surface a pattern is formed with light; a detecting optical system with a sensor for detecting light generated from the sample illuminated by the illuminating optical system; and a signal processing unit that extracts a defect from an image based on the light detected by the detecting optical system, in which an amplification rate of the sensor is dynamically changed during a time when the light is detected by the detecting optical system.
1. A defect inspecting apparatus, comprising:
an illuminating optical system having a laser light source for irradiating a sample;
a detecting optical system having a sensor for detecting light generated from the sample; and
a signal processing unit that extracts a defect from an image generated from the light,
wherein an amplification rate of the sensor is set based on brightness information from a predetermined image, and
wherein the amplification rate is dynamically adjusted during a time the light is detected.
2. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the amplification rate is adjusted based on the light.
3. The defect inspecting apparatus according to either claim 1 ,
wherein the amplification rate is adjusted based on a magnitude of the light.
4. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the amplification rate is adjusted for predetermined areas of the sample based on the brightness information.
5. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the amplification rate is dynamically adjusted based on an intensity of light from a predetermined number of pixels of the sample.
6. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sensor is an avalanche photodiode.
7. A defect inspecting apparatus, comprising:
an illuminating optical system having a laser light source for irradiating a sample on whose surface a pattern is formed with light;
a detecting optical system having a sensor for detecting light generated from the sample illuminated by the illuminating optical system; and
a signal processing unit that extracts a defect from an image based on the light detected by the detecting optical system,
wherein the laser light source is a pulsed light source,
wherein the sensor switches ON/OFF within a time shorter than a pulse interval of the pulsed light source, and
wherein an amplification rate of the sensor is dynamically changed during a time when the light is detected by the detecting optical system.
8. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the laser light source is a pulsed light source, and
wherein the sensor performs sampling when a pulse of the pulsed light source reaches the sensor.
9. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the detecting optical system comprises a plurality of sensors for detecting light scattered at different elevation angles with respect to a surface of the sample, and
wherein the signal processing unit performs integrated processing on the light, respectively.
10. An defect inspecting method, comprising:
irradiating a sample;
detecting light generated from the sample; and
extracting a defect from an image generated from the light,
wherein an amplification of a sensor is set based on brightness information from a predetermined image, and
wherein the amplification rate is dynamically adjusted during a time the light is detected.
11. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the amplification rate is adjusted based on the light.
12. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the amplification rate is adjusted based on a magnitude of the light.
13. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the amplification rate is adjusted for every predetermined areas of the sample based on the brightness information.
14. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the amplification rate is dynamically adjusted based on an intensity of light from a predetermined number of pixels of the sample.
15. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the sensor is an avalanche photodiode.
16. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10
wherein irradiating the sample is by a pulsed light source, and
wherein the sensor performs sampling when a pulse of the pulsed light source reaches the sensor.
17. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein detecting light scattered at different elevation angles with respect to a surface of the sample, respectively, and
wherein integrated processing is performed on the scattered light.
18. The defect inspecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the laser light source is a pulsed light source, and
wherein the sensor switches ON/OFF within a time shorter than a pulse interval of the pulsed light source.
19. The defect inspecting method according to claim 10 ,
wherein irradiating the sample by a pulsed light source, and
wherein the sensor switches ON/OFF within a time shorter than a pulse interval of the pulsed light source.