IP Library Granted Patent US 10,107,762
Granted Patent B2
US 10,107,762 · App. 15/546,615 · Granted Oct 23, 2018

Examination device

Inventors: Masami Makuuchi (Tokyo, JP); Kazuma Ogawa (Tokyo, JP); Akira Hamamatsu (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
G01N21/8806G01N21/94G01N21/9501G01N2021/8848G01N2201/067
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,107,762
App. No.
15/546,615
Granted
Oct 23, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides an inspection device that is capable of detecting foreign matter with high accuracy, the inspection device including: a light source; an electro-optic element on which light from the light source is incident and which changes a phase of the light into at least two states; and a controller. The controller corrects a phase fluctuation of the electro-optic element itself, using intensity modulation characteristics of the eletro-optic element which are obtained by changing an applied voltage that is input to the electro-optic element.

Claims (29)

1. A semiconductor inspecting device comprising:

an illumination optical system that includes

a laser beam source;

an electro-optic element on which a laser beam from the laser beam source is incident;

a polarization beam splitter on which the laser beam transmitted through the electro-optic element is incident; and

a shutter that is provided on an optical path of the laser beam transmitted through the polarization beam splitter,

wherein, when the shutter is closed intensity modulation characteristics of the illumination optical system are acquired with respect to a voltage applied to the electro-optic element, and

wherein the illumination optical system is corrected based on the acquired intensity modulation characteristics, such that an illumination beam having a first intensity and an illumination beam having a second intensity that is higher than the first intensity are outputted from the illumination optical system, and an inspection of a specimen is performed in a state in which the shutter is opened.

2. The semiconductor inspecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, during the correction, a phase fluctuation of the electro-optic element itself is corrected, based on the acquired intensity modulation characteristics.

3. The semiconductor inspecting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, during the correction, an intensity of the laser beam from the laser beam source is adjusted.

4. A semiconductor inspecting device comprising:

a stage for mounting a specimen;

a detection unit; and

an illumination optical system comprising

a laser beam source;

a polarization beam splitter;

an electro-optic element on an optical path between the laser beam source and the polarization beam splitter; and

a shutter which can be opened and closed,

wherein, when the shutter is closed, intensity modulation characteristics of the illumination optical system are acquired with respect to a voltage applied to the electro-optic element,

wherein, when the shutter is closed, the illumination optical system is corrected based on the acquired intensity modulation characteristics, such that the illumination optical system is able to output an illumination beam having a first intensity and an illumination beam having a second intensity that is higher than the first intensity, and

wherein, when the shutter is opened, an inspection of the specimen is performed.

5. The semiconductor inspecting device according to claim 4 ,

wherein, during said correction of the illumination optical system, a phase fluctuation of the electro-optic element itself is corrected, based on the acquired intensity modulation characteristics.

6. The semiconductor inspecting device according to claim 4 ,

wherein, during said correction of the illumination optical system, an intensity of a laser beam from the laser beam source is adjusted.

7. The semiconductor inspecting device according to claim 4 ,

wherein, when the shutter is closed, the shutter blocks a laser beam from the laser beam source through the polarization beam splitter.

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 Jul 28, 2017
From: MAKUUCHI, MASAMI; OGAWA, KAZUMA; HAMAMATSU, AKIRA
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043133/0726 →
Priority Claims (2)
WO PCT/JP2015/052615 · Jan 30, 2015 · international
JP 2015-051594 · Mar 16, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180017502A1 · Jan 18, 2018