IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,455,249
Granted Patent B2
US 12,455,249 · App. 17/761,933 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Sample stage and optical inspection device

Inventor: Masaya Yamamoto (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
G01N21/956B23Q3/00G01N21/9501H01L21/67253H01L21/67288H01L21/6838H01L21/6875
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,455,249
App. No.
17/761,933
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In this sample stage that adsorbs and holds a sample, the configuration includes: an outer circumference stage that has a first adsorption surface and a pressure receiving chamber that is a recess formed in the center thereof; an inner circumference stage that has a second adsorption surface, and that is housed in the pressure receiving chamber and can project upward from the outer circumference stage; a first flow channel for a sample desorption operation that is formed on the outer circumference stage and is opened on the first adsorption surface; a second flow channel for the sample desorption operation that is formed on the outer circumference stage and the inner circumference stage and is opened on the second adsorption surface; and a third flow channel for inner circumference stage elevating driving that is formed on the outer circumference stage and is opened in the pressure receiving chamber.

Claims (58)

1. A sample stage that adsorbs and holds a sample, comprising:

an outer circumference stage that has a first adsorption surface, a pressure receiving chamber as a recess formed in a center thereof, and a first guide;

an inner circumference stage that has a second adsorption surface and that is housed in the pressure receiving chamber and can project upward from the outer circumference stage;

a first flow channel for sample loading/unloading operation that is formed in the outer circumference stage and is open into the first adsorption surface;

a second flow channel for sample loading/unloading operation that is formed in the outer circumference stage and the inner circumference stage and is open into the second adsorption surface;

a third flow channel for inner circumference stage elevating driving that is formed in the outer circumference stage and is open into the pressure receiving chamber; and

a second guide is located under the inner circumference stage; wherein

the first guide is cylindrical, extends upward from a bottom of the pressure receiving chamber to a middle portion of the pressure receiving chamber, and has a gap between its upper surface and the first adsorption surface, and

the second guide is cylindrical and concave and slides over the first guide to guide ascending and descending of the inner circumference stage with respect to the outer circumference stage.

2. The sample stage according to claim 1 , wherein the outer circumference stage and the inner circumference stage are formed concentrically in a plan view.

3. The sample stage according to claim 1 , wherein a height position for the outer circumference stage at which the first adsorption surface and the second adsorption surface are flush is included in an elevating range of the inner circumference stage.

4. The sample stage according to claim 1 , wherein the first flow channel has a plurality of openings into the first adsorption surface and the second flow channel has at least one opening into the second adsorption surface, and the plurality of openings into the first adsorption surface and the at least one opening into the second adsorption surface are arranged symmetrically around a center of the second adsorption surface.

5. An optical inspection device comprising:

the sample stage according to claim 1 ;

a rotary stage that supports the sample stage;

a parallel movement stage that supports the rotary stage; and

a transfer device that transfers a sample to the sample stage using an arm, wherein

the arm is fork-shaped with two claws, and

an outside diameter of the inner circumference stage is smaller than a distance between the two claws and an outside diameter of the outer circumference stage is larger than the distance.

6. An optical inspection device comprising:

a sample stage that adsorbs and holds a sample, the sample stage includes:

an outer circumference stage that has a first adsorption surface and a pressure receiving chamber as a recess formed in a center thereof,

an inner circumference stage that has a second adsorption surface and that is housed in the pressure receiving chamber and can project upward from the outer circumference stage,

a first flow channel for sample loading/unloading operation that is formed in the outer circumference stage and is open into the first adsorption surface,

a second flow channel for sample loading/unloading operation that is formed in the outer circumference stage and the inner circumference stage and is open into the second adsorption surface, and

a third flow channel for inner circumference stage elevating driving that is formed in the outer circumference stage and is open into the pressure receiving chamber;

a rotary stage that supports the sample stage;

a parallel movement stage that supports the rotary stage;

a transfer device that transfers a sample to the sample stage using an arm, wherein

the arm is fork-shaped with two claws, and

an outside diameter of the inner circumference stage is smaller than a distance between the two claws and an outside diameter of the outer circumference stage is larger than the distance;

an air supply pump;

an intake pump;

an exhaust port open to an atmospheric air;

a first piping system for sample loading/unloading on the first adsorption surface that connects the intake pump and the exhaust port to the first flow channel;

a second piping system for sample loading/unloading on the second adsorption surface that connects the intake pump and the exhaust port to the second flow channel;

a third piping system for moving up and down the inner circumference stage that connects the air supply pump and the intake pump to the third flow channel; and

control valves that control a fluid flowing in the first piping system, the second piping system, and the third piping system, wherein

the control valves include:

at least one first direction switch valve that is installed in the first piping system and switches the object to be connected to the first flow channel between the intake pump and the exhaust port;

at least one second direction switch valve that is installed in the second piping system and switches the object to be connected to the second flow channel between the intake pump and the exhaust port; and

at least one third direction switch valve that is installed in the third piping system and switches the object to be connected to the third flow channel between the air supply pump and the exhaust port.

7. The optical inspection device according to claim 6 , comprising:

a controller that controls the transfer device and the control valves, wherein

the controller performs a sample loading sequence including:

a setting step of instructing the control valves to connect the first flow channel to the exhaust port, connect the second flow channel to the intake pump, and connect the third flow channel to the air supply pump and instructing the transfer device to place a sample on the inner circumference stage projecting from the outer circumference stage;

a moving down step of instructing the control valves to connect the third flow channel to the intake pump and moving down the inner circumference stage; and

an adsorption step of instructing the control valves to connect the first flow channel and the second flow channel to the intake pump and adsorbing and holding the sample by the first adsorption surface and the second adsorption surface.

8. The optical inspection device according to claim 7 , wherein at the moving down step the controller instructs the control valves to connect the first flow channel to the intake pump and suck air from between the first adsorption surface and the sample approaching the first adsorption surface.

9. The optical inspection device according to claim 6 , comprising a controller that controls the transfer device and the control valves, wherein

the controller performs a sample unloading sequence including:

a moving up step of instructing the control valves to connect the third flow channel to the air supply pump and moving up the inner circumference stage to make it project from the outer circumference stage; and

a taking out step of instructing the transfer device to insert the arm between a sample lifted from the first adsorption surface by the inner circumference stage and the first adsorption surface and lift the sample from the inner circumference stage.

10. The optical inspection device according to claim 9 , wherein the sample unloading sequence includes, before the moving up step, a releasing step of instructing the control valves to connect the first flow channel to the air supply pump and supplying air to between the first adsorption surface and the sample.

11. The optical inspection device according to claim 6 , comprising:

a sensor that measures a degree of warpage of a sample; and

a controller that controls the control valves, wherein

the controller instructs the control valves to decrease the degree of warpage of the sample if the degree of warpage of the sample is a set value or larger.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2022
From: YAMAMOTO, MASAYA
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059931/0141 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220373479A1 · Nov 24, 2022
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