IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,977,038
Granted Patent B2
US 11,977,038 · App. 18/350,221 · Granted May 7, 2024

Inspection apparatus and inspection method

Inventor: Takeo Tsukamoto (Niigata, JP)
Assignee: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
G01N23/18G01N23/04G01N23/083G01N23/20008G01N23/2206G01N23/223G21K7/00H01J35/186G01N2223/04G01N2223/052G01N2223/071G01N2223/076G01N2223/1016G01N2223/20G01N2223/204G01N2223/32G01N2223/643G01N2223/652
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,977,038
App. No.
18/350,221
Granted
May 7, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An inspection apparatus for inspecting an inspection target object, includes an X-ray generation tube having a target including an X-ray generation portion that generates X-rays by irradiation with an electron beam, and configured to emit X-rays to the inspection target object, and a plurality of X-ray detectors, wherein each of the plurality of X-ray detectors detects X-rays emitted from a foreign substance existing on an inspection target surface of the inspection target object irradiated with the X-rays from the X-ray generation portion and totally reflected by the inspection target surface.

Claims (38)

1. An inspection apparatus for inspecting an inspection target object, comprising:

an X-ray generation tube having a target including an X-ray generation portion that generates X-rays by irradiation with an electron beam, and configured to emit X-rays to the inspection target object; and

a plurality of X-ray detectors,

wherein each of the plurality of X-ray detectors detects X-rays emitted from a foreign substance existing on an inspection target surface of the inspection target object irradiated with the X-rays from the X-ray generation portion and totally reflected by the inspection target surface,

wherein a distance between an inspection plane of the inspection target object and the X-ray generation portion is not larger than 5 mm.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to perform processing of detecting the foreign substance based on an output from the X-ray detector.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor further performs processing of specifying a material forming the foreign substance.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distance is not larger than 3 mm.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an angle formed by the inspection plane and a virtual line connecting a center of an X-ray receiving portion of one of the plurality of X-ray detectors and an intersection point of the inspection plane and an axis of the X-ray generation tube is not larger than 5°.

6. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the angle is not larger than 2°.

7. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a slit member having a slit on the virtual line.

8. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an X-ray detection panel configured to detect X-rays emitted from the X-ray generation portion and transmitted through an inspection target object having the inspection target surface.

9. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray generation tube is of a sealed transmission type.

10. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray generation tube includes a target holding plate configured to hold the target, and a thickness of the target holding plate is not larger than 4 mm.

11. The inspection apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the target holding plate contains diamond.

12. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of X-ray detectors include a first X-ray detector and a second X-ray detector, and the first X-ray detector and the second X-ray detector are arranged to face each other via the axis of the X-ray generation tube.

13. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of X-ray detectors include a first X-ray detector including a first X-ray receiving portion and a second X-ray detector including a second X-ray receiving portion, and

an angle formed by the inspection plane and a virtual line connecting a center of the first X-ray receiving portion and the intersection point of the inspection plane and an axis of the X-ray generation tube is different from an angle formed by the inspection plane and a virtual line connecting a center of the second X-ray receiving portion and the intersection point.

14. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of X-ray detectors include a first X-ray detector and a second X-ray detector, and

a position of the first X-ray detector and the second X-ray detector are different from each other in a direction parallel to the inspection plane.

15. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of X-ray detectors include a first X-ray detector configured to inspect a first inspection target surface of the inspection target object, and a second X-ray detector configured to inspect a second inspection target surface of the inspection target object,

the first X-ray detector includes a first X-ray receiving portion, and the second X-ray detector includes a second X-ray receiving portion,

the first inspection target surface and the second inspection target surface are arranged symmetrically with respect to a virtual plane, and

the first X-ray receiving portion and the second X-ray receiving portion are arranged to face each other via the virtual plane.

16. An inspection method of inspecting an inspection target object, comprising:

an X-ray detection step of emitting X-rays from an X-ray generation portion to the inspection target object and detecting, by a plurality of X-ray detectors, X-rays emitted from a foreign substance existing on an inspection target surface of the inspection target object and totally reflected by the inspection target surface; and

a processing step of processing outputs of the plurality of X-ray detectors,

wherein a distance between an inspection plane of the inspection target object and the X-ray generation portion is not larger than 5 mm.

17. The inspection method according to claim 16 , wherein the processing step includes a step of detecting the foreign substance.

18. The inspection method according to claim 16 , wherein the processing step includes a step of specifying a material forming the foreign substance.

19. The inspection method according to claim 16 , further comprising a step of detecting, by an X-ray detection panel, X-rays transmitted through an inspection target object having the inspection target surface,

wherein in the processing step, the output of the X-ray detector and an output of the X-ray detection panel are processed.

20. The inspection method according to claim 19 , wherein the processing step includes a step of detecting existence of the foreign substance and a position of the foreign substance based on the output of the X-ray detection panel.

21. The inspection method according to claim 19 , wherein the processing step includes a step of detecting existence of the foreign substance, a position of the foreign substance, and a size of the foreign substance based on the output of the X-ray detection panel.

22. The inspection method according to claim 16 , wherein the processing step includes a step of comparing the outputs of the plurality of X-ray detectors.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2023
From: TSUKAMOTO, TAKEO
To: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064211/0711 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-013653 · Jan 31, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2022043905 · Nov 29, 2022
Related Publication 20230349845A1 · Nov 2, 2023