A substrate inspection apparatus 1-1 (FIG. 1) of the present invention performs the following steps of: carrying a substrate “S” to be inspected into an inspection chamber 23-1 maintaining a vacuum in said inspection chamber; isolating said inspection chamber from a vibration; moving successively sa
A substrate inspection apparatus 1-1 (FIG. 1) of the present invention performs the following steps of: carrying a substrate “S” to be inspected into an inspection chamber 23-1 maintaining a vacuum in said inspection chamber; isolating said inspection chamber from a vibration; moving successively said substrate by means of a stage 26-1 with at least one degree of freedom; irradiating an electron beam having a specified width; helping said electron beam reach to a surface of said substrate via a primary electron optical system 10-1; trapping secondary electrons emitted from said substrate via a secondary electron optical system 20-1 and guiding it to a detecting system 35-1; forming a secondary electron image in an image processing system based on a detection signal of a secondary electron beam obtained by said detecting system; detecting a defective location in said substrate based on the secondary electron image formed by said image processing system; indicating and/or storing said defective location in said substrate by CPU 37-1; and taking said completely inspected substrate out of the inspection chamber. Thereby, the defect inspection on the substrate can be performed successively with high level of accuracy and efficiency as well as with higher throughput.
대표청구항▼
1. A substrate inspection apparatus comprising:a. a beam source for emitting an electron beam having a specified width; b. a primary electron optical system for introducing said electron beam to a surface of a substrate subject to an inspection; c. a secondary electron optical system for guiding sec
1. A substrate inspection apparatus comprising:a. a beam source for emitting an electron beam having a specified width; b. a primary electron optical system for introducing said electron beam to a surface of a substrate subject to an inspection; c. a secondary electron optical system for guiding secondary electrons emitted from said substrate to a detecting system; d. an image processing system for forming a secondary electron image based on a detection signal of a secondary electron beam obtained by said detecting system; e. a stage for holding said substrate in such a manner that said substrate may be moved successively with at least one degree of freedom; f. an inspection chamber for said substrate; g. a substrate conveying mechanism capable of carrying said substrate into said inspection chamber and taking it out therefrom; h. an image processing analyzer capable of detecting a defective location on the substrate loaded into said inspection chamber based on the secondary electron image formed by said image processing system; i. a vibration isolating mechanism for said inspection chamber; j. a vacuum system capable of controlling a vacuum atmosphere to be maintained in said inspection chamber; k. a control system for indicating and/or storing said defective location on said substrate detected by said image processing analyzer; l. a mini-environment device for inhibiting dust from adhering to the substrate by applying a purge gas flow against said substrate prior to the inspection; and m. at least one loading chamber which is disposed between said mini-environment device and said inspection chamber and controllable to the vacuum atmosphere independently from each other, wherein said substrate conveying mechanism includes a loader having one conveying unit capable of conveying said substrate between said mini-environment device and said loading chamber, and said vibration isolating mechanism includes a vibration isolating unit interposed between said inspection chamber and said loading chamber. 2. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a pre-charge unit for irradiating an electron beam onto said substrate disposed in said inspection chamber to reduce non-uniformity level in an electro static charge on said substrate and a potential applying mechanism for applying a potential to said substrate.3. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an alignment control unit for observing a surface of said substrate and controlling an alignment thereof in order to position said substrate in place with respect to said primary electron optical system, and a laser-interferometer for measuring a coordinate of said substrate on said stage, wherein said alignment control unit uses a pattern existing on said substrate to determine the coordinate of a subject to be inspected.4. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said detecting system comprises an MCP for multipling said secondary electron beam, a fluorescent screen for converting said amplified secondary electron beam into an optical signal and a CCD camera or a line sensor for taking out said optical signal as an image data, whereina voltage applied to said MCP is controlled in association with a change in the amplification factor of the MCP in order to determine an optimal amount of exposure for the image containing said defect. 5. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 4, which said voltage applied to said MCP is determined by referring to a current MCP applied voltage-MCP gain curve.6. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said inspection system comprises an MCP for amplifying said secondary electron beam, a fluorescent screen for converting said amplified secondary electron beam into an optical signal and a CCD camera or a line sensor for taking out said optical signal as an image data, whereinan emission current of said electron beam is controlled in association with a change in the amplification factor of the MCP in order to determine an optimal amount of exposure for the image containing said defect. 7. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 5, in which said MCP applied voltage or said emission current of the beam is controlled in association with a multiplying factor of projection of the electron beam or a change in a line rate of said line sensor.8. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said beam source is an electron beam source comprising a Wehnelt electrode, wherein said apparatus further comprises a control section for controlling a voltage applied to said Wehnelt electrode with time so that an emission current flowing to said electron beam source can be maintained at a constant level.9. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 8, in which said electron beam source comprises an electron gun having a cathode made of LaB6.10. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, in which a flat <100> mono-crystalline orientation having a diameter of not less than 100 microns is arranged in a tip portion of said cathode.11. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said stage is accommodated in a housing of said inspection chamber and supported by a hydrostatic bearing in a non-contact manner, whereinsaid housing containing said stage is evacuated to vacuum, and a differential pumping mechanism is arranged in a surrounding of a section irradiating the electron beam onto said substrate surface, for evacuating a region on said substrate subject to an electron beam irradiation. 12. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 11, in which a gas supplied to said hydrostatic bearing of said stage is either of a dry nitrogen or a highly purified inert gas, wherein said dry nitrogen or said highly purified inert gas, after having been exhausted from said housing containing said stage, is pressurized and supplied again to said hydrostatic bearing.13. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further having, in addition to an image projecting function comprising the steps of irradiating the electron beam having said specified width onto the substrate and projecting the secondary electron image onto said detecting system by means of said secondary electron optical system, a scanning electron microscopy function comprising the steps of firstly forming an electron beam to be narrower than said specified width, secondarily irradiating said narrower electron beam onto and scanning thereby the substrate surface, and lastly detecting the secondary electron beam emitted from said substrate.14. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 13, in which the function can be switched appropriately between said image projecting function and said scanning electron microscopy function to each other in response to a condition of the substrate during a single substrate being inspected.15. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 14, in which, on the same substrate, a pattern of a hardly charged sample area is inspected by using said image projecting function and a pattern of an easily charged sample area is inspected by using said scanning electron microscopy function.16. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 14, in which said scanning electron microscopy function is used in a mark detection for a registration in a wafer processing process, and said image projecting function is used in a subsequent pattern defect inspection.17. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said image processing system captures each of images for a plurality of regions to be inspected which have been displaced one from another while being superimposed partially one on another, and said image processing system comprises:a storage means for storing a reference image; and a defect determination means for determining the defect in said substrate by comparing the images of said plurality of regions to be inspected which have been captured by said image processing system with said reference image stored in said storage means. 18. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 17, in which said beam source radiates the electron beam onto each of said plurality of regions to be inspected, andsaid detecting system detects the secondary electron beam emitted from each of said plurality of regions to be inspected. 19. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a deflecting means for deflecting said electron beam and thereby irradiating sequentially said electron beam onto said plurality of regions to be inspected.20. A device manufacturing method in which a substrate is subjected in the course of process or after having been processed to an inspection for detecting any defects thereon by using the substrate inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1.21. A device manufacturing method comprising:a. preparing wafers; b. processing a wafer-processing process; c. inspecting defect using a substrate inspection apparatus as defined in claim 2; d. repeating said steps b and c; and e. assembling devices from said processed wafer. 22. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:an objective lens provided in said primary electron optical system: a means for forming a decelerating electric field between the substrate and the objective lens: a detector for detecting a discharge or a precursory phenomenon of the discharge between the substrate and the objective lens and then generating a signal; and a means for receiving said signal from said detector to obtain a condition for inhibiting any discharge from occurring. 23. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 22, in which said detector is a PMT for detecting a light occurring in said discharge or said precursory phenomenon of the discharge, or a substrate ampere meter for detecting an irregular current occurring in said discharge or said precursory phenomenon of the discharge.24. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 22 or 23, in which said means for obtaining a condition for inhibiting any discharge from occurring is a means for receiving said signal from said detector and then controlling a voltage of said decelerating electric field or an amount of said primary electron beam so as to inhibit the discharge from occurring.25. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with any one of claim 22 or 23, in which said step of detecting said discharge or said precursory phenomenon of the discharge is performed on a partial area of said substrate where may not be used as an effective area of a product.26. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electron optical column systems arranged in parallel,each of said electron optical column systems including said primary and secondary electron optical systems, and further comprising: a low-pass filter, wherein said detecting system outputs a detection signal of the secondary electron beam to said low-pas filter. 27. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 26, in which said low-pass filter can make a cut-off frequency variable and changes the cut-off frequency in dependence on the substrate.28. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 26 or 27, further comprising a lens including a plurality of electrodes made of insulating material with a metal coating applied selectively onto surfaces thereof.29. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 28, in which said plurality of electrodes is made of a single insulating material.30. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said beam source for emitting an electron beam is provided with a Wehnelt, and whereinsaid apparatus further comprises a control section for controlling a voltage applied to said Wehnelt electrode with time so that an emission current flowing to said electron beam source can be maintained at a constant level. 31. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 30, in which said electron beam source comprises an electron gun having a cathode made of LaB6.32. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 31, in which a flat <100> mono-crystalline orientation having a diameter of not less than 100 microns is arranged in a tip portion of said cathode.33. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an evaluation apparatus disposed in the vicinity of at least one processing unit for manufacturing a semiconductor device so as to evaluate a resultant condition of a wafer after having been processed by said processing unit, said apparatus comprising:an evaluation condition setting system for setting an evaluation condition such that the resultant condition of a single wafer can be evaluated within a processing time per wafer by the processing unit. 34. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electron optical columns, each including said primary and secondary electron optical systems.35. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: an evaluation apparatus for evaluating a resultant condition of a processed semiconductor device, said apparatus including:an evaluation condition setting system for setting an evaluation condition such that the resultant condition of one lot can be evaluated within a processing time per lot by the processing unit. 36. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, whereinafter having scanned a certain region on the substrate with a predetermined scanning width by the primary electron beam, the apparatus scans another region adjacent to said certain region by way of a movement of a stage, wherein an amount of said movement of the stage is greater than said predetermined scanning width, so that the substrate can be evaluated for a larger region by repeating these steps. 37. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said substrate has a pattern of a minimum line width “d” and said substrate is scanned with a predetermined scanning width, and wherein if a beam diameter of the primary electron beam is denoted by “D”, then 0.55?D/d?1.0.38. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said apparatus evaluates said substrate having a gate oxide, and wherein assuming that: a time period necessary for evaluating a unit area is denoted by “t”; an amount of irradiation or dose per unit area is denoted by “C” (Coulomb/cm2); a beam current of the primary electron beam is denoted by “Ip”; and a modulation transfer function of a signal at a time when the primary electron beam has observed a cycle pattern having a pitch equivalent to a doubled minimum line width “d” is denoted by MTF, then the beam diameter of the primary electron beam is selected such that 1/(C·t) or (MTF)4Ip can be maximized.39. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein when said apparatus evaluates a single substrate the evaluation is performed only with respect to a small number of chips among a large number of chips formed in said single substrate.40. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 39, wherein the number of said small number of chips is equivalent to the number of electron optical columns for forming the electron beam used for the inspection.41. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electron optical column, each of said electron optical column systems accommodating said primary and secondary electron optical systems, wherein an electrostatic lens provided in said electron optical column includes an electrode made of insulating material with a coating applied onto a surface thereof, and an electrostatic deflector or an electrostatic astigmatic correcting lens.42. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 41, in which each of said electron optical columns forms a plurality of electron beams.43. A substrate inspection apparatus comprising:a. a beam source for emitting an electron beam having a specified width; b. a primary electron optical system for introducing said electron beam to a surface of a substrate subject to an inspection; c. a secondary electron optical system for guiding secondary electrons emitted from said substrate to a detecting system; d. an image processing system for forming a secondary electron image based on a detection signal of a secondary electron beam obtained by said detecting system; e. a stage for holding said substrate in such a manner that said substrate may be moved successively with at least one degree of freedom; f. an inspection chamber for said substrate; g. a substrate conveying mechanism capable of carrying said substrate into said inspection chamber and taking it out therefrom; h. an image processing analyzer capable of detecting a defective location on the substrate loaded into said inspection chamber based on the secondary electron image formed by said image processing system; i. a vibration isolating mechanism for said inspection chamber; j. a vacuum system capable of controlling a vacuum atmosphere to be maintained in said inspection chamber; and k. a control system for indicating and/or storing said defective location on said substrate detected by said image processing analyzer, and in which said detecting system is incorporated with a feed-through unit, said feed-through unit comprising: a feed-through section made of an electrical insulating material; at least one electricity introduction pin fixedly attached to said feed-through section; and a connecting wiring for connecting said at least one electricity introduction pin with a functional element, wherein said functional element includes a sensor, and both a pressure and a kind of gas in an inside of said feed-through section are different from those of an outside thereof, respectively. 44. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 43, in which said functional clement is arranged on an inner surface of said feed-through section and said functional element includes a CCD or a TDI sensor.45. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 43 or 44, in which a wiring is formed in a net-like configuration on a surface of said feed-through section.46. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 43 or 44, further comprising a metal flange.47. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 43 or 44, in which said electricity introduction pin transmits a signal with frequency of not less than 10 MHz.48. A substrate inspection apparatus comprising:a. a beam source for emitting an electron beam having a specified width; b. a primary electron optical system for introducing said electron beam to a surface of a substrate subject to an inspection; c. a secondary electron optical system for guiding secondary electrons emitted from said substrate to a detecting system; d. an image processing system for forming a secondary electron image based on a detection signal of a secondary electron beam obtained by said detecting system; e. a state for holding said substrate in such a manner that said substrate may be moved successively with at least one degree of freedom; f. an inspection chamber for said substrate; g. a substrate conveying mechanism capable of carrying said substrate into said inspection chamber and taking out it therefrom; h. an image processing analyzer capable of detecting a defective location on the substrate loaded into said inspection chamber based on the secondary electron image formed by said image processing system; i. a vibration isolating mechanism for said inspection chamber; j. a vacuum system capable of controlling a vacuum atmosphere to be maintained in said inspection chamber; and k. a control system for indicating and/or storing said defective location on said substrate detected by said image processing analyzer, and in which said stage is provided with a non-contact supporting mechanism by means of a hydrostatic bearing and a vacuum sealing mechanism by means of a differential pumping, and a divider is arranged between a location on said substrate subject to the electron beam irradiation and a hydrostatic bearing supporting section of said stage so as to reduce a conductance, so that a pressure difference may be generated between the electron beam irradiated region and said hydrostatic bearing supporting section. 49. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 48, in which said divider includes a differential pumping structure built therein.50. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 48 or 49, in which said divider has a cold trap function.51. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 48 or 49, in which said divider is arranged at each of two locations, which correspond to the vicinity of the charged particle beam irradiating location and the vicinity of the hydrostatic bearing, respectively.52. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 48 or 49, in which the gas supplied to said hydrostatic bearing of said stage is either of a dry nitrogen or a highly purified inert gas.53. The substrate inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 48 or 49, in which at least a surface of a component of said stage facing to the hydrostatic bearing has been provided with a surface treatment for reducing gas emanated therefrom.54. A substrate inspection apparatus comprising:a. a beam source for emitting an electron beam having a specified width; b. a primary electron optical system for introducing said electron beam to a surface of a substrate subject to an inspection; c. a secondary electron optical system for guiding secondary electrons emitted from said substrate to a detecting system; d. an image processing system for forming a secondary electron image based on a detection signal of a secondary electron beam obtained by said detecting system; e. a stage for holding said substrate in such a manner that said substrate may be moved successively with at least one degree of freedom; f. an inspection chamber for said substrate; g. a substrate conveying mechanism capable of carrying said substrate into said inspection chamber and taking it out therefrom; h. an image processing analyzer capable of detecting a defective location on the substrate loaded into said inspection chamber based on the secondary electron image formed by said image processing system; i. a vibration isolating mechanism for said inspection chamber; j. a vacuum system capable of controlling a vacuum atmosphere to be maintained in said inspection chamber; and k. a control system for indicating and/or storing said defective location on said substrate detected by said image processing analyzer, and wherein said substrate has a pattern of a minimum line width “d” and said substrate is scanned with a predetermined scanning width, and wherein a beam diameter “D” of the primary electron beam is selected such that a modulation transfer function MTF of a signal at a time when the primary electron beam has observed a cycle pattern having a pitch equivalent to a doubled minimum line width “d” should be 0.42?MTF?0.8. 55. A device manufacturing method comprising:a. preparing wafers; b. processing a wafer-processing process; c. inspecting defect using a pattern inspection apparatus as defined in claim 54; d. repeating said steps b and c; and e. assembling devices from said processed wafer.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Kohama, Yoshiaki, Electron beam apparatus, and inspection instrument and inspection process thereof.
Matsushita,Hiroshi; Kabasawa,Mitsuaki; Amano,Yoshitaka; Kimura,Yasuhiko; Tsukihara,Mitsukuni; Murakami,Junichi, Beam deflecting method, beam deflector for scanning, ion implantation method, and ion implantation system.
Kang,Min Sub; Lee,Sang Kil; Kim,Kwang Sik; Jung,Kyung Ho; Kim,Sung Joong, Computer program products for measuring critical dimensions of fine patterns using scanning electron microscope pictures and secondary electron signal profiles.
Nakasuji,Mamoru; Noji,Nobuharu; Satake,Tohru; Murakami,Takeshi; Sobukawa,Hirosi; Kaga,Toru; Hatakayama,Masahiro, Electron beam apparatus and a device manufacturing method using the same apparatus.
Nakasuji,Mamoru; Kato,Takao; Watanabe,Kenji; Yoshikawa,Shoji; Satake,Tohru; Noji,Nobuharu, Electron beam apparatus and device manufacturing method using same.
Nakasuji,Mamoru; Kato,Takao; Watanabe,Kenji; Yoshikawa,Shoji; Satake,Tohru; Noji,Nobuharu, Electron beam apparatus and device manufacturing method using the same.
Knippelmeyer, Rainer; Kienzle, Oliver; Kemen, Thomas; Mueller, Heiko; Uhlemann, Stephan; Haider, Maximilian; Casares, Antonio; Rogers, Steven, Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements.
Knippelmeyer, Rainer; Kienzle, Oliver; Kemen, Thomas; Mueller, Heiko; Uhlemann, Stephan; Haider, Maximilian; Casares, Antonio; Rogers, Steven, Particle-optical systems and arrangements and particle-optical components for such systems and arrangements.
Ushiki, Takeo; Yamada, Keizo; Itagaki, Yohsuke; Tsujide, Tohru, Surface contamination analyzer for semiconductor wafers, method used therein and process for fabricating semiconductor device.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.