Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for observing and inspecting defects

US6690469B1 · kind B1 · utility

44Cited by
8References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 1999
Grant dateFeb 10, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B21/0016
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A defect inspecting apparatus is disclosed that can detect finer defects with high resolution optical images of those defects, and which makes the difference in contrast greater between fine line patterns of a semiconductor device. The defect inspecting apparatus includes a sample mounting device for mounting a sample; lighting and detecting apparatus for illuminating a patterned sample mounted on a mount and detecting the optical image of the reflected light obtained therefrom. Also included is a display for displaying the optical image detected by this lighting and detecting apparatus; an optical parameter setting device for setting and displaying optical parameters for the lighting and detecting apparatus on the display; and optical parameter adjusting apparatus for adjusting optical parameters set for the lighting and detecting apparatus according to the optical parameters set by the optical parameter setting apparatus; a storage device for storing comparative image data; and a defect detecting device for detecting defects from patterns formed on the sample by comparing the optical image detected by the optical image detecting apparatus with the comparative image data stored in…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.