Method and apparatus for detecting pattern defects
US6943876B2 · kind B2 · utility
8Cited by
10References
15Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 20, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/95684
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting pattern defects which includes annularly scanning of a laser beam emitted from a laser light source on a pupil of an objective lens, illuminating the scanned laser beam, through the objective lens, onto a sample on which there is formed a pattern coated with an optically transparent thin film, acquiring an optical image of the illuminated sample, and processing the acquired image to find defects in the pattern. The annular scan diameter of the laser beam is determined based on the thickness of the optically transparent thin film.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.