Image generation apparatus and image generation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10139447-B2
Application number	US-201514692019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Apr 24, 2014
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

An image generation apparatus is an image generation apparatus that generates an image based on measurement light from the semiconductor device, and the image generation apparatus includes an optical sensor that detects the measurement light, an optical sensor power supply that applies a constant voltage to the optical sensor to supply a current to the optical sensor, a current detector that generates a pattern signal according to magnitude of the current supplied to the optical sensor by the optical sensor power supply, and a control device that generates a pattern image based on the pattern signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for generating an image based on light from a semiconductor device, the apparatus comprising:
a photodetector configured to detect the light;
a power supply unit electrically coupling the photodetector and configured to apply a first constant voltage to the photodetector to supply a current to the photodetector;
a signal generation unit electrically coupling the power supply unit and configured to measure the current supplied to the photodetector by the power supply unit and generate a first signal according to magnitude of the current; and
an image processer configured to generate a first image indicating a circuit pattern of the semiconductor device based on the first signal according to magnitude of the current supplied to the photodetector by the power supply unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the power supply unit comprises
a power supply configured to supply a second voltage, and
a transformer configured to transform the second voltage to the first constant voltage.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the signal generation unit measures the current flowing from the transformer to the photodetector to generate the first signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the signal generation unit
comprises a first current detector configured to measure a current flowing through a wiring coupling the power supply to the transformer, and a second current detector configured to measure a current flowing through a wiring coupling the transformer to a ground potential line, and
measures a current supplied from the power supply to the photodetector to generate the first signal based on a difference between the current measured by the first current detector and the current measured by the second current detector.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the transformer comprises a DC/DC converter.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a measurement unit electrically coupling the photodetector and configured to measure at least one of a value indicating an in-phase component and a quadrature phase component, an amplitude, and a phase of a second signal output by the photodetector at a predetermined frequency or in a predetermined frequency band based on the second signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the image processer generates a second image based on at least one of the value indicating an in-phase component and a quadrature phase component, the amplitude, and the phase of the second signal at the predetermined frequency or in the predetermined frequency band measured by the measurement unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a display configured to display a superimposed image that is superimposed the first image and the second image.

9. A method for generating an image based on light from a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
applying a first constant voltage to a photodetector configured to detect the light, to supply a current to the photodetector;
measuring the current supplied to the photodetector and generating a first signal according to magnitude of the current; and
generating a first image indicating a circuit pattern of the semiconductor device based on the first signal according to magnitude of the current supplied to the photodetector by a power supply unit.

10. The method according to claim 9 ,
wherein the applying of the first constant voltage to supply the current comprises
by a power supply, supplying a second voltage different from the first constant voltage, and
by a transformer, transforming the second voltage supplied from the power supply to the first constant voltage.

11. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the generating of the first signal comprises measuring the current flowing from the transformer to the photodetector to generate the first signal.

12. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the generating of the first signal comprises
by a first current detector, measuring a current flowing through a wiring coupling the power supply to the transformer;
by a second current detector, measuring a current flowing through a wiring coupling the transformer to a ground potential line, and
measuring a current supplied from the power supply to the photodetector to generate the first signal based on a difference between the current measured by the first current detector and the current measured by the second current detector.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk

Inventors

• Nakamura Tomonori
• Nishizawa Mitsunori

Classifications

• G01R31/311 Primary

  of integrated circuits {(G01R31/31728 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01R31/308

  using non-ionising electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical radiation {(investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means G01N21/00; image analysis G06T7/00)} · CPC title