Mask inspection apparatus and method for inspecting a mask having first and second openings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12333706-B2
Application number	US-202117360837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2021
Priority date	Jun 29, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A mask inspection method and a mask inspection apparatus for inspecting a deposition mask are provided. A mask inspection method includes: providing a deposition mask including a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings, each of the first openings having a shape in a plan view different from that of each of the second openings; designating a first group and a second group, each including at least one of the first openings and at least one of the second openings; comparing an image of the first group with an image of the second group; and determining whether the first group and the second group are defective, an arrangement of the first and second openings of the first group being the same as an arrangement of the first and second openings of the second group.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask inspection method comprising:
providing a deposition mask comprising a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings, each of the first openings having a same shape in a plan view and different from that of each of the second openings, the deposition mask comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a second side end of each of the first openings located at the second surface surrounding a first side end of the respective first opening located at the first surface, and a second side end of each of the second openings located at the second surface surrounding a first side end of the respective second opening located at the first surface;
designating a first group and a second group, each comprising at least one of the first openings and at least one of the second openings;
comparing an image of the first group with an image of the second group; and
determining whether the first group and the second group are defective based on a result of comparing the image of the first group with the image of the second group,
wherein an arrangement of the first and second openings of the first group is the same as an arrangement of the first and second openings of the second group and rotated in the plan view.

2. The mask inspection method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing of the image of the first group and the image of the second group comprises comparing an area of the first group with an area of the second group.

3. The mask inspection method of claim 2 , further comprising, before the comparing of the image of the first group and the image of the second group, imaging the first group and the second group by using a vision unit including a charge-coupled device sensor comprising a plurality of pixels to acquire an image of the first group and an image of the second group.

4. The mask inspection method of claim 3 , wherein the comparing of the area of the first group and the area of the second group comprises comparing a number of a part of the pixels of the charge-coupled device sensor arranged within the first group with a number of another part of the pixels of the charge-coupled device sensor arranged within the second group.

5. The mask inspection method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing of the image of the first group and the image of the second group comprises comparing a shape of the first group with a shape of the second group.

6. The mask inspection method of claim 5 , further comprising imaging the first group and the second group by using a vision unit comprising a charge-coupled device sensor comprising a plurality of pixels,
wherein the comparing of the shape of the first group and the shape of the second group comprises comparing a shape of a part of the pixels of the charge-coupled device sensor arranged within the first group with a shape of another part of the pixels of the charge-coupled device sensor arranged within the second group.

7. The mask inspection method of claim 6 , wherein the comparing of the image of the first group and the image of the second group further comprises rotating any one of the image of the first group and the image of the second group in a horizontal direction.

8. The mask inspection method of claim 5 , wherein the comparing of the image of the first group and the image of the second group comprises comparing with naked eyes of an inspector.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Baek Dae Won

Classifications

• G03F1/84 Primary

  Inspecting · CPC title

• G01N2021/95676

  Masks, reticles, shadow masks · CPC title

• G06T2207/30121

  CRT, LCD or plasma display · CPC title

• G01N21/95607

  using a comparative method · CPC title

• C23C14/042 Primary

  using masks · CPC title