Method for reviewing a defect and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016018340-A1
Application number	US-201514799741-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

detect a fine defect in reviewing To review a fine defect detected by another inspection apparatus, there is disclosed a method for reviewing a defect including a light capturing step that illuminates a sample with light under plural optical conditions, while varying only at least one of illumination conditions, sample conditions, or detection conditions, and detects plural lights scattering from the sample; a signal obtaining step that obtains plural signals based on the lights detected; and a processing step that discriminates a defect from noise according to a waveform characteristic quantity, an image characteristic quantity, or a value characteristic quantity created using the signals and derives the coordinates of defect.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for reviewing a defect comprising:
a light capturing step that illuminates a sample with light under a plurality of optical conditions, while varying only at least one condition of illumination conditions, sample conditions, or detection conditions, and detects a plurality of lights scattering from the sample; a signal obtaining step that obtains a plurality of signals based on the plurality of lights detected; and a processing step that discriminates a defect from noise according to a waveform characteristic quantity, an image characteristic quantity, or a value characteristic quantity created using the plurality of signals and derives coordinates of the defect.

2 . The method for reviewing a defect according to claim 1 ,
wherein the waveform characteristic quantity, the image characteristic quantity, or the value characteristic quantity includes information representing a relative change depending on variation of the plurality of optical conditions.

3 . The method for reviewing a defect according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light capturing step detects a plurality of lights including a bright point of light scattering from a defect on the sample.

4 . The method for reviewing a defect according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light capturing step detects a plurality of lights with different heights relative to the sample.

5 . The method for reviewing a defect according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light capturing step detects a plurality of lights using a plurality optical conditions predetermined, based on signals obtained beforehand through the use of a standard sample.

6 . The method for reviewing a defect according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an output step that outputs a likelihood of a defect discriminated as the defect.

7 . The method for reviewing a defect according to claim 1 ,
wherein the signal obtaining step detects the plurality of lights with varying angles of rotation of a polarizer.

8 . An apparatus for reviewing a defect comprising:
a light capturing unit that illuminates a sample with light under a plurality of optical conditions, while varying only at least one condition of illumination conditions, sample conditions, or detection conditions, and detects a plurality of lights scattering from the sample; a signal obtaining unit that obtains a plurality of signals based on the plurality of lights detected; and a processing unit that discriminates a defect from noise according to a waveform characteristic quantity, an image characteristic quantity, or a value characteristic quantity created using the polarity of signals and derives coordinates of the defect.

9 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the waveform characteristic quantity, the image characteristic quantity, or the value characteristic quantity includes information representing a relative change depending on variation of the plurality of optical conditions.

10 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the light capturing unit detects a plurality of lights including a bright point of light scattering from a defect on the sample.

11 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the light capturing unit detects a plurality of lights with different heights relative to the sample.

12 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the light capturing unit detects a plurality of lights using a plurality optical conditions predetermined, based on signals obtained beforehand through the use of a standard sample.

13 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 , further comprising:
an output unit that outputs a likelihood of a defect discriminated as the defect.

14 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the signal obtaining unit detects the plurality of lights with varying angles of rotation of a polarizer.

15 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the processing unit performs an adjustment of parameters in an inspection recipe or an adjustment of a recipe for discriminating the defect from roughness.

16 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein a characteristic quantity including a relative change between a plurality of images based on the plurality of signals is a characteristic quantity created after positioning alignment performed using a roughness scattering light image.

17 . The apparatus for reviewing a defect according to claim 8 ,
wherein the processing unit performs the positioning alignment using a correlation value or a difference of roughness scattering light.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp
• Univ Tokyo

Inventors

• Otani Yuko
• Maeda Shunji
• Urano Yuta
• Honda Toshifumi
• Hirai Takehiro
• Takahashi Satoru
• Takamasu Kiyoshi

Classifications

• G01N2021/8867

  using sequentially two or more inspection runs, e.g. coarse and fine, or detecting then analysing · CPC title

• G01N2021/8848

  Polarisation of light · CPC title

• G01N21/956

  Inspecting patterns on the surface of objects {(contactless testing of electronic circuits G01R31/308; testing currency G07D; manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20)} · CPC title

• G01N21/8851

  Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002) · CPC title

• G01N21/9501

  Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20) · CPC title