Mask inspection apparatus and mask inspection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016019689-A1
Application number	US-201514796327-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 10, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a mask inspection apparatus, a defect detection unit includes a first memory region, a second memory region, an inspection condition reconfiguring unit, and a comparison unit. The inspection condition reconfiguring unit obtains a difference between gray scales of an optical image stored in the second memory region and a reference image stored in the first memory region. The existence of the defect is determined in the case where the difference is larger than a first threshold value. Further in the case where the number of defects is larger than a second threshold value, an inspection condition is re-estimated and configured and the reference image is regenerated. A comparison unit compares the stored reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is not reconfigured, and compares the regenerated reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is reconfigured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mask inspection apparatus comprising:
an optical image acquisition unit configured to acquire an optical image of a pattern formed in a mask by irradiating light; a reference image generation unit configured to generate a reference image corresponding to the optical image from design data of the pattern based on a preconfigured inspection condition of a predetermined portion; and a defect detection unit comprising, a first memory region configured to store the reference image; a second memory region configured to store the optical image an inspection condition reconfiguring unit configured to obtain a difference between gray scales of a predetermined portion of the stored optical image and a portion of the stored reference image corresponding to the predetermined portion of the stored optical image, wherein the existence of the defect is determined in the case where the difference is larger than a first threshold value, further in the case where the number of defects is larger than a second threshold value, the inspection condition is reconfigured and the reference image is regenerated; a comparison unit configured to compare the stored reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is not reconfigured, and to compare the regenerated reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is reconfigured.

2 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reference image generation unit generates the reference image by estimating a blurring amount of the optical image and a rounding amount of a corner of the pattern using a gray scale value of the predetermined portion so as to approximate the optical image from the design data of the pattern.

3 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the inspection condition reconfiguring unit, the number of the predetermined portions is increased, and the inspection condition is reconfigured.

4 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of pattern groups, and the inspection condition reconfiguring unit obtains the difference, in the order of a pattern group comprising of diagonal pattern mixture, a pattern group comprising of a vertical and horizontal pattern mixture, and a pattern group comprising of either a vertical or horizontal pattern only.

5 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the defect detection unit comprises:
a CD size confirming unit configured to confirm CD sizes of each of the patterns from the stored reference image and the stored optical image; and a defect determination threshold value decision unit configured to determine the first threshold value of the comparison of each of the patterns according to the confirmed CD size.

6 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the defect detection unit comprises a pipeline execution unit configured to cause the comparison unit to perform the comparison using the stored optical image when the stored reference image and the stored optical image reach a certain region of an inspection region.

7 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reference image generation unit comprises a real-time comparison unit configured to discretely generate the reference image at the time of acquiring the optical image and compare the discretely generated reference image with the optical image in real time.

8 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a reference image management unit configured to manage a creating frequency of the reference image which is discretely generate.

9 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a light quantity sensor configured to measure a light quantity of the irradiated light; and a light quantity monitoring unit configured to stop the mask inspection when an amount of a decrease in the measured light quantity is greater than a third threshold value.

10 . The mask inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the comparison unit, the stored reference image and the stored optical image are compared offline in the case where the inspection condition is not reconfigured, and the regenerated reference image and the stored optical image are compared offline in the case where the inspection condition is reconfigured.

11 . A mask inspection method for inspecting a defect of a pattern formed in a mask by irradiating light onto the mask, the method comprising:
storing an optical image of the pattern acquired by irradiating the light to the mask, and storing a reference image generated from design data of the pattern based on a preconfigured inspection condition of a predetermined portion; obtaining a difference between gray scales of a predetermined portion of the stored optical image and a portion of the stored reference image corresponding to the predetermined portion of the stored optical image, wherein the existence of the defect is determined in the case where the difference is larger than a first threshold value, further in the case where the number of defects is larger than a second threshold value, the inspection condition is reconfigured and the reference image is regenerated; comparing the stored reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is not reconfigured, and comparing the regenerated reference image with the stored optical image in the case where the inspection condition is reconfigured.

12 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein the reference image is generated by estimating a blurring amount of the optical image and a rounding amount of a corner of the pattern using a gray scale value of the predetermined portion so as to approximate the optical image from the design data of the pattern.

13 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein the number of the predetermined portions is increased, and the inspection condition is reconfigured.

14 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of pattern groups, and the difference is obtained, in the order of a pattern group comprising of diagonal pattern mixture, a pattern group comprising of a vertical and horizontal pattern mixture, and a pattern group comprising of either a vertical or horizontal pattern only.

15 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein in the offline comparison, CD sizes of each of the patterns are obtained from the stored reference image and the stored optical image, and then the first threshold value of the comparison of each of the patterns is determined according to the CD size.

16 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein the comparison is performed when the stored reference image and the stored optical image reach a certain region of an inspection region.

17 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wherein the reference image is discretely generated at the time of acquiring the optical image, and then the discretely generated reference image is compared with the optical image in real time.

18 . The mask inspection method according to claim 17 , wherein creation of the discretely generated reference image is confirmed at regular intervals and a creating frequency of the reference image is managed according to the creation of the reference image.

19 . The mask inspection method according to claim 11 , wher

Assignees

• Nuflare Technology Inc

Inventors

• Inoue Takafumi

Classifications

• G06T2207/20224

  Image subtraction · CPC title

• G03F1/84

  Inspecting · CPC title

• G06T7/001 Primary

  using an image reference approach · CPC title

• G06T2207/30148

  Semiconductor; IC; Wafer · CPC title

• G06T2207/10004

  Still image; Photographic image · CPC title