Abstract: A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a diffraction grating that widens and passes nth order (n>0) wave fronts to the specimen surface and a reflective surface for each channel of the light beam. Two channels and two reflective surfaces are preferably employed, and the wavefronts are combined using a second diffraction grating and passed to a camera system having a desired aspect ratio. The system preferably comprises a damping arrangement which filters unwanted acoustic and seismic vibration, including an optics arrangement which scans a first portion of the specimen and a translation or rotation arrangement for translating or rotating the specimen to a position where the optics arrangement can scan the remaining portion(s) of the specimen. The system further includes means for stitching scans together, providing for smaller and less expensive optical elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting patterned substrates, such as photomasks, for unwanted particles and features occurring on the transmissive as well as pattern defects. A transmissive substrate is illuminated by a laser through an optical system comprised of a laser scanning system, individual transmitted and reflected light collection optics and detectors collect and generate signals representative of the light transmitted and reflected by the substrate. The defect identification of the substrate is performed using transmitted and reflected light signals from a baseline comparison between two specimens, or one specimen and a database representation, to form a calibration pixelated training set including a non-defective region. This calibration pixilated training set is compared to a transmitted-reflected plot map of the subject specimen to assess surface quality.

Abstract: A system for simultaneously inspecting the frontsides and backsides of semiconductor wafers for defects is disclosed. The system rotates the semiconductor wafer while the frontside and backside surfaces are generally simultaneously optically scanned for defects. Rotation is induced by providing contact between the beveled edges of the semiconductor wafer and roller bearings rotationally driven by a motor. The wafer is supported in a tilted or semi-upright orientation such that support is provided by gravity. This tilted supporting orientation permits both the frontside and the backside of the wafer to be viewed simultaneously by a frontside inspection device and a backside inspection device.

Abstract: A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a damping arrangement which filters unwanted acoustic and seismic vibration, including an optics arrangement which scans a first portion of the specimen and a translation or rotation arrangement for translating or rotating the specimen to a position where the optics arrangement can scan the remaining portion(s) of the specimen. The system further includes means for stitching the scans together, thereby providing both damping of the specimen and the need for smaller and less expensive optical elements.

Abstract: A linear position array detector system is provided which imparts light energy to a surface of a specimen, such as a semiconductor wafer, receives light energy from the specimen surface and monitors deviation of the retro or reflected beam from that expected to map the contours on the specimen surface. The retro beam will, with ideal optical alignment, return along the same path as the incident beam if and only if the surface is normal to the beam. The system has a measurement device or sensor within the path of the retro or reflected beam to measure deviation of the retro beam from expected. The sensor is preferably a multiple element array of detector-diodes aligned in a linear fashion. A unique weighting and summing scheme is provided which increases the mechanical dynamic range while preserving sensitivity.

Abstract: A system and methods for efficiently performing media writing functions is disclosed. The system and methods include: detecting media movement with respect to a base and heads during reading and writing, and moving the heads in response; using an interferometer, such as a dual beam differential interferometer, to dynamically monitor disk position and address perceived errors; and minimizing repeatable and non repeatable runout error by writing data, such as servo bursts, in multiple revolutions to average adverse runout conditions. The present system has the ability to use an interferometer to enhance media certification and perform on line, in situ monitoring of the media, and includes shrouding, head mounting, disk biasing, and related mechanical aspects beneficial to media writing.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing and potentially correcting for non-translational motion in a resonance measurement apparatus is provided. The design measures the response of an article, such as an HGA assembly including a read/write head, as well as the excitation of a shaking device, such as a head resonance tester, and computes a correction factor using either two or three point measurement. The correction factor may be evaluated by subjecting the arrangement to further vibration at varying frequencies. Measurement of the shaking device may be accomplished using an accelerometer or by optical measurement using a light beam.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer inspection system and method is provided which uses a multiple element arrangement, such as an offset fly lens array. The preferred embodiment uses a laser to transmit light energy toward a beam expander, which expands the light energy to create an illumination field. An offset fly lens array converts light energy from the illumination field into an offset pattern of illumination spots. A lensing arrangement, including a first lens, a transmitter/reflector, an objective, and a Mag tube imparts light energy onto the specimen and passes the light energy toward a pinhole mask. The pinhole mask is mechanically aligned with the offset fly lens array. Light energy passing through each pinhole in the pinhole mask is directed toward a relay lens, which guides light energy onto a sensor. The offset fly lens array corresponds to the pinhole mask.