Abstract: A method including inspecting, using an X-ray transmission image, internal defects in a TSV formed in a semiconductor wafer, and detecting the X-rays, and processing an X-ray transmission image. Therein, the detection of X-rays is configured such that: the detection azimuth of the X-rays, and the detection elevation angle of the X-rays relative to the X-ray source are determined on the basis of information on the arrangement interval, depth, and planar shape of structures formed in the sample. The angle of rotation of a rotating stage on which the sample is mounted is adjusted in accordance with the detection azimuth which has been determined, and the X-rays that have been transmitted through the sample are detected with the position of the detector set to the detection elevation angle which has been determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides an X-ray inspection device that detects a defect not on the basis of a change of an X-ray irradiation angle but on uniform determining criteria. As one embodiment for achieving the purpose, proposed below is an X-ray inspection device that is provided with: a detection element that detects a transmission X-ray, which has been emitted from an X-ray source and passed through a sample; and an arithmetic device, which forms a profile on the basis of output signals transmitted from the detection element, and which detects, using the profile, a defect included in the sample. The arithmetic device detects the defect on the basis of threshold setting corresponding to the visual field positions of the transmission X-ray.

Abstract: A method including inspecting, using an X-ray transmission image, internal defects in a TSV formed in a semiconductor wafer, and detecting the X-rays, and processing an X-ray transmission image. Therein, the detection of X-rays is configured such that: the detection azimuth of the X-rays, and the detection elevation angle of the X-rays relative to the X-ray source are determined on the basis of information on the arrangement interval, depth, and planar shape of structures formed in the sample. The angle of rotation of a rotating stage on which the sample is mounted is adjusted in accordance with the detection azimuth which has been determined, and the X-rays that have been transmitted through the sample are detected with the position of the detector set to the detection elevation angle which has been determined.

Abstract: There is provided a pattern inspection device for a substrate surface which can inspect a substrate including a pattern whose size is equal to or smaller than light resolution limit at high speed. The pattern inspection device for the substrate surface includes: a near-field optical head 101 having a fine repetitive pattern; a ? driving unit 311 of scanning an inspected substrate 900 relatively to the near-field optical head 101; a space holding mechanism of holding a space between the near-field optical head 101 and the inspected substrate 900 constant; alight source 110 of irradiating light to the near-field optical head 101; a detection system 201 of detecting an intensity of scattered light generated by interaction between the fine repetitive pattern on the near-field optical head 101 and a fine pattern on a surface of the inspected substrate 900; and a signal processing unit 321 of inspecting the fine pattern on the inspected substrate 900 based on an output of the detection system 201.

Abstract: In the inspection of a defect in a fine concave-convex pattern, a spectral waveform of a detection area of an inspection object is detected, area determination as to which area section determined by a pattern type of the inspection object the detection area belongs to is performed, a feature calculation equation and a determination index value which correspond to a determined area section and vary according to defect type is selected, feature calculation on the spectral waveform data in accordance with the selected feature calculation equation is performed, and a calculated feature value and the selected determination index value are compared to perform determination processing according to defect type.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate. The apparatus includes: a rotatable stage on which a substrate to be inspected is placed; an inspection optical system having an illumination light source for emitting light to a substrate placed on the stage and a detector for detecting light from the substrate which is irradiated with the light from the illumination light source; an A/D converter for amplifying and A/D converting signals output from the detector in the inspection optical system; and a defect detector for detecting defects in a surface of the substrate by processing signals output from the detector and converted by the A/D converter and classifying the defected defects. The defect detector extracts micro defects in the surface of the substrate by processing the signals output from the detector, and detects linear defects existing discretely in a linear region.

Abstract: An inspection region is specified using the design information to perform region division for measurement through a scatterometry method. The obtained detection data is classified by pattern into a periodic region and a non-periodic region. A spectroscopic characteristic is detected by an optical sensor to extract features. The extracted features are compared with features stored in a feature map database for each region to evaluate a state of a patterned medium.

Abstract: A substrate surface inspection device includes an inspection optical system irradiating at least one light onto a substrate, which is an inspection target and carried on a turnable stage, and having at least one detector detecting reflected or scattered light from the substrate, a detector processing the signals, which are outputted from the at least one detector and A/D converted, and detecting a defect on the substrate, an output calculator performing scattered light simulation on a defect detection model and estimating a plurality of detector outputs; and a classifier constructor constructing a classifier by mechanical learning of a rule base, wherein the classifier constructor is adapted to present collection of a necessary actual defect sample on the basis of the classifier obtained by scattered light simulation, and construct the classifier under necessary and sufficient conditions.

Abstract: Applying an alternating current to a magnetic head as a sample generates an alternate-current magnetic field from the sample. A cantilever includes a probe that is made of a magnetic material or is coated with a magnetic material. The cantilever is displaced when it approaches the sample. Detecting the displacement of the cantilever detects distribution of the magnetic field from the sample. It is possible to fast measure distribution of the magnetic field generated from the sample when a frequency of the alternating current applied to the sample differs from a resonance frequency of the cantilever.

Abstract: In an optical inspection for patterned media for hard disks, a pattern inspection device is provided for inspecting patterns without being susceptible to variations in film thickness and film quality of an underlying film, the device includes optical characteristics detection means for detecting optical characteristics of multilayers by processing, upon the reflected light being dispersed and detected by the spectroscopic detection means, the reflected light from a non-patterned region on the substrate, and processing a detection signal corresponding to, and detecting optical characteristics of, the reflected light from the patterns including the multilayers; and pattern inspection means for inspecting the patterns formed on the multilayers, by viewing, upon the detection of the optical characteristics by the optical characteristics detection means, information on the optical characteristics of the reflected light from the multilayers, and processing information on the optical characteristics of the reflected

Abstract: In spectral detection for detecting the shape of repeating pattern structures uniformly formed on a surface of a test object, it is advantageous to use light having a wide wavelength range in a short wavelength region. However, it is not easy to realize a relatively simple optical system capable of spectral detection of light having a wide wavelength range in a short wavelength region, namely in ultraviolet region. The present invention provides an inspection apparatus for detecting pattern defects. The inspection apparatus includes a spectral detection optical system capable of spectral detection of light in a wavelength range from deep ultraviolet to near infrared. The spectral detection optical system includes a spatially partial mirror serving as a half mirror and a reflecting objective provided with an aperture stop for limiting the angle and direction of light to be applied to and reflected by a test object.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pattern shape inspection method and an apparatus thereof for conducting a first step of irradiating wideband illuminating light which contains far ultraviolet light to a sample from a perpendicular direction, inspecting a shape of the pattern based on a spectral waveform of reflecting light detected from the sample, and detecting an edge roughness of the pattern based on the spectral waveform of the reflecting light detected from the sample, and a second step of irradiating a laser beam to the sample from an oblique direction, and detecting the edge roughness of the pattern based on scattered light detected from the sample.

Abstract: The invention has a function of preparing a data base for a relation between a defect shape and an arrangement for the optical system capable of detecting the shape at high sensitivity and automatically adjusting the arrangement for the optical system. As the method of preparing the data base, a method of using optical simulation or an experimental method of using a sample having an optical shape is applied. A pinhole position and a beam size are adjusted automatically so as to attain the optimal arrangement for the optical system to an inputted defect shape based on the data base.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate. The apparatus includes: a rotatable stage on which a substrate to be inspected is placed; an inspection optical system having an illumination light source for emitting light to a substrate placed on the stage and a detector for detecting light from the substrate which is irradiated with the light from the illumination light source; an A/D converter for amplifying and A/D converting signals output from the detector in the inspection optical system; and a defect detector for detecting defects in a surface of the substrate by processing signals output from the detector and converted by the A/D converter and classifying the defected defects. The defect detector extracts micro defects in the surface of the substrate by processing the signals output from the detector, and detects linear defects existing discretely in a linear region.

Abstract: There is provided a pattern inspection device for a substrate surface which can inspect a substrate including a pattern whose size is equal to or smaller than light resolution limit at high speed. The pattern inspection device for the substrate surface includes: a near-field optical head 101 having a fine repetitive pattern; a ? driving unit 311 of scanning an inspected substrate 900 relatively to the near-field optical head 101; a space holding mechanism of holding a space between the near-field optical head 101 and the inspected substrate 900 constant; alight source 110 of irradiating light to the near-field optical head 101; a detection system 201 of detecting an intensity of scattered light generated by interaction between the fine repetitive pattern on the near-field optical head 101 and a fine pattern on a surface of the inspected substrate 900; and a signal processing unit 321 of inspecting the fine pattern on the inspected substrate 900 based on an output of the detection system 201.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a pattern shape of a magnetic record medium or its stamper includes: a moving mechanism, on which an object to be inspected where a pattern is formed is placed and which moves the object to be inspected in a radial direction while rotating the object; an irradiating optical system that applies illuminating light of a wide band including far ultraviolet light to the object to be inspected moved in the radial direction while rotating the object by the moving mechanism in a polarized state suitable for the object to be inspected from an oblique direction; a detecting optical system that detects zero-order reflected light generated from the object to be inspected irradiated by the irradiating optical system; and a shape inspection unit that inspects a pattern shape formed on the object to be inspected based on a spectral reflectance waveform obtained by dispersing the detected zero-order reflected light, thereby inspecting the pattern shape at a high speed and with high sensitivity.

Abstract: A defect generated during a nano-imprint process is inspected by a scatterometry method. The scatterometry method is to illuminate the surface of a medium with light having a plurality of wave lengths by means of a first illuminator through a half mirror and an objective lens and cause light reflected on the medium to be incident on a spectrometer through the objective lens and the half mirror. A second illuminator illuminates a foreign material or scratch on the surface of the medium from an oblique direction with respect to the surface of the medium. Light is scattered from the foreign material or scratch and detected by first and second detectors. The first detector is placed in a direction defining a first elevation angle with the surface of the medium. The second detector is placed in a direction defining a second elevation angle with the surface of the medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting defects on a disk surface which projects light on the disk surface by a light transmitting system, receives specula reflection light and scattered light by a light receiving system, exposes defects by performing a two-dimensional frequency filter process on a signal, and performs a defect determination process to extract a linear-shaped isolative defect candidate. Next, the present invention performs a periodicity determination process to classify and detect the periodically generated linear and circular arc defects and the isolatively generated linear and circular arc defects.

Abstract: In the inspection of a defect in a fine concave-convex pattern, a spectral waveform of a detection area of an inspection object is detected, area determination as to which area section determined by a pattern type of the inspection object the detection area belongs to is performed, a feature calculation equation and a determination index value which correspond to a determined area section and vary according to defect type is selected, feature calculation on the spectral waveform data in accordance with the selected feature calculation equation is performed, and a calculated feature value and the selected determination index value are compared to perform determination processing according to defect type.

Abstract: In an exposure process or etching process, an image feature amount useful for estimating a cross-sectional shape of a target evaluation pattern, process conditions for the pattern, or device characteristics of the pattern is calculated from an SEM image. The image feature amount is compared with learning data that correlates data preliminarily stored in a database, which data includes cross-sectional shapes of patterns, process conditions for the patterns, or device characteristics of the patterns, to the image feature amount calculated from the SEM image. Thereby, the cross-sectional shape of the target evaluation pattern, the process conditions of the pattern, or the device characteristics of the pattern are nondestructively calculated.