Abstract: A system for scanning a substrate and specifically a volume of that substrate to identify anomalous structures or defects is herein described. Radiation is focused at locations within the volume of the substrate and measurements of scattered light are made. Scanning of the volume of a substrate may be fairly uniform or over selected regions, favoring those regions of the substrate that are to be involved with subsequent substrate processing steps.

Abstract: The invention relates to a holding and rotating apparatus for flat objects which define an object plane, having a gripper device that is rotatable about a rotation axis, said gripper device having a plurality of edge grippers and being designed to fix the object in a defined position in all spatial directions, the object plane being oriented perpendicularly to the rotation axis in said position, and having a rotary drive coupled to the gripper device, said rotary drive being designed to set the gripper device with the object in rotation about the rotation axis. The invention is characterized by a device for distance positioning, said device being designed to apply a supporting force, directed perpendicularly to the object plane, to the object in a contactless manner.

Abstract: A holding/turning device for touch-sensitive flat objects, in particular wafers, with a distance positioning device which is arranged for holding the object perpendicular to the object plane at a defined distance, a lateral positioning device, arranged for positioning the object in the object plane and for rotating together with the object about a rotational axis perpendicular to the object plane, and with a rotational drive, coupled with the lateral positioning device, providing a driving force for rotating the object about the rotational axis, wherein the driving force can be applied to the object by the lateral positioning device. The distance positioning device is adapted for holding the object without involving contact, and is decoupled from the rotational drive in such a way that the distance positioning device does not rotate together with the object.

Abstract: An inspection device and a method of inspection, for optical examination of object surfaces, particularly wafer surfaces, wherein the object surface is illuminated by a first illumination device and a second illumination device, wherewith the light reflected and/or scattered from irregularities on the object surface is detected by means of a “scattered light detector” operating in the dark field of the first and second illumination devices, and wherewith the object surface is illuminated by a first illumination device and a second illumination device, wherewith the first illumination device has a laser for illuminating a measurement point on the object surface. The second illumination device is disposed (and oriented) to illuminate the same measurement point on the object surface but with a larger image spot, with the use of light of lower coherence and/or with less anisotropy than that of the laser.

Abstract: An inspection device and a method of inspection, for optical examination of object surfaces, particularly wafer surfaces, wherein the object surface is illuminated by a first illumination device and a second illumination device, wherewith the light reflected and/or scattered from irregularities on the object surface is detected by means of a “scattered light detector” operating in the dark field of the first and second illumination devices, and wherewith the object surface is illuminated by a first illumination device and a second illumination device, wherewith the first illumination device has a laser for illuminating a measurement point on the object surface. The second illumination device is disposed (and oriented) to illuminate the same measurement point on the object surface but with a larger image spot, with the use of light of lower coherence and/or with less anisotropy than that of the laser.

Abstract: A holding/turning device for touch-sensitive flat objects, in particular wafers, with a distance positioning device which is arranged for holding the object perpendicular to the object plane at a defined distance, a lateral positioning device, arranged for positioning the object in the object plane and for rotating together with the object about a rotational axis perpendicular to the object plane, and with a rotational drive, coupled with the lateral positioning device, providing a driving force for rotating the object about the rotational axis, wherein the driving force can be applied to the object by means of the lateral positioning device. The distance positioning device has means for holding the object without involving contact, and is decoupled from the rotational drive in such a way that the distance positioning device does not rotate together with the object.