Abstract: An apparatus for detecting top scattered light from a substrate. A source directs a light onto a position on the substrate. The light thereby reflects off in a specular beam, scatters off the top surface, and scatters off a bottom surface of the substrate. An objective receives the top and bottom scattered light. The objective has a first focal point focused on the position on the top surface of the substrate, and a second focal point focused on a pinhole field stop. The pinhole field stop passes the top scattered light that is focused on the pinhole field stop, and blocks the bottom scattered light. A sensor receives and quantifies the top scattered light.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting an edge of a substrate. A light source produces a light beam, and a two-dimensional beam deflector receives the light beam and creates a semi-annular scanning beam. A first flared parabolic surface receives the semi-annular scanning beam and directs the semi-annular scanning beam onto the edge of the substrate, thereby creating specularly reflected light from the edge of the substrate. A second flared parabolic surface receives and directs the specularly reflected light to a detector. The detector receives the directed specularly reflected light and produces signals. An analyzer analyzes the signals and detects defects at the edge of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting top scattered light from a substrate. A source directs a light onto a position on the substrate. The light thereby reflects off in a specular beam, scatters off the top surface, and scatters off a bottom surface of the substrate. An objective receives the top and bottom scattered light. The objective has a first focal point focused on the position on the top surface of the substrate, and a second focal point focused on a pinhole field stop. The pinhole field stop passes the top scattered light that is focused on the pinhole field stop, and blocks the bottom scattered light. A sensor receives and quantifies the top scattered light.

Abstract: A material independent profiler system and method for measuring a slope on the surface of an object such as a thin film disk, a silicon wafer, or a glass substrate is disclosed.

Abstract: Scratches, pits and particles which are smaller or larger than the beam size may be measured and identified by a single and dual multiple beam techniques. In one embodiment, this the invention uses a pair of orthogonally oriented white light beams, one in the radial and one in the circumferential direction. The scattered light from the radial and circumferential beams allows the detection and classification of particles, pits and scratches. In other embodiments, single beam techniques are used to classify radial and circumferential defects.

Abstract: The disclosed system provides a method and apparatus for automated detection of a variety of defects within an epitaxial layer by way of an optical surface analysis device containing at least two wavelengths of incident light. A unique defect detection algorithm is provided for generating defect maps for each wavelength of incident light and merging each defect map into one overall defect map in order to detect all defects within an epitaxial layer. The present system is enabled for detecting defects within an epitaxial layer independent of the thickness of the epitaxial layer. Topography, scatter, and phase measurements can also be made in order to increase the accuracy of defect detection.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface analyzer system comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target radiation onto an edge surface of a wafer, the radiation targeting assembly comprising a first expanded paraboloid or expanded ellipsoid reflector positioned adjacent the edge surface of the wafer, a reflected radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the surface, a signal processing module to generate surface parameter data from the reflected radiation, and a defect detection module to analyze the surface parameter data to detect a defect on the surface.

Abstract: A method comprises generating a data set comprising first surface roughness data from a first orientation and second surface roughness data from a second orientation and determining a roughness bias parameter from the first surface roughness data and the second surface roughness data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to measure defects on a surface of a wafer and an edge of the wafer using a single tool comprises a scatterometer to identify at least one defect region on the surface and a surface profile height measuring tool to measure one or more characteristics of the surface in the defect region with a surface profile height measuring tool.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to measure defects on a surface of a wafer and an edge of the wafer using a single tool comprises a radial motor to move an optical head in a radial direction to detect defects at locations displaced from the edge of the wafer, and a rotational motor to rotate the optical head around the edge of the wafer to detect defects on the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface analyzer system comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target radiation onto an edge surface of a wafer, the radiation targeting assembly comprising a first expanded paraboloid or expanded ellipsoid reflector positioned adjacent the edge surface of the wafer, a reflected radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the surface, a signal processing module to generate surface parameter data from the reflected radiation, and a defect detection module to analyze the surface parameter data to detect a defect on the surface.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to measure defects on a surface of a wafer and an edge of the wafer using a single tool comprises a scatterometer to identify at least one defect region on the surface and a surface profile height measuring tool to measure one or more characteristics of the surface in the defect region with a surface profile height measuring tool.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface analyzer system comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target radiation onto a surface, a reflected radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the surface, and a signal processing module. The signal processing module generates an image of magnetic characteristics of the magnetic disk, wherein the image comprises a plurality of servo sector arcs, locates a sample of points on a plurality of the servo sector arcs, fits a circle to the sample of points on each of the plurality of servo sector arcs, and determines at least one pivot-to-gap measurement from the radius of the circles.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface scanning system comprises a radiation directing assembly that scans a surface using a Cartesian scanning pattern; and a radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the surface. A scattered radiation collection system is included that measures the scattered light from the surface.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system to inspect a surface comprises an assembly to direct a first radiation beam onto a surface in a first plane of incidence, a first detector to generate a first signal from a portion of the radiation reflected from the first radiation beam, a first spatial filter interposed between the surface and the first detector, a first ellipsoidal mirror to collect scattered light, a second detector to generate a second signal from the scattered portion of the beam, and a processor to generate, from the first and second signals, a data set representing one or more characteristics of the surface using the first and second signals.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring defects, film thickness, contamination, particles and height of a thin film disk or a silicon wafer. The system includes a processor for determining height. In addition to measuring the height the system can measure film thickness and defects through the measurement of the phase shift of optical signals. An optical profilometer is described which can measure topography on thin film disks, optical substrates or silicon wafers and whose output is independent of the reflectivity of the substrate. This material independent optical profilometer uses a retro-reflector to achieve reflectivity independence and to increase the height sensitivity to 8 times the height of the surface. The reflectivity independent optical profilometer achieves perfect cancellation of the slope of the surface while measuring the topography of the substrate.

Abstract: A system to detect pits in a surface comprises first and second radiation targeting assemblies to target a second radiation beam onto a surface, a first radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation scattered from the surface, a processor coupled to the first radiation collecting assembly, a memory module coupled to the processor and comprising logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to generate a first signal from radiation scattered from the first radiation beam, generate a second signal from radiation scattered from the second radiation beam, record the first signal and the second signal at an array of different positions on the surface, calculate a median value for the first signal and the second signal over the array of different positions on the surface, and use the first signal, the second signal, and the median value to detect pits in the surface.

Abstract: In one embodiment a system to detect multi-domain regions in the soft under layer of a perpendicular magnetic media comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target a polarized radiation beam onto a surface of a substrate covered by the soft under layer of a perpendicular magnetic media, a radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the surface, a processor coupled to the first radiation collecting assembly, and a memory module coupled to the processor. The memory module comprises logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to record signal values from radiation reflected by the radiation beam at different positions on the surface and analyze the signal values to detect a region of multiple magnetic domains in the soft under layer of a perpendicular magnetic media.

Abstract: A problem in the inspection of transparent wafers and disks is the detection of top surface particles. More precisely, it is being able to assign a scattering site as being due to a particle at the top or bottom surface of a transparent wafer. A method of the present invention is to use an elliptical mirror, with a pinhole at its top focus, together with a focused beam. The focused beam will diverge as it passes through the transparent wafer and as a result any particle on the bottom surface will see a lower optical intensity and will appear weaker than a top surface particle. The suppression of scattered light from the bottom surface occurs because the source of the scattered light (the bottom surface) is far from the bottom foci of the elliptical mirror.

Abstract: A material independent optical profilometer system and method for measuring at least one of either a height or a slope of an object such as a thin film disk, a silicon wafer, or a glass substrate is disclosed.