Abstract: A system for inspecting a disc-shaped substrate 32 is disclosed. The system 100 is surrounded by a housing. A table 2 that is movable in at least an X-direction and a Y-direction and is borne by a mounting plate 22 is provided within the housing 50. The mounting plate 22 is vibration isolated in comparison to the housing 50. Equally, an exhaust unit 40 is provided beneath the mounting plate 22 and arranged at a distance from it. The exhaust unit 40 possesses an opening 36 for air entry. The opening 36 for air entry is provided in the exhaust unit between an end of the mounting plate 22 and a wall of the housing 50.

Abstract: An apparatus for recovery in the system for processing disc-shaped objects is disclosed. The system is provided with an OHT that places and/or removes at least one FOUP containing disc-shaped objects onto and/or off of a loadport. A light barrier arrangement is attached in front of a region of the loadport, which is designed for placing and/or removing a FOUP by means of the OHT. An input device is provided through which the OHT resumes the process of placing and/or removing the FOUP when this is stopped by an interruption of the light barrier arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing a FOUP on a loadport 20 of a system for processing disc-shaped objects is disclosed. Several light indicators 23 are provided at the loadport 20, which indicate a correct orientation and positioning of the FOUP on the loadport 20 as well as clearance to load or unload the loadport 20. A operating element 30 is arranged at the loadport, which when activated gives clearance for processing the disc-shaped objects in the FOUP.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting the front side and the back side 2, 3 of a disc-shaped object 4 is disclosed. A detection unit 5 has a first detector element 6 facing the front side 2 and a second detector element 7 facing the back side of the disc-shaped object 4. Furthermore, a means 8 is provided for generating a relative movement between the detection unit 5 and the disc-shaped object 4 so that an image is made of the front side and the back side 2, 3 of the disc-shaped object 4.

Abstract: A system (100, 200, 300) for inspecting a disc-shaped object is disclosed. The system (100, 200, 300) comprises a loading unit for disc-shaped objects 4 and a device 1 for simultaneously imaging the front side and back side of the disc-shaped object 4.

Abstract: A sample P is illuminated by a measurement light beam with an incidence angle differing from 0°; light reflected therefrom is detected; intensity values are recorded and evaluated; and the opening of a field stop is imaged onto a receiving surface, thereby generating an image. In such a method, a value of “light” or “dark” is allocated to each intensity value as a function of a brightness threshold; the smallest rectangle that encloses all “light” positions on the receiving surface is determined; the geometric center point of that rectangle is determined; the position of that point is compared with the position on the receiving surface that corresponds to the geometric center point of the image generated by the field stop in the focused state; and a change in the distance between the sample and the imaging optical system corresponding to the distance between the two points is effected.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates (6), having at least three workstations (8, 10, 12), a changer (14), which has at least three arms (14a, 14b, 14c) which are designed to load the individual workstations (8, 10, 12) with semiconductor substrates (6). A measuring device (15) is assigned to the second workstation (10), determines the deviation of the current position of the semiconductor substrate (6) and makes it available to the arrangement (3) for the further inspection of the semiconductor substrate (6). In addition, the changer (14) is not equipped with means for exact positioning of the semiconductor substrates (6) in the workstations (8, 10, 12).

Abstract: The invention refers to a setting module for an illumination apparatus (2) of an optical instrument (1), in particular of a microscope, in which the illumination apparatus (2) comprises a light source (4), an illuminating optical system, and positioning elements (7, 8, 9, 16) with which the position of the light source (4) and/or of the illuminating optical system within the illumination apparatus (2) can be modified. The setting module (17) comprises a module housing (18) having at least one drive device (19, 20, 21, 22) and coupling members (27, 28, 29, 30) for the transfer of a drive motion to the positioning elements (7, 8, 9, 16). Also described is an illumination system comprising the illumination apparatus and the setting module. The result is to create an alignment capability with excellent functionality and user-friendliness, thereby making possible rapid positional adjustment of the light source and/or the illuminating optical system in the context of use under clean-room conditions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the determination of layer thickness ranges of layers of a specimen, in which the reflection spectrum of the specimen is measured in a specified wavelength range and then smoothed, the number of extremes in the smoothed reflection spectrum is determined, and the determination of the layer thickness ranges is accomplished by comparison with the number of extremes in the modeled reflection spectra, such that for each layer the thickness in that layer is varied in steps having a predetermined increment, and a reflection spectrum is modeled. In a method of this kind, the wavelength range and the increments are specified in self-consistent fashion using a sensitivity criterion.

Abstract: The invention is based on a substrate conveying module (1) for conveying substrates into a workstation (3) for inspection, measurement, or processing of the substrates, in which on because of connecting elements (4a, b) in at least two side walls (1a, b, c) of the substrate conveying module (1) and/or in at least two side walls (3a, b, c, d) of the workstation (3), the substrate conveying module (1) can, at the installation location of the workstation (3), be flexibly connected thereto in different orientations with respect to the workstation (3) and/or can be coupled at different points to the workstation (3).

Abstract: An apparatus (2) and a method for acquiring a complete image of a surface (4) of a semiconductor substrate (6) are disclosed. The apparatus encompasses a digital camera (11) having an objective (5) and a CCD chip (12). The objective (5) defines an optical axis (7) that is perpendicular to the CCD chip (12). Also provided is an illumination device (14) that is arranged above the surface (4) of the semiconductor substrate (6). The optical axis (7) forms with the surface (4) of the semiconductor substrate (6) an angle ([alpha]) that is less than 90°.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for evaluating pattern defects on a wafer surface, comprising the following steps: acquiring the surface data of a plurality of individual image fields (4) of a series-produced wafer (1); storing the data in a reference data set and making it available as reference data for the inspection of further wafers of the same series; inspecting, successively in time, the individual image fields (4) on the surface of a wafer (1) presently being examined; retrieving from the reference data set a reference datum corresponding to the respective individual image field (4) presently being inspected; comparing the surface of each individual image field (4) currently being inspected to the corresponding reference datum; if one or more deviations are identified, subsequently classifying the deviations into critical and noncritical defects in terms of the functionality of the chip; and simultaneously updating or adding to the reference data set.

Abstract: The invention relates to a holding device for wafers in an arrangement for wafer inspection, comprising two grippers (11, 12), each of which, in the closed state of the holding device (8), encloses a subsection of the wafer circumference and which are connected to a drive device (27) and, when the latter is driven, the grippers (11, 12) move away from each other for the purpose of opening the holding device (9) and move toward each other for the purpose of closing the holding device (8), and a holding arm (13), on which the two grippers (11, 12) are pivotably mounted. In this case the holding arm (13) is mounted such that it can rotate about an axis (A) which lies substantially in the plane covered by the wafer (W), so that after a rotation through 180° about the axis (A), a wafer (W) held between the grippers (11, 12) has been turned.

Abstract: An arrangement for the identification of a substrate (S) having at least one identification marking (I), comprising a turntable (2) for rotating a substrate (S) placed thereon; an illumination source (4) and a receiving device (5) for evaluating the intensity of the light emerging from the illumination source (4), the edge zone of the substrate (S) placed on the turntable (2), upon rotation thereof, influencing the light intensity striking the receiving device (5); a device (6) for reading the identification marking (I), having a sensing region (E); and a calculation device that calculates a manipulated variable for a correction rotation angle about the rotation axis (A) for alignment of the identification marking (I) with respect to the sensing region (E), and a manipulated variable for a correction motion for changing the position of the sensing region (E) with respect to the rotation axis (A) or with respect to the actual position of the identification marking (I), and outputs them to a positioning devi

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determination of layer thicknesses and optical parameters of a number of layers of a specimen, in which the reflectance spectrum of the specimen is measured and then smoothed, and a modeled reflectance spectrum is adapted to the measured one by means of an optimization criterion so as thereby to determine the layer thickness. The optimization criterion is determined by the totality of the absolute values of the wavelength differences of all pairs of wavelengths, a pair of wavelengths being constituted by those wavelengths that respectively correspond to a selected extreme in the measured reflectance spectrum characterized by an index counting the extremes in ascending or descending order, and a selected extreme in the modeled reflectance spectrum having the same index.

Abstract: In the manufacture of integrated circuits on a wafer, it is necessary to monitor the manufacturing process by inspecting the ICs as to whether errors or defects have occurred during production. It is already known to use a scattered-light device (32) to determine whether a defect is present on the wafer. According to the present invention, defect examination is now improved in that defect-suspected regions (33) are identified using the scattered-light device (32). With a further examination system (30, 28) different from the scattered-light device (32), a determination is then made as to whether the defect-suspected regions (33) are defects. The latter can then also be classified.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for transporting and inspecting semiconductor substrates (6), having at least three workstations (8, 10, 12), a changer (14), which has at least three arms (14a, 14b, 14c) which are designed to load the individual workstations (8, 10, 12) with semiconductor substrates (6). A measuring device (15) is assigned to the second workstation (10), determines the deviation of the current position of the semiconductor substrate (6) and makes it available to the arrangement (3) for the further inspection of the semiconductor substrate (6). In addition, the changer (14) is not equipped with means for exact positioning of the semiconductor substrates (6) in the workstations (8, 10, 12).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for automatic focusing onto the surface of a sample P, in which sample P is illuminated by a measurement light beam 13 that strikes the sample surface at an incidence angle differing from 0°; light reflected therefrom is detected by means of a position-sensitive receiving surface (23); intensity values as allocated to positions on the receiving surface (23) are recorded and evaluated, and the opening of a field stop (7) is imaged onto the receiving surface (23), thereby generating an image that is smaller than the receiving surface (23).

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical measurement arrangement, in particular for the examination of layer systems, and comprises an illumination device having at least one illumination source for delivering a measurement light beam and coupling it into the beam path of a layer thickness measuring instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) and a method for thin-layer metrology of semiconductor substrates (16) are disclosed. The semiconductor substrates (16) are delivered or transported to the apparatus (1) by means of at least one cassette element. A measurement unit (5) for thin-layer micrometrology is provided in the apparatus (1), the semiconductor substrates being conveyed by means of a transport mechanism (7) from the cassette element (3) to the measurement unit (5) for thin-layer micrometrology. A measurement unit (9) for thin-layer macrometrology is provided in the region of the transport mechanism (7) after the cassette element (3). By means of the measurement unit (9) for thin-layer macrometrology, measurement locations (22) on the semiconductor substrate that require more detailed examination in the measurement unit (5) for thin-layer micrometrology can rapidly be identified.