Abstract: An electronic wafer inspecting method includes: rotating the wavelength transparent wafer, emitting, from a light source coupled with an interferometric device, two light beams, to form, a measurement volume and having a variable inter-fringe distance within the volume, a time signature of a defect intersecting the measurement volume depending on an inter-fringe distance where the defect intersects the volume, the device and the wafer arranged so that the measurement volume extends into a wafer region, collecting the light scattered by the wafer region, emitting a signal representing the variation in the intensity of the collected light per time, detecting in the signal, a frequency of the intensity, the frequency being the time of the passage of a defect through the measurement volume, determining, based on the value of the inter-fringe distance at the location where the defect passes, the position of the defect.

Abstract: A method is provided for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer having tridimensional structures, using a confocal chromatic device with a plurality of optical measurement channels and a chromatic lens allowing optical wavelengths of a broadband light source to be focused at different axial distances defining a chromatic measurement range. The method includes a step of obtaining an intensity information corresponding to the intensity of the light actually focused on an interface of the object within the chromatic measurement range at a plurality of measurement points on the object by measuring a total intensity over the full spectrum of the light collected by at least some of the optical measurement channels in a confocal configuration.

Abstract: A confocal chromatic device is provided, including at least one chromatic lens with an extended axial chromatism; at least one broadband light source; at least one optical detector; and at least one measurement channel with a planar Y-junction made with a planar waveguide optics technology, and arranged for transferring light from the at least one light source towards the at least one chromatic lens and for transferring light reflected back through the at least one chromatic lens towards the at least one optical detector.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided for localizing structures through the surface of an object such as a wafer, with a view to positioning a measuring sensor relative to the structures, includes: (i) an imaging sensor; (ii) an optical imager able to produce, on the imaging sensor, an image of the object in a field of view; and (iii) an illuminator for generating an illuminating beam and lighting the field of view in reflection, in which the illuminating beam and lighting the field of view in reflection, in which the illuminator is able to generate an illuminating beam the spectral content of which is adapted to the nature of the object, such that the light of the beam is able to essentially penetrate into the object. Also provided is a system and a method for carrying out dimensional measurements on an object such as a wafer.

Abstract: An electronic wafer inspecting method includes: rotating the wavelength transparent wafer, emitting, from a light source coupled with an interferometric device, two light beams, to form, a measurement volume and having a vaiable inter-fringe distance within the volume, a time signature of a defect intersecting the measurement volume depending on an inter-fringe distance where the defect intersects the volume, the device and the wafer arranged so that the measurement volume extends into a wafer region, collecting the light scattered by the wafer region, emitting a signal representing the variation in the intensity of the collected light per time, detecting in the signal, a frequency of the intensity, the frequency being the time of the passge of a defect through the measurement volume, determining, based on the value of the inter-fringe distance at the location where the defect passes, the position of the defect.

Abstract: An imaging method and device is provided for inspecting for the presence, in an object like a wafer, of enclosed structures, such as vias, employing: an imaging sensor; an optical imager able to produce, on the imaging sensor, an object image in a field of view; and an illuminator for generating an illuminating beam and lighting the field of view in reflection, including: acquiring a first image of the object by illuminating the object with a first illuminating beam adapted to the object, such that the light of the beam penetrates the object; acquiring a second image of the object by illuminating the object with a second illuminating beam adapted to the object, such that the light of the beam is reflected by the surface of the object; and comparing the first and second images to identify structures that appear in the first image but not in the second image.

Abstract: A device or apparatus is provided for carrying out measurements of shape on a first surface of a wafer relative to structures present beneath the first surface including (i) profilometry apparatus arranged in order to carry out measurements of shape on the first surface of the wafer according to at least one measurement field; (ii) imaging apparatus facing the profilometry apparatus and arranged in order to acquire a reference image of the structures on or through a second surface of the wafer opposite to the first surface according to at least one imaging field; the profilometry apparatus and said imaging apparatus being arranged so that the measurement and imaging fields are referenced in position within a common frame of reference. A method is also provided to be implemented in this device or this apparatus.

Abstract: A device for positioning a mask relative to the surface of a wafer with a view to the exposure of the wafer, which includes (i) first positioning structure suitable for holding and moving the mask and the wafer in relation to each other; (ii) imaging structure suitable for producing at least one image of the mask and of the surface of the wafer according to at least one field of view, so as to image positioning marks of the mask and of the wafer simultaneously in the field of view; and (iii) at least one optical distance sensor suitable for producing a distance measurement between the surface of the wafer and the mask in the field(s) of view, with a measurement beam which passes at least partially through the imaging structure.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a wafer, includes: rotating the wafer about an axis of the wafer, emitting from a light source, two pairs of incident coherent light beams, each pair forming, at the intersection between the two beams, a measurement volume, a portion of the main wafer surface passing through each of the measurement volumes during the rotation, collecting a light beam scattered by the wafer surface, capturing the collected light and emitting an electrical signal representing the variation in the collected light intensity, detecting in the signal, a frequency, being the time signature of a defect through a respective measurement volume, for each detected signature, determining a visibility parameter, on the basis of the visibility determined, obtaining an item of information on the size of the defect, and cross-checking the items of information to determine the size of the defect.

Abstract: A confocal chromatic device for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer, including a plurality of optical measurement channels with collection apertures arranged for collecting the light reflected by the object through a chromatic lens at a plurality of measurement points, the plurality of optical measurement channels including optical measurement channels with an intensity detector for measuring a total intensity of the collected light. A method is also provided for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer including tridimensional structures.