Abstract: Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. The inspection novel method provided by the present invention comprises the steps of: generating an electron beam; converging the generated electron beam on a specimen by using an objective lens; scanning the specimen by using the converged electron beam; continuously moving the specimen during scanning; detecting charged particles emanating from the specimen at a location between the specimen and the objective lens and converting the detected charged particles into an electrical signal; storing picture information conveyed by the electrical signal; comparing a picture with another by using the stored picture information; and detecting a defect of the specimen.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspection method and an apparatus therefor, in which the whole of a portion to be inspected of a sample to be inspected is made to be in a predetermined charged state, the portion to be inspected is irradiated with an image-forming high-density electron beam while scanning the electron beam, secondary charged particles are detected at a portion irradiated with the electron beam after a predetermined period of time from an instance when the electron beam is irradiated, an image is formed on the basis of the thus detected secondary charged particle signal, and the portion to be inspected is inspected by using the thus formed image.

Abstract: The electron beam is irradiated several times at predetermined intervals to the wafer surface on which the plugs are exposed in the course of the manufacturing process so that the pn junction is in the reverse bias state. Then, the irradiation conditions of the electron beam are changed while monitoring the charging voltage on the plug surface, and the secondary electron signals of the circuit pattern are obtained under the irradiation conditions that the charging is within a desired range, thereby evaluating the leakage property. Since the charging voltage of the pn junction is relaxed depending on the magnitude of the leakage current during the interval, the leakage property is evaluated based on the luminance signals of the voltage contrast image. By measuring the charging voltage and setting it within a desired range, the evaluation result reflects the state in the actual operation. Therefore, the accuracy is enhanced.

Abstract: An electron beam (area beam) having a fixed area is irradiated onto the surface of a semiconductor sample, and reflected electrons from the sample surface are imaged by the imaging lens, and images of a plurality of regions of the surface of the semiconductor sample are obtained and stored in the image storage unit, and the stored images of the plurality of regions are compared with each other, and the existence of a defect in the regions and the defect position are measured. By doing this, in an apparatus for testing a pattern defect of the same design, foreign substances, and residuals on a wafer in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor apparatus by an electron beam, speeding-up of the test can be realized.

Abstract: Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. The inspection novel method provided by the present invention comprises the steps of: generating an electron beam; converging the generated electron beam on a specimen by using an objective lens; scanning the specimen by using the converged electron beam; continuously moving the specimen during scanning; detecting charged particles emanating from the specimen at a location between the specimen and the objective lens and converting the detected charged particles into an electrical signal; storing picture information conveyed by the electrical signal; comparing a picture with another by using the stored picture information; and detecting a defect of the specimen.

Abstract: An electron beam (area beam) having a fixed area is irradiated onto the surface of a semiconductor sample, and reflected electrons from the sample surface are imaged by the imaging lens, and images of a plurality of regions of the surface of the semiconductor sample are obtained and stored in the image storage unit, and the stored images of the plurality of regions are compared with each other, and the existence of a defect in the regions and the defect position are measured. By doing this, in an apparatus for testing a pattern defect of the same design, foreign substances, and residuals on a wafer in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor apparatus by an electron beam, speeding-up of the test can be realized.

Abstract: A pattern inspection method and apparatus in which a charged particle beam is irradiated onto a surface of a specimen on which a pattern is formed, plural sensors simultaneously detect secondary particles emanated from the surface of the specimen by the irradiation, signals outputted from each sensor of the plural sensors which simultaneously detect the secondary particles are added, an image of the surface of the specimen on which the pattern is obtained from the added signals, and the image is processed to detect a defect of the pattern.

Abstract: Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. The inspection novel method provided by the present invention comprises the steps of: generating an electron beam; converging the generated electron beam on a specimen by using an objective lens; scanning the specimen by using the converged electron beam; continuously moving the specimen during scanning; detecting charged particles emanating from the specimen at a location between the specimen and the objective lens and converting the detected charged particles into an electrical signal; storing picture information conveyed by the electrical signal; comparing a picture with another by using the stored picture information; and detecting a defect of the specimen.

Abstract: A pattern inspection method which irradiates a charged particle beam onto a surface of a specimen on which a pattern is formed, simultaneously detecting with plural sensors secondary particles emanated from the surface of the specimen by the irradiation, adding signals outputted from each sensor of the plural sensors which simultaneously detected the secondary particles, obtaining an image of the surface of the specimen on which the pattern is formed from the added signals and processing the image to detect a defect of the pattern.

Abstract: According to the invention, techniques for automatically adjusting for astigmatism in a charged particle beam apparatus. Embodiments according to the present invention can provide a charged particle beam apparatus and an automatic astigmatism adjustment methods capable of automatically correcting astigmatism and a focal point in a relatively short period of time by finding a plurality of astigmatism correction quantities and a focal point correction quantity in a single operation from a relatively small number of 2 dimensional images. Specific embodiments can perform such automatic focusing while minimizing damages inflicted on subject samples. Embodiments include, among others, a charged particle optical system for carrying out an inspection, a measurement and a fabrication with a relatively high degree of accuracy by using a charged particle beam.

Abstract: According to the invention, techniques for automatically adjusting for astigmatism in a charged particle beam apparatus. Embodiments according to the present invention can provide a charged particle beam apparatus and an automatic astigmatism adjustment methods capable of automatically correcting astigmatism and a focal point in a relatively short period of time by finding a plurality of astigmatism correction quantities and a focal point correction quantity in a single operation from a relatively small number of 2 dimensional images. Specific embodiments can perform such automatic focusing while minimizing damages inflicted on subject samples. Embodiments include, among others, a charged particle optical system for carrying out an inspection, a measurement and a fabrication with a relatively high degree of accuracy by using a charged particle beam.

Abstract: An electron beam (area beam) having a fixed area is irradiated onto the surface of a semiconductor sample, and reflected electrons from the sample surface are imaged by the imaging lens, and images of a plurality of regions of the surface of the semiconductor sample are obtained and stored in the image storage unit, and the stored images of the plurality of regions are compared with each other, and the existence of a defect in the regions and the defect position are measured. By doing this, in an apparatus for testing a pattern defect of the same design, foreign substances, and residuals on a wafer in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor apparatus by an electron beam, speeding-up of the test can be realized.

Abstract: An electron beam (area beam) having a fixed area is irradiated onto the surface of a semiconductor sample, and reflected electrons from the sample surface are imaged by the imaging lens, and images of a plurality of regions of the surface of the semiconductor sample are obtained and stored in the image storage unit, and the stored images of the plurality of regions are compared with each other, and the existence of a defect in the regions and the defect position are measured. By doing this, in an apparatus for testing a pattern defect of the same design, foreign substances, and residuals on a wafer in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor apparatus by an electron beam, speeding-up of the test can be realized.

Abstract: Heights of a sample are calibrated by setting a calibrating substrate on a stage and then irradiating a charged particle beam onto standard marks provided on at least two kinds of surfaces having different substrate heights. Secondary charged particles produced from said irradiated standard marks on the substrate are and detected and a surface height of the irradiated portion of the substrate measured. The difference in height between the standard marks is set to be in a range containing an extent, over the entire sample, to which the height of the sample varies due to warping.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer inspection technique capable of detecting a defect in a wafer on which a pattern having a large step such as a contact hole being subjected to a semiconductor manufacturing process is formed and obtaining information such as the position and kind of a defect such as a hole with open contact failure caused in dry etching process at high speed. A wafer on which a pattern having a large step being subjected to a semiconductor manufacturing process is formed is scanned and irradiated with an electron beam having irradiation energy which is in a range from 100 eV to 1,000 eV, and a defect is detected at high speed from an image of secondary electrons generated. Before the secondary electron image is captured, the wafer is irradiated with an electron beam at high speed while being moved to thereby charge the surface of the wafer with a desired charging voltage.

Abstract: A pattern inspecting method and apparatus in which changed particles irradiate an object substrate having patterns formed thereon, sequential detection on a time division basis utilizing a plurality of sensors at, at least one of a secondary electron, reflected electron and transparent electron generated from the object substrate which is irradiated is effected and digital images at a rate higher than a rate obtained with a plurality of the sensors or with a discrete sensor forming divided sensors by a time-series processing of the signal obtained through the detection on a time division basis is obtained. A defect of the patterns formed on the object substrate is detected in accordance with the obtained digital images.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspecting instrument includes an electron-optical system for irradiating an electron beam on a sample, an electron beam deflector, a detector for detecting secondary charged particles from the sample, and a mode setting unit for switching between a first mode and a second mode. An electron beam current is larger in the first mode than in the second mode, and an electron beam scanning speed is higher in the first mode than in the second mode. The circuit pattern inspecting instrument is configured so that first the sample is observed in the first mode, then a particular position on the sample is selected based on image data produced by an output of the detector in the first mode, and then the particular position on the sample is observed in the second mode.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspection method and an apparatus therefor, in which the whole of a portion to be inspected of a sample to be inspected is made to be in a predetermined charged state, the portion to be inspected is irradiated with an image-forming high-density electron beam while scanning the electron beam, secondary charged particles are detected at a portion irradiated with the electron beam after a predetermined period of time from an instance when the electron beam is radiated, an image is formed on the basis of the thus detected secondary charged particle signal, and the portion to be inspected is inspected by using the thus formed image.

Abstract: An electron beam (area beam) having a fixed area is irradiated onto the surface of a semiconductor sample, and reflected electrons from the sample surface are imaged by the imaging lens, and images of a plurality of regions of the surface of the semiconductor sample are obtained and stored in the image storage unit, and the stored images of the plurality of regions are compared with each other, and the existence of a defect in the regions and the defect position are measured. By doing this, in an apparatus for testing a pattern defect of the same design, foreign substances, and residuals on a wafer in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor apparatus by an electron beam, speeding-up of the test can be realized.

Abstract: In the detecting system for irradiating the electron beam and detecting the secondary electron thereof, an area of the detector is an important factor for high-speed detection. For the technique of the current electron optical system and detector, a detector of the area larger than a constant area is necessary and detection of 200 Msps or more by receiving limitation on the frequency inversely proportional to the area is substantially difficult. For example, for detection at 400 Msps under the condition that the required area is 4 mm square and the rate for 4 mm square is defined as 150 Msps, four discrete high-speed detectors of 2 mm square are arranged to amplify and then add the signals for A/D conversion. Otherwise, the secondary electron is sequentially inputted to the detector of 8 mm square with the secondary electron deflector, the secondary electron is detected at 100 Msps and arranged after the A/D conversion. In any case, the area of 4 mm square and rate of 400 Msps can be attained.