Abstract: A passivation film having a predetermined width from an outer peripheral end portion toward an inner side and extending along the outer peripheral end portion is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. An outer peripheral end surface orthogonal to the front surface and a rear surface is formed by grinding the outer peripheral end portion of the semiconductor substrate. A thickness of the semiconductor substrate is reduced to a predetermined thickness by grinding the rear surface. The ground rear surface is etched by discharging a mixed acid onto the rear surface while rotating the semiconductor substrate with the rear surface facing upward, to remove a fracture layer. Thereby, chipping or cracking of the semiconductor substrate is suppressed.

Abstract: A passivation film having a predetermined width from an outer peripheral end portion toward an inner side and extending along the outer peripheral end portion is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. An outer peripheral end surface orthogonal to the front surface and a rear surface is formed by grinding the outer peripheral end portion of the semiconductor substrate. A thickness of the semiconductor substrate is reduced to a predetermined thickness by grinding the rear surface. The ground rear surface is etched by discharging a mixed acid onto the rear surface while rotating the semiconductor substrate with the rear surface facing upward, to remove a fracture layer. Thereby, chipping or cracking of the semiconductor substrate is suppressed.

Abstract: Transforming optical images of a portion including a normal conductor pattern having a surface roughness, a portion subjected to an inspection, and a reference portion to images of electric charges and picking up these as electric signals by an image pick-up device, rendering the optical image including the normal conductor pattern having the surface roughness to a pixel signal by the image pick-up device, controlling a light volume of the optical image so that the pixel signal is saturated or immediately before the saturation, picking up a pixel signal of the portion to be inspected under this light volume, obtaining a differential signal from a pixel signal picked up from the reference portion, and judging an existence of defect from the differential signal, so as to detect defects such as a hiatus of conductor, a short circuit, and a deposition of an extraneous matter on a wafer, on which the normal conductor pattern having the roughened surface, with a high accuracy in processes of forming films and etchi

Abstract: A defect detection system to check any defect in the pattern to be checked by comparing a pattern to be checked with a reference pattern includes an edge detection means for detecting a pattern edge of the pattern to be checked by scanning a substrate by laser beams and detecting reflected light thereof. After the relative position between the substrate and the imaging means is adjusted so that the pattern edge of the pattern to be checked is substantially aligned with one side of CCD pixels, an image of the pattern to be checked is picked up. Therefore, the defect detection system corrects misalignment less than one pixel between a pattern to be checked and a reference pattern to prevent occurrence of a false defect.

Abstract: Transforming optical images of a portion including a normal conductor pattern having a surface roughness, a portion subjected to an inspection, and a reference portion to images of electric charges and picking up these as electric signals by an image pick-up device, rendering the optical image including the normal conductor pattern having the surface roughness to a pixel signal by the image pick-up device, controlling a light volume of the optical image so that the pixel signal is saturated or immediately before the saturation, picking up a pixel signal of the portion to be inspected under this light volume, obtaining a differential signal from a pixel signal picked up from the reference portion, and judging an existence of defect from the differential signal, so as to detect defects such as a hiatus of conductor, a short circuit, and a deposition of an extraneous matter on a wafer, on which the normal conductor pattern having the roughened surface, with a high accuracy in processes of forming films and etchi

Abstract: A defect detection system to check any defect in the pattern to be checked by comparing a pattern to be checked with a reference pattern includes an edge detection means for detecting a pattern edge of the pattern to be checked by scanning a substrate by laser beams and detecting reflected light thereof. After the relative position between the substrate and the imaging means is adjusted so that the pattern edge of the pattern to be checked is substantially aligned with one side of CCD pixels, an image of the pattern to be checked is picked up. Therefore, the defect detection system corrects misalignment less than one pixel between a pattern to be checked and a reference pattern to prevent occurrence of a false defect.