Abstract: A visual inspection apparatus and method using the scanning electron microscope are disclosed. An electron beam is scanned repeatedly on a sample, and an inspection and a reference image are generated by the secondary electrons generated from the sample or reflected electrons. From the differential image between the inspection image and the reference image, a defect is determined. The number of pixels in the generated image along the direction of repetitive scanning by the electron beam can be changed.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus irradiates a sample on which a pattern is formed with an electron beam, so that an inspection image and a reference image can be generated on the basis of a secondary electron or a reflected electron emitted by the sample. An abnormal pattern is determined based on a difference in halftone values of each pixel between the inspection image and the reference image. A plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern are obtained from an image of the abnormal pattern, and, based on the distribution of the plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern, a range for classifying the type of the abnormal pattern is designated. Thus, a desired defect can be extracted from many defects extracted by inspection.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection system using a scanning electron microscope that detects a high-precision electron beam image and at the same time, removes restrictions for a low sampling rate, which presents a problem at this point, of an AD converter element and an inspection method.

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus including: an image detecting part for detecting a digital image of an object substrate; a display having a screen on which the digital image of the object substrate and/or a distribution of defect candidates in a map form are displayable; an input device for inputting information of a non-inspection region to be masked on the object substrate by defining a region on the screen on which said distribution of defect candidates is displayed in a map form; a memory part for storing coordinate data, pattern data or feature quantity data of the non-inspection region to be masked on the object substrate inputted on the screen by the input device; and a defect judging part in which the digital image detected by the image detecting part is examined in a state that a region matching with a condition stored in the memory part is masked and a defect is detected in a region other than said masked region.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus irradiates a sample on which a pattern is formed with an electron beam, so that an inspection image and a reference image can be generated on the basis of a secondary electron or a reflected electron emitted by the sample. An abnormal pattern is determined based on a difference in halftone values of each pixel between the inspection image and the reference image. A plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern are obtained from an image of the abnormal pattern, and, based on the distribution of the plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern, a range for classifying the type of the abnormal pattern is designated. Thus, a desired defect can be extracted from many defects extracted by inspection.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes an irradiation optical system for irradiating an inspection target with an electron beam, a scanning unit for scanning an irradiation position in the X direction and the Y direction, an electrification control electrode for controlling secondary electrons or reflected electrons generated on the inspection target by the irradiation with the electron beam, a sensor for detecting the secondary electrons or the reflected electrons, an A/D converter for sequentially converting the signals into digital image signals from an irradiation start point-in-time of the electron beam, an addition circuit for creating a detection image by adding the digital image signals from a first set point-in-time to a second set point-in-time on each pixel basis, and an image processing circuit for judging a defect by comparing the detection image with a reference image of a circuit pattern formed on the inspection target.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a defect candidate image, including: an imager for taking an enlarged image of a specimen; an image processor for processing the image taken by the imager to detect defect candidates existing on the specimen and classify the detected defect candidates into one of plural defect classes; a memory for storing information of the defect candidates including the images of the defect candidates and the classified defect class data outputted from the image processor; and a display unit having a display screen for displaying information stored in the memory, wherein the display unit displays an image of the defect candidates together with the defect class data stored in the memory and the displayed defect class data is changeable on the display screen, and the memory changes the stored defect class data of the displayed defect candidate to the changed defect class data.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a defect candidate image, including: a scanning electron microscope for taking an enlarged image of a specimen by irradiating and scanning a converged electron beam onto the specimen and detecting charged particles emanated from the specimen by the irradiation; an image processor for processing the image taken by the scanning electron microscope to detect defect candidates on the specimen and classify the detected defect candidates into one of plural classes; a memory for storing output from the image processor including images of the detected defect candidates; and a display unit which displays information stored in the memory and an indicator, wherein the display unit displays a distribution of the detected and classified defect candidates in a map format by distinguishing by the classified class, and the display unit also displays an image of a defect candidate stored in the memory together with the map which is indicated on the map by the indicator.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a SEM visual inspection apparatus for detecting a defect in a semiconductor sample in steps of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a review apparatus for observing, at a high resolution, the defect in the semiconductor sample detected by the SEM visual inspection apparatus. The system has a function of transmitting an alignment dictionary image as one of alignment parameters to be set by the SEM visual inspection apparatus using an inspection recipe to the review apparatus.

Abstract: In a pattern inspecting apparatus, images of places which can be expected to be the same pattern are compared with one another. However, a comparison of images obtained by different stage scans and the occurrence of a place capable of being inspected only once lead to a deterioration in the performance of detecting various error defects and an area incapable of being inspected, respectively. For solving this problem, defects detected in a high sensitivity condition are regarded as defect candidates and a critical threshold value, used as a boundary to detect a smaller value as a defect, of a defect candidate portion is obtained by an image processing circuit or an image of the defect candidate portion is obtained by processing with software. Further, the critical threshold value thus obtained is compared with plural threshold values, thereby permitting plural inspection results to be obtained in a single inspection.

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus including: an image detecting part for detecting a digital image of an object substrate; a display having a screen on which the digital image of the object substrate and/or a distribution of defect candidates in a map form are displayable; an input device for inputting information of a non-inspection region to be masked on the object substrate by defining a region on the screen on which said distribution of defect candidates is displayed in a map form; a memory part for storing coordinate data, pattern data or feature quantity data of the non-inspection region to be masked on the object substrate inputted on the screen by the input device; and a defect judging part in which the digital image detected by the image detecting part is examined in a state that a region matching with a condition stored in the memory part is masked and a defect is detected in a region other than said masked region.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a SEM visual inspection apparatus for detecting a defect in a semiconductor sample in steps of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a review apparatus for observing, at a high resolution, the defect in the semiconductor sample detected by the SEM visual inspection apparatus. The system has a function of transmitting an alignment dictionary image as one of alignment parameters to be set by the SEM visual inspection apparatus using an inspection recipe to the review apparatus.

Abstract: In a pattern inspecting apparatus, images of places which can be expected to be the same pattern are compared with one another. However, a comparison of images obtained by different stage scans and the occurrence of a place capable of being inspected only once lead to a deterioration in the performance of detecting various error defects and an area incapable of being inspected, respectively. For solving this problem, defects detected in a high sensitivity condition are regarded as defect candidates and a critical threshold value, used as a boundary to detect a smaller value as a defect, of a defect candidate portion is obtained by an image processing circuit or an image of the defect candidate portion is obtained by processing with software. Further, the critical threshold value thus obtained is compared with plural threshold values, thereby permitting plural inspection results to be obtained in a single inspection.

Abstract: A pattern inspection method in which an image can be detected without an image detection error caused by an adverse effect to be given by such factors as ions implanted in a wafer, pattern connection/non-connection, and pattern edge formation. A digital image of an object substrate is attained through microscopic observation thereof, the attained digital image is examined to detect defects, while masking a region pre-registered in terms of coordinates, or while masking a pattern meeting a pre-registered pattern, and an image of each of the defects thus detected is displayed. Further, each of the defects detected using the digital image attained through microscopic observation is checked to determine whether its feature meets a pre-registered feature or not. Defects having a feature that meets the pre-registered feature are so displayed that they can be turned on/off, or they are so displayed as to be distinguishable from the other defects.

Abstract: A projection display apparatus of good portability capable of realizing brightness equivalent to that of a conventional display apparatus and displaying a bright projected image upon supply of power has an extra high pressure mercury lamp, a lamp unit for thereby generating first light and light-emitting diodes, and includes a solid state light source unit for thereby generating second light, a movable mirror and a mirror portion adjusting mechanism for selectively guiding the first light or the second light to reflective indicating elements, and a projection lens for projecting the light modulated by the reflective indicating elements.

Abstract: Conventionally, defect data outputted by an inspection system comprised only characteristic quantitative data, such as coordinate data, area, and projected length, and only the coordinate data for moving to a defect location could be utilized effectively. By contrast, the present invention, by using image data in addition to characteristic quantitative data as the defect data for an inspection system, enables the retrieval of image data via an outside results confirmation system. Further, in the case of defect data of a plurality of substrates, it is enabled to display a defect image during inspection by the fact that similar defects are retrieved via images and retrieval results are displayed as trends makes it possible to display a defect image during inspection by searching similar defects on images and displaying them as a trend, designating a substrate on the trend, thereby displaying the defect map thereof and designating a defect on the defect map.

Abstract: In a light source emitting single-color light represented by a solid light source such as a light emitting diode, a light output is increased while a color reproducibility is maintained. A red, a green, and a blue light emitting diode are controlled so that a first light emitting step of making the red light emitting diode emit light in a first light emission period, a second light emitting step of making the green light emitting diode emit light in a second light emission period, a third light emitting step of making the blue light emitting diode emit light in a third light emission period, and a fourth light emitting step of making the red light emitting diode, the green light emitting diode and the blue light emitting diode emit light at the same time in a fourth light emission period are carried out for display of one image.

Abstract: A display apparatus, which makes one pixel displayable in four colors, that is, three primary colors and a white color, and inputs and displays chrominance signals corresponding to a mixing ratio of the four colors, includes a color correction instrument which performs first color correction of increasing the saturation of chrominance signals, and a second color correction of decreasing at least the saturation of the chrominance signals, when a predetermined color component exists in the chrominance signals corresponding to a pixel, selection instrument which switches temporally and selects either of first chrominance signals obtained by the first color correction, and second chrominance signals obtained by the second color correction, and a display instrument which displays the chrominance signals, which are selected, in the pixel.

Abstract: A visual inspection apparatus and method using the scanning electron microscope are disclosed. An electron beam is scanned repeatedly on a sample, and an inspection and a reference image are generated by the secondary electrons generated from the sample or reflected electrons. From the differential image between the inspection image and the reference image, a defect is determined. The number of pixels in the generated image along the direction of repetitive scanning by the electron beam can be changed.

Abstract: A pattern inspection method in which an image can be detected without an image detection error caused by an adverse effect to be given by such factors as ions implanted in a wafer, pattern connection/non-connection, and pattern edge formation. A digital image of an object substrate is attained through microscopic observation thereof, the attained digital image is examined to detect defects, while masking a region pre-registered in terms of coordinates, or while masking a pattern meeting a pre-registered pattern, and an image of each of the defects thus detected is displayed. Further, each of the defects detected using the digital image attained through microscopic observation is checked to determine whether its feature meets a pre-registered feature or not. Defects having a feature that meets the pre-registered feature are so displayed that they can be turned on/off, or they are so displayed as to be distinguishable from the other defects.