Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus including: a first illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate the inspection area on a sample surface from a normal line direction or a direction near thereof with respect to said sample surface; a second illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate said inspection area from a slant direction with respect to said sample surface; a detection optical system having a plurality of first detectors which are located, in front of, on the sides of, and behind said inspection area, respectively, with respect to the illumination direction of said second illumination optical system, and where the regular reflected light component, from said sample surface, by illumination light of said second illumination optical system, is not converged; and a signal processing system which is configured to inspect a defect, upon basis of signals obtained from said plurality of first detectors.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus including: a first illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate the inspection area on a sample surface from a normal line direction or a direction near thereof with respect to said sample surface; a second illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate said inspection area from a slant direction with respect to said sample surface; a detection optical system having a plurality of first detectors which are located, in front of, on the sides of, and behind said inspection area, respectively, with respect to the illumination direction of said second illumination optical system, and where the regular reflected light component, from said sample surface, by illumination light of said second illumination optical system, is not converged; and a signal processing system which is configured to inspect a defect, upon basis of signals obtained from said plurality of first detectors.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus including: a first illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate the inspection area on a sample surface from a normal line direction or a direction near thereof with respect to said sample surface; a second illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate said inspection area from a slant direction with respect to said sample surface; a detection optical system having a plurality of first detectors which are located, in front of, on the sides of, and behind said inspection area, respectively, with respect to the illumination direction of said second illumination optical system, and where the regular reflected light component, from said sample surface, by illumination light of said second illumination optical system, is not converged; and a signal processing system which is configured to inspect a defect, upon basis of signals obtained from said plurality of first detectors.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus including: a first illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate the inspection area on a sample surface from a normal line direction or a direction near thereof with respect to said sample surface; a second illumination optical system which is configured to illuminate said inspection area from a slant direction with respect to said sample surface; a detection optical system having a plurality of first detectors which are located, in front of, on the sides of, and behind said inspection area, respectively, with respect to the illumination direction of said second illumination optical system, and where the regular reflected light component, from said sample surface, by illumination light of said second illumination optical system, is not converged; and a signal processing system which is configured to inspect a defect, upon basis of signals obtained from said plurality of first detectors.

Abstract: The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting defects, including: a table unit which mounts a specimen to be inspected having a linearly moving stage and a rotationally moving stage; a first illumination optical unit which illuminates an inspection region of a surface of the specimen from a normal direction or in the vicinity of the normal direction while the specimen is rotating by the rotationally moving stage and moving in one direction by the linearly moving stage; a second illumination optical unit which illuminates the inspection region from a first elevation angle toward the inspection region while the specimen is rotating and moving; a first detection optical unit which detects light reflected from the inspection region by the illumination of the first illumination optical unit or the second illumination optical unit with plural detectors arranged in plural portions of a second elevation angle toward the inspection region; a second detection optical unit which detects light reflected from the inspection region by the il

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting defects, including: a first illumination optical unit which illuminates from a normal direction or in the vicinity of the normal direction; a second illumination optical unit which illuminates from a first elevation angle; a first detection optical unit which detects light reflected by the illumination of the first illumination optical unit or the second illumination optical unit with plural detectors; a second detection optical unit which detects light reflected by the illumination of the first illumination optical unit or the second illumination optical unit with plural detectors; wherein the plural detectors of the first detection optical unit and the plural detectors of the second detection optical unit are photomultipliers, and the signal processor processes the signals outputted from the photomultipliers and are adjusted to balance in sensitivities.

Abstract: An information processing system of the invention has a database in which test results for a plurality of memory devices mounted on a wafer are stored and a computer for analyzing the test results. The computer includes a data retrieval section for retrieving a test result from the database; and a required redundant line quantity calculation section for determining the total number of redundant lines which is required for recovering failed bits of the memory device based on the test results, deciding how the required total number of redundant lines should be assigned in each of the row and column directions, and calculating the total number of redundant lines required for recovery and the number of redundant lines assigned in each of the row and columns directions on the memory device, and the computer displays a result of calculation by the required redundant line quantity calculation section.

Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between scratches of various configuration and adhered foreign objects that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to a polishing process such as CMP or a grinding process, in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process. In the invention, the scratch and foreign object that occur on the polished or ground surface of the sample is epi-illuminated and slant-illuminated by use of approximately same light flux, the difference between the scattered light intensity from the shallow scratch and from the foreign object is applied to thereby discriminate between the shallow scratch and the foreign object, and the directionality of the scattered light is detected to discriminate between the linear scratch and the foreign object.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting defects, including: a first illumination optical unit which illuminates from a normal direction or in the vicinity of the normal direction; a second illumination optical unit which illuminates from a first elevation angle; a first detection optical unit which detects light reflected by the illumination of the first illumination optical unit or the second illumination optical unit with plural detectors; a second detection optical unit which detects light reflected by the illumination of the first illumination optical unit or the second illumination optical unit with plural detectors; wherein the plural detectors of the first detection optical unit and the plural detectors of the second detection optical unit are photomultipliers, and the signal processor processes the signals outputted from the photomultipliers and are adjusted to balance in sensitivities.

Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between scratches of various configuration and adhered foreign objects that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to a polishing process such as CMP or a grinding process, in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process. In the invention, the scratch and foreign object that occur on the polished or ground surface of the sample is epi-illuminated and slant-illuminated by use of approximately same light flux, the difference between the scattered light intensity from the shallow scratch and from the foreign object is applied to thereby discriminate between the shallow scratch and the foreign object, and the directionality of the scattered light is detected to discriminate between the linear scratch and the foreign object.

Abstract: The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process.

Abstract: The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process.