Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus includes an illumination optical unit for obliquely illuminating an object with a slit-like shaped laser, a first detection optical unit for detecting a first image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a first direction substantially normal to a surface of the object, a second detection optical unit for detecting a second image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a second direction inclined to the normal direction to the surface of the object, an image signal processing unit which processes a signal outputted from the first detection optical unit and a signal outputted from the second detection optical unit, and an output unit which outputs information processed by the image signal processing unit.

Abstract: Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of detecting a defect by inspecting a specimen in which a surface of a specimen on which plural patterns are formed is illuminated with an elongated shape light flux from one of plural directions which are different in elevation angle by switching an optical path of the light flux emitted from an illuminating light source in accordance with a kind of defect to be detected. Plural optical images of the specimen illuminated by the elongated shape light flux are captured with plural image sensors installed in different elevation angle directions by changing an enlarging magnification in accordance with a density of the pattern formed on the sample in an area irradiated with the illuminating elongated shape light flux. A defect on the specimen is detected by processing the images captured by the plural image sensors.

Abstract: A defects inspecting apparatus having: a scanning stage for running into a predetermined direction while mounting an inspection target substrate thereon; an illumination optic system for irradiating an illumination light beam upon a surface of the inspection target substrate at a predetermined angle inclined thereto; a detection optic system including, an upper-directed photo-detector for receiving upper-directed reflected/scattered lights emitting upwards from the inspection target substrate, thereby converting them into an upper-directed image signal, and a side-directed photo-detector for receiving side-directed reflected/scattered lights emitting for the inspection target substrate into an inclined direction, so as to flatly intersects the illumination light beam, and thereby converting into a side-directed image signal; and a signal processing system-for detecting defects upon basis of the upper-directed image signal and the side-directed image signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting particles and/or pattern defects of an object under inspection. Data processing means obtains information on size of the particles and/or the pattern defects from an intensity of the scattered light detected by the light detecting means by referring to a relationship between an intensity of scattered light from a standard particle and a size of the standard particle, and using a calibration coefficient for compensating for a change in intensity of the light of the illuminating means from a predetermined intensity.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a pattern to detect a small pattern defect has an illuminating light source, as illuminating optical system having a plurality of illuminating portions for switching an optical path of illuminating light flux to a surface of board constituting the inspected object from a plurality of directions different from each other, a detecting optical system having a variable magnification using an object lens for condensing reflected diffracted light from the illuminated board, a focusing optical system having a variable magnification capable of focusing an optical image by converged reflected diffracted light with a desired focusing magnification and an optical detector for detecting the optical image focused by the focusing optical system to convert it into an image signal, an A/D converter for converting the image signal into a digital image signal, and an image signal processor for processing the digital image signal to detect the defect.

Abstract: The invention provides a mini environment apparatus, an inspection apparatus, a manufacturing apparatus and a cleaning method of a space which can suppress an influence of a cleanliness of an external environment and can keep a target cleanliness of a specific space.

Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus comprises a radiation mechanism for radiating a light beam to the surface of an object having an edge of a non-flat surface (for example, a rounded edge) or an edge of an inclined surface, a scanning mechanism for moving the object relative to a radiation position of the light beam for scanning, and a detector for detecting light scattered from the object, and further includes the following characteristic. The scanning mechanism, when the light beam for scanning is radiated to the edge of the object, is configured to move the object in the direction that increases an incident angle of the light beam with a normal to the surface of the edge as the objection moves relative to a radiation position of the light beam.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer, which is an inspection object, is stuck by vacuum on a chuck and this chuck is mounted on an inspection object movement stage consisting of a rotational stage and a translational stage, located on a Z-stage. The rotational stage provides a rotational movement and the translational stage provides a translational movement. And when a foreign particle or a defect on an inspection object surface is detected, the parameter of digital filtering is dynamically changed during inspection, and the foreign particle or the defect is differentiated using the result after removing a low frequency fluctuation component to be a noise component.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and inspection method. The inspection apparatus provided by the present invention comprises an illumination optical system which illuminates light to an object under inspection; a detection optical system which detects light reflected from said object and converts the detected light into an image signal; a spatial filter which is provided in said detection optical system to selectively shield diffracted light pattern coming from a circuit pattern existing on the object by combining light-shielding points of minute dots state; an arithmetic processing system which processes the image signal detected by said detection optical system; and a monitor which observes foreign matters/defects based on a signal processed by said arithmetic processing system.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting particles and/or pattern defects of an object under inspection. Data processing means obtains information on size of the particles and/or the pattern defects from an intensity of the scattered light detected by the light detecting means by referring to a relationship between an intensity of scattered light from a standard particle and a size of the standard particle, and using a calibration coefficient for compensating for a change in intensity of the light of the illuminating means from a predetermined intensity.

Abstract: Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for inspecting foreign particles/defects, comprises an illumination optical system, a detection optical system, a shielding unit which is provided in said detection optical system to selectively shield diffracted light pattern coming from circuit pattern existing on an inspection object and an arithmetic processing system, wherein said shielding unit comprises a micro-mirror array device or a reflected type liquid crystal, or a transmission type liquid crystal, or an object which is transferred a shielding pattern to an optical transparent substrate, or a substrate or a film which is etched so as to leave shielding patterns, or an optical transparent substrate which can be changed in transmission by heating, sudden cold, or light illumination, or change of electric field or magnetic field, or a shielding plate of cylindrical shape or plate shape.

Abstract: An apparatus for optically inspecting particles and/or defects correlates sizes of particles and/or defects to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result. A failure analysis is conducted by setting a threshold for identifying a failure in each of regions on a semiconductor device or the like to statistically evaluate detected particles.

Abstract: Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result.

Abstract: A beam emitted from a first light source is shed on the surface of a rotating wafer to form a beam spot. Scattered light arising from foreign matter and other defects on the surface of the wafer is detected in a plurality of directions and output in the form of a signal. Vertical movement of the wafer surface is detected by using white light or broadband light from a second light source. The position of the beam spot on the wafer surface is corrected in accordance with the information on the detected vertical movement for the purpose of minimizing a coordinate error that may arise from the vertical movement of the wafer surface. Further, the emission direction and emission position of light generated from the first light source are corrected to minimize a coordinate error that may arise from variations of the first light source. These corrections are made to enhance the accuracy of the coordinates of detected foreign matter and other defects.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for inspecting foreign particles/defects, comprises an illumination optical system, a detection optical system, a shielding unit which is provided in said detection optical system to selectively shield diffracted light pattern coming from circuit pattern existing on an inspection object and an arithmetic processing system, wherein said shielding unit comprises a micro-mirror array device or a reflected type liquid crystal, or a transmission type liquid crystal, or an object which is transferred a shielding pattern to an optical transparent substrate, or a substrate or a film which is etched so as to leave shielding patterns, or an optical transparent substrate which can be changed in transmission by heating, sudden cold, or light illumination, or change of electric field or magnetic field, or a shielding plate of cylindrical shape or plate shape.

Abstract: A method for detecting defects on a specimen includes mounting a specimen on a table with which is movable, obliquely projecting a laser as a line onto a surface of the specimen, detecting with an image sensor an image of light formed by light reflected from the specimen and passed through a filter which blocks scattered light resulting from repetitive patterns formed on the specimen, processing a signal outputted from the image sensor to extract defects of the specimen, and a displaying information of defects extracted by the signal processor.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus includes an illumination optical unit for obliquely illuminating an object with a slit-like shaped laser, a first detection optical unit for detecting a first image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a first direction substantially normal to a surface of the object, a second detection optical unit for detecting a second image formed by light reflected from the object by the illumination of the slit-like shaped laser and reflected in a second direction inclined to the normal direction to the surface of the object, an image signal processing unit which processes a signal outputted from the first detection optical unit and a signal outputted from the second detection optical unit, and an output unit which outputs information processed by the image signal processing unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and inspection method. The inspection apparatus includes a stage mechanism for supporting an object under inspection. A spatial filter is provided in the detection optical system to inspect the object. A printer is used to print the results of the spatial filter. The spatial filter can be provided in the form of a Fourier transformed image.