Abstract: A surface defect data display and management system comprises a risk score calculation unit for calculating the magnitude of an influence a surface defect on a wafer detected by a wafer inspection system or review system has upon a reduction in the yield of a final product as a risk score of the surface defect based on a defect size of the surface defect on the wafer and a pattern concentration obtained from design data of a pattern figure nearby a location corresponding to the position of the surface defect, and a correlation graph and defect image display unit for preparing a correlation graph showing the correlation between the defect size and the risk score of each defect, displaying the prepared correlation graph on the display apparatus and displaying additionally a defect image list of one or more defects selected by using the correlation graph.

Abstract: A defect detected by a wafer inspection tool is reliably captured by a defect review tool. A defect review condition in the defect review tool is varied depending on defect attributes provided by the wafer inspection tool so as to optimize the review process. For example, review magnification is varied depending on the size of the defect, or the frame addition number is varied depending on the maximum gray level difference.

Abstract: Provided is a tool that can easily analyze a number of defects detected by an inspection system under a plurality of inspection conditions. The data processing system includes a storage device configured to acquire from an inspection system coordinates of a plurality of defects obtained by inspecting an inspection object under a plurality of inspection conditions and store the coordinates while correlating the coordinates with the inspection conditions, an arithmetic unit configured to perform coordinate matching to detect the presence or absence of coordinates that are common to at least two inspection conditions of the plurality of inspection conditions, and a display device configured to display on a plurality of defect coordinate maps the defects obtained under the at least two inspection conditions.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a surface inspection tool in which a flat inspection range capable of measuring surface roughness of a wafer with patterns with high accuracy and in a nondestructive manner can be searched without visual search. In order to solve the object, in a surface inspection tool 110 which measures scattering light intensity of scattering light generated by irradiated irradiation light in association with a measurement coordinate on a wafer 200 with patterns and inspects the surface roughness of the wafer 200, the surface inspection tool includes a controller 250 which extracts measurement coordinate of the measured scattering light intensity that is equal to or more than a lower limit threshold L, sets an inspection range 406 of the surface roughness inspection in a partial layout 405a of a part of the whole layout 401 of the pattern corresponding to the periphery of the extracted measurement coordinate, and obtains the surface roughness in the inspection range 406.

Abstract: In operation to obtain an optimal observation condition in a review system, the number of trial reviews can be reduced to improve efficiency of the operation. For a defect review conducted by the review system, a recipe parameter management system stores, as recipe parameter setting history in a recipe parameter setting history database (DB), a recipe parameter setting values of recipe parameters set when the defect review is conducted, the number of trial reviews carried out until the recipe parameter setting values are set, and defect images obtained when the defect review is conducted. The apparatus displays, on a terminal, histograms and the numbers of trial reviews generated based on the recipe parameter setting history data stored in the recipe parameter setting history database (DB). Hence, the operator can easily obtain data regarding the recipe parameter setting in the past.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a surface inspection tool in which a flat inspection range capable of measuring surface roughness of a wafer with patterns with high accuracy and in a nondestructive manner can be searched without visual search. In order to solve the object, in a surface inspection tool 110 which measures scattering light intensity of scattering light generated by irradiated irradiation light in association with a measurement coordinate on a wafer 200 with patterns and inspects the surface roughness of the wafer 200, the surface inspection tool includes a controller 250 which extracts measurement coordinate of the measured scattering light intensity that is equal to or more than a lower limit threshold L, sets an inspection range 406 of the surface roughness inspection in a partial layout 405a of a part of the whole layout 401 of the pattern corresponding to the periphery of the extracted measurement coordinate, and obtains the surface roughness in the inspection range 406.

Abstract: A surface defect data display and management system comprises a risk score calculation unit for calculating the magnitude of an influence a surface defect on a wafer detected by a wafer inspection system or review system has upon a reduction in the yield of a final product as a risk score of the surface defect based on a defect size of the surface defect on the wafer and a pattern concentration obtained from design data of a pattern figure nearby a location corresponding to the position of the surface defect, and a correlation graph and defect image display unit for preparing a correlation graph showing the correlation between the defect size and the risk score of each defect, displaying the prepared correlation graph on the display apparatus and displaying additionally a defect image list of one or more defects selected by using the correlation graph.

Abstract: In operation to obtain an optimal observation condition in a review system, the number of trial reviews can be reduced to improve efficiency of the operation. For a defect review conducted by the review system, a recipe parameter management system stores, as recipe parameter setting history in a recipe parameter setting history DB, recipe parameter setting values of recipe parameters set when the defect review is conducted, the number of trial reviews carried out until the recipe parameter setting values are set, and defect images obtained when the defect review is conducted. The apparatus displays, on a terminal, histograms and the numbers of trial reviews generated based on the recipe parameter setting history data stored in the recipe parameter setting history DB. Hence, the operator can easily obtain data regarding the recipe parameter setting in the past.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus, which is connected to an inspection tool and an review tool via a network, automatically receives inspection result file regarding defect information from the inspection tool and image information from the review tool. Moreover, the data processing apparatus makes comparative check between the defect, image, and attribute information outputted from the inspection tool and the defect, image, and attribute information observed in the review tool. Finally, the data processing apparatus displays, on its window, both of the above-described information in a manner of being organized and arranged side by side.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a surface inspection tool in which a flat inspection range capable of measuring surface roughness of a wafer with patterns with high accuracy and in a nondestructive manner can be searched without visual search. In order to solve the object, in a surface inspection tool 110 which measures scattering light intensity of scattering light generated by irradiated irradiation light in association with a measurement coordinate on a wafer 200 with patterns and inspects the surface roughness of the wafer 200, the surface inspection tool includes a controller 250 which extracts measurement coordinate of the measured scattering light intensity that is equal to or more than a lower limit threshold L, sets an inspection range 406 of the surface roughness inspection in a partial layout 405a of a part of the whole layout 401 of the pattern corresponding to the periphery of the extracted measurement coordinate, and obtains the surface roughness in the inspection range 406.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a defect inspection method which can prevent the failure in detecting a defect, caused by saturation of a pattern signal obtained by inspecting an inspected object, so that the investigation of the cause for defect occurrence can be done earlier. To achieve this object, according to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a defect inspection that irradiates laser light on an inspected object having a pattern formed thereon, detects a signal from the inspected object and thereby detects a defect, the inspection including: inputting pattern information contained in layout data on the inspected object; determining based on the inputted pattern information, at least one of arrangement, repetitiveness and density for each of a plurality of inspected areas of the inspected object; estimating a saturation level of the detected signal based on the determination result; and determining a transmittance condition so that the signal does not saturate.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus according to the present invention takes in a plurality of inspection, image and attribute data output from an inspection apparatus, a review SEM image, coordinate information of hot spots found by simulation, and CAD information in the hot spots, and displays these kinds of information side by side. Tuning of inspection conditions in the inspection apparatus is facilitated from a view point of the detection rate of the hot spots. In addition, it is made possible to easily implement a fixed point observation function in a conventional review SEM by outputting coordinate data which can be read by the review SEM. Cooperation among simulation data, the inspection apparatus, and the review SEM is facilitated.

Abstract: To provide a device that analyzes the matching data upon determining conditions for the inspection using data processing equipment and that analyzes differences between inspection tools, thereby significantly improving and upgrading the operability of data importing and improving the usability, the present invention comprises data processing equipment connected through a communication line to a plurality of appearance inspection tools for detecting defects in a plurality of samples and a plurality of review tools for acquiring images of the defects to acquire features of the defects, wherein inspection data related to the defects in the plurality of samples from the plurality of appearance inspection tools and review data acquired by the plurality of review tools with respect to the defects are displayed on a display of the data processing equipment, and, in response to an instruction for acquiring data other than the inspection data or the review data displayed on the display, the data processing equipment a

Abstract: In order to allow to easily specify inspection recipe with which defects desired to be detected can be detected efficiently, a defect inspection apparatus performs defect inspection of a substrate in accordance with a plurality of inspection recipes and produces defect information associated with position of defect in the substrate and attribute data of the defect for each of the inspection recipes and a defect review apparatus produces review result information specifying a kind of defect selected from defects contained in the defect information. An analyzing apparatus obtains defect information and review result information and totalizes the number of defects having attribute data similar to attribute data possessed in defects corresponding to kind of defects to be analyzed for each inspection recipe.

Abstract: There is provided a data processor and a data processing method for displaying feature quantities for facilitating classification of defects extracted by an appearance checking device, receive defect checking information including at least coordinates of a plurality of defects transmitted from the appearance checking device for extracting defects of a sample via a communication line and defect review information including at least feature quantities transmitted from a reviewing device for acquiring images of the defects and giving the feature quantities of the defects via the communication line, displaying a graph field where at least two of the feature quantities which are plotted along axes on a display, and displaying the defects on positions of the graph field corresponding to the given feature quantities.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problem that a plenty of time required for data processing/alignment as the number of defects detected by an inspection apparatus increases. It is possible to provide a defect review method and an apparatus having the function to improve operability and user-friendliness, and rapidly search for a hint for identifying a defect cause. In order to achieve the object, the method and the apparatus have a configuration for displaying a defect map obtained by processing data outputted from an inspection apparatus and a review apparatus and repeatedly inspecting the data under the same inspection condition or while changing the inspection condition, together with a list of the corresponding images; and linking their defects so as to check/judge whether a desired defect is detected according to an enormous amount of image data.

Abstract: A defect detected by a wafer inspection tool is reliably captured by a defect review tool. A defect review condition in the defect review tool is varied depending on defect attributes provided by the wafer inspection tool so as to optimize the review process. For example, review magnification is varied depending on the size of the defect, or the frame addition number is varied depending on the maximum gray level difference.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus, which is connected to an inspection tool and an review tool via a network, automatically receives inspection result file regarding defect information from the inspection tool and image information from the review tool. Moreover, the data processing apparatus makes comparative check between the defect, image, and attribute information outputted from the inspection tool and the defect, image, and attribute information observed in the review tool. Finally, the data processing apparatus displays, on its window, both of the above-described information in a manner of being organized and arranged side by side.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing thin films on the surface of a device such as a spherical shaped devices is disclosed. The apparatus includes an enclosure containing a plurality of apertures. The apertures connect to conduits for inputting and outputting the devices as well as injecting and releasing different gases and/or processing constituents. A chamber is formed within the enclosure. Spherical shaped devices move through the input conduit where they are preheated by a furnace. The preheated devices then move into the chamber where chemical precursors are added. At this time, the gases and/or processing constituents react with the heated device thereby growing a thin film on its outer surface.