Abstract: The present invention provides data analysis stations respectively for a probing tester and an automatic particle inspection machine. And, in the data analysis station, the coordinates on which the disposition of the chips are described on a product basis are equal to those on which the locations of the defects are described. Further, the station provides a function of determining which of the chips each defect belongs to. These data analysis stations are connected through a communication line. The present invention is capable of analyzing the data on a chip basis, resulting in being able to grasp the relation between how the defects are caused on each chip and the product character of the chip.

Abstract: In a mass production line of a semiconductor manufacturing process, foreign particle inspection method and apparatus for preventing occurrence of large quantities of defects and for keeping a necessary yield. The inspection apparatus is made up in a small-sized apparatus and disposed at inlet/outlet of processing apparatuses of the production line or to a transfer system between the processing apparatuses. The inspection apparatus includes at least one monitor for real-time sampling foreign particles possible deposited on wafer which is being carried by the transfer system, thereby enabling simplification in construction of the production line and reduction of manufacturing cost. The inspection apparatus may comprise a refractive index changeable type lens array, a spatial filter and a pattern data elimination circuit, and makes possible to conduct foreign particle inspection on repetitively-patterned portions of the wafers during transfer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique, in the inspection of a defect of a semiconductor memory or the like, in which chip comparison is separated from repetitive pattern comparison in a region of a wafer to be inspected whereby both the comparisons are rendered possible to perform in parallel in one and the same scanning.

Abstract: A pattern defect inspection apparatus detects presence or absence of a defect in a pattern formed on a semiconductor wafer by scanning the pattern normally to the surface thereof by a coherent light beam of a predetermined spot size, detecting reflected diffraction lights generated thereby and processing the detected lights. It comprises an abnormal direction signal detector including photo-detectors having wide light receiving areas arranged in a plurality of spatial areas which the reflected diffraction lights from a normal pattern do not normally reach, a normal pattern detector including photo-detectors having large light receiving areas arranged in a plurality of spatial areas which the reflected diffraction lights from the normal pattern reach, and a defect discriminator for determining if the abnormal direction signals are due to a true defect or not in accordance with the signals from the abnormal direction signal detector and the normal pattern detector.

Abstract: A wire bonder which includes a spool from which wire is drawn out, a capillary bonding head adapted to hold the wire and to extend the wire downwardly from the spool, and a tensioning mechanism. The tensioning mechanism includes a nozzle for directing a jet of gas against the wire with the nozzle being disposed in opposition to two guide plates disposed along the flow path of the gas ejected from the nozzle. The guide plates are spaced apart from each other to provide a space through which wire is passed from the spool to the capillary bonding head.