公开(公告)号：US20220299456A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-22

申请号：US17805752

申请日：2022-06-07

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Riki OGAWA

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/06 ,  G03F1/86

Abstract: Provided is an inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating an electron beam to a pattern of an inspection target object, the inspection target object having a first surface and a second surface having the pattern; a first voltage application circuit applying a first voltage to the first surface; a second voltage application circuit applying a second voltage to the second surface; and a detector for acquiring an inspection image generated from the pattern by irradiating the electron beam, wherein |Vacc−VL|=|V2|

公开(公告)号：US20210010959A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-14

申请号：US16907925

申请日：2020-06-22

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Masataka SHIRATSUCHI ,  Riki OGAWA ,  Hiromu INOUE

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  H01J37/30 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: Provided is an inspection apparatus including: an irradiation source irradiating a first pattern formed on an inspection target object with an electron beam; a detection circuit acquiring a first inspection image generated from the first pattern by irradiation; a filter circuit performing smoothing using a local region having a first size in a direction parallel to a first outline included in the first inspection image and a second size smaller than the first size in a direction perpendicular to the first outline and acquiring a second inspection image including a second outline generated by the smoothing; and a comparison circuit comparing the second inspection image with a predetermined reference image.

公开(公告)号：US20190360951A1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-28

申请号：US16419598

申请日：2019-05-22

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Riki OGAWA

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  G01N23/04 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/141 ,  H01J37/22

Abstract: A multi-charged particle beam inspection apparatus includes a movable stage to place thereon an inspection substrate where plural dies each with the same pattern are arranged in a predetermined direction, a pitch acquisition circuit to acquire an arrangement pitch of plural dies, a magnification control circuit to control, when imaging the inspection substrate with multi-charged particle beams while continuously moving the stage, magnification of the multi-charged particle beams to be a controlled magnification such that the arrangement pitch of the plural dies becomes a natural number (2 or greater) multiple of an imaging region cycle in the predetermined direction of plural imaging regions to be individually imaged by each beam at each arrangement position of the multi-charged particle beams, and an acquisition mechanism to acquire inspection images of the plural dies on the inspection substrate, using the multi-charged particle beams whose magnification has been controlled to be the controlled magnification.

公开(公告)号：US20170032507A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-02

申请号：US15213695

申请日：2016-07-19

Applicant: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Inventor： Toshiaki OTAKI ,  Riki OGAWA

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G02B5/30 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G02B27/09

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus includes a transmitted illumination optical system to illuminate change the shape of a first inspection light, a reflected illumination optical system to illuminate a mask substrate with a second inspection light by using an objective lens and a polarizing element, and let a reflected light from the mask substrate pass therethrough, a drive mechanism to enable the polarizing element to be moved from/to outside/inside an optical path, a sensor to receive a transmitted light from the mask substrate illuminated with the first inspection light during stage moving, and an aperture stop, between the mask substrate and the sensor, to adjust a light flux diameter of the transmitted light so that the transmitted light reaching the sensor can be switched between high and low numerical aperture (NA) states with which the transmitted light from the mask substrate can enter the objective lens.

Abstract translation: 图案检查装置包括照射改变第一检查光的形状的透射照明光学系统，通过使用物镜和偏振元件用第二检查光照亮掩模基板的反射照明光学系统，并且使反射 来自掩模基板的光通过其中;驱动机构，用于使偏振元件能够从光路移动到外部/内部;传感器，用于在阶段移动期间接收由第一检查光照亮的掩模基板的透射光; 以及在掩模基板和传感器之间的孔径光阑，以调节透射光的光束直径，使得到达传感器的透射光可以在高和低数值孔径（NA）状态之间切换，在该数值孔径（NA） 掩模基板可以进入物镜。

公开(公告)号：US20150138541A1

公开(公告)日：2015-05-21

申请号：US14542273

申请日：2014-11-14

Applicant: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Inventor： Hideki NUKADA ,  Makoto TAYA ,  Masaki SHIMIZU ,  Takamasa FUKUDA ,  Riki OGAWA

IPC: G02B7/16 ,  G01N21/95 ,  G02B7/02 ,  G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G02B7/16 ,  G01N21/8806 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G01N2021/95676 ,  G02B21/248

Abstract: An objective lens switching mechanism holds a plurality of objective lenses respectively disposed on each of the plurality of lens mounts, moves the plurality of objective lenses between a first position on the lens mounts and a second position above the lens mounts by a rotating mechanism and moves the plurality of objective lenses from the second position above the lens mounts to another second position above the lens mounts.

Abstract translation: 物镜切换机构保持分别设置在多个透镜座中的每一个上的多个物镜，通过旋转机构在透镜座上的第一位置和透镜座上方的第二位置之间移动多个物镜，并移动 来自透镜上方第二位置的多个物镜安装到镜头座上方的另一个第二位置。

公开(公告)号：US20240175829A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-30

申请号：US18500367

申请日：2023-11-02

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Masataka SHIRATSUCHI ,  Riki OGAWA ,  Chosaku NODA

IPC: G01N23/2251 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G06T7/33 ,  G06T7/73

CPC classification number: G01N23/2251 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T7/337 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: An image acquisition circuit is configured to acquire inspection images based on secondary electrons generated by electron beams emitted to a first area of a sample on a stage. The first area includes sub areas. An estimation circuit is configured to estimate an amount of rotation of an array of the electron beams emitted to the first area based on an amount of misalignment between reference images respectively indicative of patterns to be respectively formed in the sub areas and the inspection images. The stage control circuit is configured to control, based on the amount of rotation, a focus position of the electron beams to be emitted to a second area of the sample. The comparison circuit is configured to compare the reference images with the inspection images.

公开(公告)号：US20230170183A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-01

申请号：US17995441

申请日：2021-02-03

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Riki OGAWA ,  Ryoichi HIRANO ,  Shinji SUGIHARA ,  Hiromu INOUE

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/28

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J2237/2817

Abstract: A multi-electron beam inspection apparatus includes a multi-detector that includes a plurality of detection sensors each of which detects a secondary electron beam emitted due to that a target object is irradiated with a primary electron beam individually preset in multiple secondary electron beams emitted because the target object is irradiated with multiple primary electron beams, a reference image data generation circuit that generates reference image data of a position irradiated with each primary electron beam, based on design data serving as a basis of the pattern formed on the target object, a synthesis circuit that synthesizes, for each primary electron beam, the reference image data of the position irradiated with a primary electron beam concerned and portions of reference image data of positions irradiated with other primary electron beams different from the primary electron beam concerned, and a comparison circuit that compares synthetic reference image data having been synthesized, and secondary electron image data based on a value detected by the detection sensor which detects a secondary electron beam due to irradiation with the primary electron beam concerned.

公开(公告)号：US20190279348A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-12

申请号：US16271909

申请日：2019-02-11

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Ryoichi HIRANO ,  Hideo TSUCHIYA ,  Masataka SHIRATSUCHI ,  Hideaki HASHIMOTO ,  Riki OGAWA

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G01N21/956 ,  G06T5/50

Abstract: Provided is a pattern inspection method including: irradiating a substrate with an electron beam, a pattern being formed on the substrate; acquiring an inspection image as a secondary electron image of the pattern; setting a pixel value equal to or less than a first threshold value minus a half of a predetermined detection width of the inspection image and a pixel value equal to or more than the first threshold value plus a half of the predetermined detection width of the inspection image to unprocessed; acquiring a difference image between the inspection image having the pixel value having less than the first threshold value minus the half of the predetermined detection width and the pixel value having more of the first threshold value plus the half of the predetermined detection width being set to unprocessed and a reference image of the inspection image; and performing inspection on the basis of the difference image.

公开(公告)号：US20180003649A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-04

申请号：US15634517

申请日：2017-06-27

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Toshiaki OTAKI ,  Riki OGAWA

IPC: G01N21/956 ,  H04N5/232 ,  H04N5/235

CPC classification number: G01N21/95607 ,  G01N2021/95676 ,  H04N5/23212 ,  H04N5/2352 ,  H04N5/372

Abstract: A focusing apparatus includes a first reticle, arranged at the front side of a conjugate position of a TDI sensor; a second reticle, arranged at the back side of the conjugate position; an equalizing circuit to perform gray scale value equalization by using a gray scale value output by the TDI sensor which received the pattern image by illumination light not passing through the first and second reticles; and a distance change/move amount calculation circuit to calculate, in a state where the gray scale value equalization has been performed, a distance change/move amount of a relative distance, for focusing the pattern image of the substrate, between the substrate and the conjugate position of the TDI sensor by using a first derivative value of a gray scale value output by the TDI sensor which received the pattern image by the reflection illumination light having passed through the first and second reticles.

公开(公告)号：US20140204202A1

公开(公告)日：2014-07-24

申请号：US14153199

申请日：2014-01-13

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Riki OGAWA ,  Hiromu INOUE ,  Masatoshi HIRONO

IPC: G06T7/00

CPC classification number: G01N21/956 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G01N21/9503 ,  G01N2021/8848

Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprising, an optical system emitting light having a predetermined wavelength, illuminating a sample while the light is converted into light having a polarization plane not in the range of −5 degrees to 5 degrees and 85 degrees to 95 degrees with respect to a direction of a repetitive pattern on the sample, an optical system for acquiring an image and forming said image on an image sensor using a lens, a half-wave plate, a first image sensor, a second image sensor, an inspection analyzer, wherein these differ in a transmission axis direction, a processor that obtains an average gray level and a standard deviation in each predetermined unit region of the image, and a defect detector, wherein a resolution limit defined by a wavelength of the light source and a numerical aperture of the lens is a value in which the pattern is not resolved.

Abstract translation: 一种检查装置，包括：发光具有预定波长的光的光学系统，在光被转换成具有不在-5度至5度和85度至95度的范围内的偏振面的光时相对于 样品上的重复图案的方向，用于获取图像的光学系统，并且使用透镜，半波片，第一图像传感器，第二图像传感器，检查分析器在图像传感器上形成所述图像，其中这些 在透射轴方向上不同，获得图像的每个预定单位区域中的平均灰度级和标准偏差的处理器，以及缺陷检测器，其中由光源的波长和数值孔径限定的分辨率极限 镜头是不能解析图案的值。