G01N23/22

Semiconductor inspection device including a counter electrode with adjustable potentials used to obtain images for detection of defects, and inspection method using charged particle beam

Provided are an inspection device that detects with high precision and classifies surface unevenness, step batching, penetrating blade-shaped dislocations, penetrating spiral dislocations, basal plane dislocations, and stacking defects formed in an SiC substrate and an epitaxial layer; and a system. In the inspection device using charged particle beams, a device is used that has an electrode provided between a sample and an objective lens, the device applies a positive or negative voltage to the electrode and obtains images. A secondary electron emission rate is measured and energy EL and EH for the charged particles are found. A first image is obtained using the EH and positive potential conditions. A second image is obtained using the EL and negative potential conditions. A third image is obtained at the same position as the second image, and by using the EL and positive potential conditions.

Sample cup assembly, system and method for purging
09841360 · 2017-12-12 ·

A sample analysis cup assembly, system and method for purging including a cell body, including a top end; a bottom end; a cell body wall extending axially from the top end to the bottom end; a transverse wall adjacent the top end, including a plurality of apertures extending therethrough; and a raised portion on the transverse wall including a central aperture extending therethrough; a rotatable cap, including a top surface; a bottom surface; and a series of apertures extending from the top surface through the bottom surface, the rotatable cap being structured to engage with the top end of the cell body; and a ring member structured to couple with the bottom end of the cell body are provided.

Method for estimating shape before shrink and CD-SEM apparatus

In the present invention, at the time of measuring, using a CD-SEM, a length of a resist that shrinks when irradiated with an electron beam, in order to highly accurately estimate a shape and dimensions of the resist before shrink, a shrink database with respect to various patterns is previously prepared, said shrink database containing cross-sectional shape data obtained prior to electron beam irradiation, a cross-sectional shape data group and a CD-SEM image data group, which are obtained under various electron beam irradiation conditions, and models based on such data and data groups, and a CD-SEM image of a resist pattern to be measured is obtained (S102), then, the CD-SEM image and data in the shrink database are compared with each other (S103), and the shape and dimensions of the pattern before the shrink are estimated and outputted (S104).

Method for estimating shape before shrink and CD-SEM apparatus

In the present invention, at the time of measuring, using a CD-SEM, a length of a resist that shrinks when irradiated with an electron beam, in order to highly accurately estimate a shape and dimensions of the resist before shrink, a shrink database with respect to various patterns is previously prepared, said shrink database containing cross-sectional shape data obtained prior to electron beam irradiation, a cross-sectional shape data group and a CD-SEM image data group, which are obtained under various electron beam irradiation conditions, and models based on such data and data groups, and a CD-SEM image of a resist pattern to be measured is obtained (S102), then, the CD-SEM image and data in the shrink database are compared with each other (S103), and the shape and dimensions of the pattern before the shrink are estimated and outputted (S104).

X-ray fluorescence analyzer and method of displaying sample thereof
09829447 · 2017-11-28 · ·

An X-ray fluorescence analyzer includes a sample stage, a sample moving mechanism, an X-ray source, a detector detecting a fluorescent X-ray generated from the sample irradiated with a primary X-ray, an imaging device imaging the sample, a display device displaying the image on a screen, a pointing device designating a specific position on the screen for allowing an input at the specific position, an image processing device displaying a mark at the input position on the screen by the pointing device and a control device controlling the sample moving mechanism and the image processing device and, when the sample stage is moved, controlling the image processing device to display the mark on the screen with moving the mark in the same moving direction as that of the sample stage by the same moving distance.

PATTERN INSPECTION APPARATUS
20170315069 · 2017-11-02 · ·

A pattern inspection apparatus includes a column to scan a substrate on which a pattern is formed, using multi-beams composed of a plurality of electron beams, a first stage to be able to move up to a first stroke by which an entire surface of an inspection region of the substrate can be irradiated with the multi-beams, a second stage, arranged on the first stage, to be able to move up to a second stroke sufficiently shorter than the first stroke and to place the substrate thereon, and a detector to detect secondary electrons emitted from the substrate because the substrate is irradiated with the multi-beams.

Pattern measurement device and computer program for evaluating patterns based on centroids of the patterns

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pattern measurement device for quantitatively evaluating a pattern formed using a directed self-assembly (DSA) method with high accuracy. The present invention is a pattern measurement device for measuring distances between patterns formed in a sample, wherein the centroids of a plurality of patterns included in an image are determined; the inter-centroid distances, and the like, of the plurality of centroids are determined; and on the basis of the inter-centroid distances, and the like, of the plurality of centroids, a pattern meeting a specific condition is distinguished from patterns different from the pattern meeting the specific condition or information is calculated about the number of the patterns meeting the specific condition, the size of an area including the patterns meeting the specific condition, and the number of imaginary lines between the patterns meeting the specific condition.

Method for detecting voids in interconnects and an inspection system
09805909 · 2017-10-31 · ·

An inspection system that includes charged particle optics that irradiate a bottom of a hole with a charged particle beam propagated along an optical axis, an energy dispersive x-ray detector and a processor. The x-ray detector detects x-ray photons emitted from the bottom of the hole and generates detection signals indicative of the x-ray photons. The processor processes the detection signals to provide an estimate of the bottom of the hole.

Automated SEM nanoprobe tool

Aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising a primary beam column configured to direct a primary beam of energetic particles onto a location of interest on a sample containing one or more integrated circuit structures, a detector configured to produce a signal in response to detection of secondary charged particles generated as a result of an interaction between the primary beam of energetic particles and the location of interest, and a signal processor coupled to the detector configured to measure the transient behavior of generation of the secondary charged particles from the signal produced by the detector, and a characterizing module configured to characterize the location of interest by comparing the measured transient behavior to a predetermined reference transient behavior. The detector has a response that is fast enough to detect a transient behavior of generation of the secondary charged particles.

Automated SEM nanoprobe tool

Aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising a primary beam column configured to direct a primary beam of energetic particles onto a location of interest on a sample containing one or more integrated circuit structures, a detector configured to produce a signal in response to detection of secondary charged particles generated as a result of an interaction between the primary beam of energetic particles and the location of interest, and a signal processor coupled to the detector configured to measure the transient behavior of generation of the secondary charged particles from the signal produced by the detector, and a characterizing module configured to characterize the location of interest by comparing the measured transient behavior to a predetermined reference transient behavior. The detector has a response that is fast enough to detect a transient behavior of generation of the secondary charged particles.