The invention provides a defect inspection apparatus. The defect inspection apparatus includes: an illumination optical system configured to irradiate a sample with an illumination spot; a detection unit configured to detect, from a plurality of directions, reflected light from the sample irradiated with the illumination spot of the illumination optical system; a control unit configured to control a scan of the sample with the illumination spot of the illumination optical system by overlapping detection regions such that the detection regions partially overlap, the detection regions being detected by the detection unit configured to execute a detection from the plurality of directions when the sample is scanned with the illumination spot of the illumination optical system; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal obtained by detecting the reflected light from the sample by the detection unit to detect a defect. The signal processing unit includes: a data integration unit configured to synthesize an integrated signal by processing the signal detected a plurality of times by overlapping the reflected light of the sample for each detection region by the detection unit; and a defect detection unit configured to detect the defect on a surface of the sample based on the integrated signal synthesized by the data integration unit.

Provided is a technique capable of more accurately determining a solder protruding defect in an appearance inspection device that acquires an image of an inspection region of an inspection target and measures a height of a predetermined place in the inspection region with a height measurement device. The appearance inspection device includes: an imaging unit (3); a height measurement unit (20); a moving mechanism (5) that moves the imaging unit (3) and the height measurement unit (20). When a restricted region (M) in the inspection target is irradiated with the measurement light emitted from the height measurement unit (20), the determination unit restricts defect determination based on the information on the height of the predetermined place measured by the height measurement unit (20).

Provided is a technique capable of more accurately determining a solder protruding defect in an appearance inspection device that acquires an image of an inspection region of an inspection target and measures a height of a predetermined place in the inspection region with a height measurement device. The appearance inspection device includes: an imaging unit (3); a height measurement unit (20); a moving mechanism (5) that moves the imaging unit (3) and the height measurement unit (20). When a restricted region (M) in the inspection target is irradiated with the measurement light emitted from the height measurement unit (20), the determination unit restricts defect determination based on the information on the height of the predetermined place measured by the height measurement unit (20).

Characteristics of a standard logic cell, e.g., a random logic cell, are determined using an effective cell approximation. The effective cell approximation is smaller than the standard logic cell and represents the density of lines and spaces of the standard logic cell. The effective cell approximation may be produced based on a selected area from the standard logic cell and include the same non-periodic patterns as the selected area. The effective cell approximation, alternatively, may represent non-periodic patterns in the standard logic cell using periodic patterns having a same density of lines and spaces as found in the standard logic cell. A structure on the sample, such as a logic cell or a metrology target produced based on the effective cell approximation is measured to acquire data, which is compared to the data for the effective cell approximation to determine a characteristic of the standard logic cell.

A method for measuring a height map of a test surface having a varying reflectivity using a multi-sensor apparatus including a pre-scan sensor and a height measuring sensor is disclosed. The multi-sensor apparatus further comprises one or more light sources configured to illuminate the test surface and a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator is placed in a light path between the one or more light sources and a measuring location of the multi-sensor apparatus and is configured to modulate light emitted from at least one of the light sources. The method comprises performing a measurement for determining an illumination intensity map of the test surface and a measurement for performing a height map of the test surface.

A method for measuring a height map of a test surface having a varying reflectivity using a multi-sensor apparatus including a pre-scan sensor and a height measuring sensor is disclosed. The multi-sensor apparatus further comprises one or more light sources configured to illuminate the test surface and a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator is placed in a light path between the one or more light sources and a measuring location of the multi-sensor apparatus and is configured to modulate light emitted from at least one of the light sources. The method comprises performing a measurement for determining an illumination intensity map of the test surface and a measurement for performing a height map of the test surface.

Methods and systems for measuring optical properties of transistor channel structures and linking the optical properties to the state of strain are presented herein. Optical scatterometry measurements of strain are performed on metrology targets that closely mimic partially manufactured, real device structures. In one aspect, optical scatterometry is employed to measure uniaxial strain in a semiconductor channel based on differences in measured spectra along and across the semiconductor channel. In a further aspect, the effect of strain on measured spectra is decorrelated from other contributors, such as the geometry and material properties of structures captured in the measurement. In another aspect, measurements are performed on a metrology target pair including a strained metrology target and a corresponding unstrained metrology target to resolve the geometry of the metrology target under measurement and to provide a reference for the estimation of the absolute value of strain.

Methods and systems for measuring optical properties of transistor channel structures and linking the optical properties to the state of strain are presented herein. Optical scatterometry measurements of strain are performed on metrology targets that closely mimic partially manufactured, real device structures. In one aspect, optical scatterometry is employed to measure uniaxial strain in a semiconductor channel based on differences in measured spectra along and across the semiconductor channel. In a further aspect, the effect of strain on measured spectra is decorrelated from other contributors, such as the geometry and material properties of structures captured in the measurement. In another aspect, measurements are performed on a metrology target pair including a strained metrology target and a corresponding unstrained metrology target to resolve the geometry of the metrology target under measurement and to provide a reference for the estimation of the absolute value of strain.

A combined OCD and photoreflectance system and method for improving the OCD performance in measurements of optical properties of a target sample. The system comprises (a) either a single channel OCD set-up comprised of a single probe beam configured in a direction normal/oblique to the target sample or a multi-channel OCD set-up having multiple probe beams configured in normal and oblique directions to the target sample for measuring the optical properties of the target sample, (b) at least one laser source for producing at least one laser beam, (c) at least one modulation device to turn the at least one laser beam into at least one alternatingly modulated laser beam, and (d) at least one spectrometer for measuring spectral components of the at least one light beam reflecting off said target sample; wherein the at least one alternatingly modulated laser beam is alternatingly modulating the spectral reflectivity of the target sample,

A combined OCD and photoreflectance system and method for improving the OCD performance in measurements of optical properties of a target sample. The system comprises (a) either a single channel OCD set-up comprised of a single probe beam configured in a direction normal/oblique to the target sample or a multi-channel OCD set-up having multiple probe beams configured in normal and oblique directions to the target sample for measuring the optical properties of the target sample, (b) at least one laser source for producing at least one laser beam, (c) at least one modulation device to turn the at least one laser beam into at least one alternatingly modulated laser beam, and (d) at least one spectrometer for measuring spectral components of the at least one light beam reflecting off said target sample; wherein the at least one alternatingly modulated laser beam is alternatingly modulating the spectral reflectivity of the target sample,