JP2007207807A - Testpiece positioning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To keep accuracy of testpiece positioning in a positioning device by using an elevation pin having reduced sliding resistance even if the testpiece becomes large in size. <P>SOLUTION: In a testpiece positioning method and a device, the tip of an elevation pin 2 is made like a ball so as to reduce siding resistance. Thus, the positioning device is applicable to a large-sized testpiece, and the accuracy of testpiece positioning can be improved. Furthermore, a position control unit is obliquely arranged and a clamp pin 4 is elevated, thereby avoiding interference caused by contact with an objective lens. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus that measures line width and the like. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for positioning a sample having a small sliding resistance by a position control unit such as an actuator.

Using the object to be inspected as a sample, an air blowing hole is provided on the sample table, and air is blown between the sample table and the sample to sufficiently float the sample. Actuators are placed on each side (for example, two locations in both longitudinal directions, for example, one location to two locations in both lateral directions), and a sample is pressed and positioned by the actuator (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .
JP 2004-186681 A paragraphs 0002 to 0016 and FIGS.

In the present invention, since the sample becomes large, the sample does not sufficiently float by air blowing from the sample stage. As a result, the sliding resistance between the sample and the sample stage increased, the actuator did not function sufficiently, and the required positioning accuracy could not be ensured.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and provide a positioning device that can ensure sample positioning accuracy even when the sample becomes large.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the sample positioning method and apparatus of the present invention, the tip of the elevating pin is formed into a ball shape to reduce the sliding resistance. Along with this, it was possible to cope with large samples and improve sample positioning accuracy. In addition, the position control unit was arranged obliquely, and the clamp pin was raised and lowered to avoid interference due to contact with the objective lens.

That is, the positioning device of the present invention is a sample stage on which a sample to be carried is placed, and has positioning means for positioning the sample at a predetermined position on the sample stage, and the positioning means until the sample is positioned. In the meantime, the contact surface for reducing the sliding resistance of the sample is provided with a spherical lifting pin.
Further, the positioning means of the sample positioning device of the present invention is characterized by having a predetermined angle with respect to the sample installation direction.

  According to the present invention, by using the elevating pins having a reduced sliding resistance, the sliding resistance can be reduced even with a large sample, and the sample can be easily positioned even with a relatively small buoyancy. In addition, the position control unit was arranged obliquely, and the clamp pin was moved up and down to avoid interference with the objective lens.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the measuring apparatus of FIGS. FIG. 1 is a view of the LCD line width measuring device as viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a diagram of the LCD line width measuring apparatus of FIG. 1 viewed from the lateral direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1).
In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the positioning procedure in the measuring apparatus until the sample 1 is positioned on the sample stage 3 will be described.

First, the sample 1 is mounted on the sample table 3 by carrying the sample 1 onto the lifting pins 2 by a transfer robot (not shown). At this time, the tip of the lifting pin 2 has a ball shape. Therefore, the sliding resistance generated between the sample 1 and the lifting pin 2 is smaller than when the tip of the lifting pin 2 is flat.
Next, the elevating pin 2 descends to just above the sample table 3 and then stops.
After that, the clamp pin 4 placed on the position control unit moves and presses the end face of the sample 1 for positioning. The position control unit is, for example, an actuator such as an air cylinder or a motor.
After the positioning is completed, the lift pin 2 moves to the lower part of the sample stage 3, and then the clamp pin 4 returns to the original position (the pressing is finished). Here, the clamp pin 4 has an actuator on each side (for example, two locations in both longitudinal directions, for example, one location to two locations in both lateral directions), and one side in both the longitudinal direction and both lateral directions. Is the reference surface and the other side is the surface to be pressed.

The details when sample 1 stops right above sample table 3 are shown in FIG.
When sample 1 stops immediately above sample table 3 and sample 1 and sample table 3 are close to each other, sample 1 will come into contact with sample table 3 due to the “deflection” of sample 1. For this reason, sliding resistance becomes large and sample positioning accuracy deteriorates.

  This problem can be solved by increasing the distance between the sample 1 and the sample stage 3, but it is necessary to increase the position of the clamp pin 4. When the position of the clamp pin 4 is increased, the objective lens 5 that is a part of the imaging device and the sample 1 are in contact with each other during measurement. To avoid contact between the objective lens 5 and the sample 1, the position control unit is tilted, the clamp pin 4 is raised during positioning, and the clamp pin 4 is positioned during other times (for example, during measurement). Stopped at a lower position. At the time of sample positioning, the objective lens 5 remains in the retracted position, so that the clamp pin 4 and the objective lens 5 do not contact each other.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the sliding resistance is reduced by making the tip of the elevating pin 2 into a ball shape. Accordingly, it is possible to cope with a large sample and improve the sample positioning accuracy.
Further, the position control unit is arranged obliquely, and the clamp pin 4 is lifted and lowered so as not to contact the objective lens 5.

Next, an embodiment of the lifting pin 2 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section of one embodiment of the lifting pins. In FIG. 3, the lower portion 52 of the lifting pin is omitted, and the head that contacts the sample 1 is drawn. There is a ball bearing part 51 on the head, the spherical surface is in contact with the sample 1, and the ball part rotates with the movement of the sample 1 when the sample 1 is clamped so that the sliding resistance is reduced. ing.
In addition to this embodiment, when the pressure of contact with the sample 1 is high by using a spring pin provided with a spring that can move up and down slightly, the head of the lift pin is moved by the spring. The sliding resistance may be reduced by slightly lowering the height.

In FIG. 2 for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, the sample 1 is drawn as a wave, but this is an example in which the sample 1 is a sufficiently thin glass substrate compared to its size. It is a little exaggerated.
Further, in FIG. 2, the clamp pin 4 is installed with an oblique angle (for example, 10 ° (≈17.4 rd)) with respect to the horizontally placed sample table 3. The moving direction of the clamp roller for moving the clamp pin 4 and pressing the sample 1 also has the same angle. However, the contact surface between the clamp roller (clamp pin 4) and the sample 1 has an angle on the end surface of the clamp pin 4 so that it is perpendicular to the horizontal plane.
Also, the end face of the clamp pin 4 should be separated from the sample 1 by 25 mm, for example, after positioning. This stroke is increased corresponding to the size of the substrate because the loading error increases as the substrate size of Sample 1 increases.

The figure at the time of seeing the LCD line | wire width measuring apparatus of one Example of this invention from upper direction. The figure which looked at the LCD line | wire width measuring apparatus of one Example of this invention from the horizontal direction. The figure for demonstrating the raising / lowering pin of one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1: Sample, 2: Lifting pin, 3: Sample stage, 4: Clamp pin, 51: Ball bearing part, 52: Lower part of lifting pin.

Claims (2)

A sample stage on which a sample to be carried is placed, the positioning unit positioning the sample at a predetermined position of the sample stage, and the positioning unit is configured to position the sample until the sample is positioned. A sample positioning device comprising a lifting pin having a spherical contact surface for reducing the sliding resistance of the sample. 2. The sample positioning device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means has a predetermined angle with respect to the installation direction of the sample.

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