JPH11274250A - Inspecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable effectively performing a plurality of kinds of inspections to an object, by using the position information of inspection results of the object between a plurality of inspecting apparatus by using the coordinate system proper to the object to be inspected. SOLUTION: A conversion formula between specimen table coordinate systems, α, γ and a substrate coordinate system βproper to a semiconductor substrate 2 is determined in inspecting apparatus A, B. Specimen tables 1, 10 are moved with specimen table controlling parts 7, 14, the whole surface of the semiconductor substrate 2 is relatively scanned by laser beams 3a, 11a, and existence of a foreign matter 200 is judged with a judging circuit 6. When the foreign matter 200 is detected, coordinates of the specimen tables 1, 10 are recorded in coordinate converting parts 8, 15. After the inspection is finished, the coordinate of a sticking position of the foreign matter 200 is converted to a coordinate concerning the semiconductor coordinate system β and recorded in a transportable storage medium M. Since delivery of inspection results is performed between a plurality of the inspecting apparatus by using the common substrate coordinate system β as parameter, useless retrieving operation can be omitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to a technique that is effective when performing a plurality of types of inspections on the same inspection object using different inspection devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device in which a circuit pattern is transferred and formed on a semiconductor substrate by a well-known photolithography technique or the like, foreign matters adhering to the semiconductor substrate during the manufacturing process cause large product defects. Cause.

For this reason, at each stage of the manufacturing process, the presence or absence of foreign matter in the semiconductor substrate is examined, and the components of the detected foreign matter are analyzed in more detail to identify the cause of the foreign matter and to determine the cause of the foreign matter. It is indispensable to take appropriate measures to reduce the emissions.

[0004] Such a conventional inspection apparatus is described in, for example, "Hitachi Hyoron VOL 68, No. 9 (1986-9)", published on September 25, 1986 by Hitachi Hyoronsha.
43-P48, and the Industrial Research Institute Co., Ltd., issued on November 20, 1987, "Electronic Materials", March 1987, P.
135-P140, etc.

[0005] For example, as a foreign substance inspection apparatus for checking the presence or absence of foreign substances, there is an apparatus which irradiates a laser beam onto the surface of a semiconductor substrate and detects scattered light due to the foreign substances so as to know the presence of the foreign substances.

As an inspection device for examining characteristics such as components of a foreign substance, for example, an epi-illumination for irradiating excitation light peculiar to a target substance or a wavelength selection filter is added to an optical system of an optical microscope. Observe the fluorescence specific to organic matter,
In some cases, components of foreign substances are examined.

Further, by irradiating the object with an electron beam or an ion beam and detecting secondary electrons and ions generated from the object, X-rays and the like, the surface state and components of the object are detected. Some are inspected precisely.

[0008]

However, in the inspection apparatus shown in the above prior art, each inspection apparatus has its own inspection method, sample table, software, etc., but a plurality of inspection apparatuses which perform different inspections are provided. There is a problem that compatibility of inspection results between inspection devices is not considered.

For example, when a certain inspection apparatus A inspects the presence or absence of foreign matter on a semiconductor substrate and then attempts to check the detected foreign matter for components or the like by another inspection apparatus B, the foreign matter detected by the inspection apparatus A is When a component or the like is to be examined by another inspection apparatus B, the inspection result such as the adhesion position of the foreign matter output from the inspection apparatus A is expressed in a coordinate system unique to the inspection apparatus A. Since it cannot be used in the apparatus B, it becomes difficult to quickly set the position where the target foreign matter is attached to the visual field or the inspection area of the inspection system of the inspection apparatus B.

In particular, a device for performing a precise inspection has a narrower inspection area and a smaller field of view, and in recent years, there has been a demand for a more detailed inspection and analysis of foreign matter with higher precision due to a higher density of semiconductor integrated circuit devices. In the field of manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit devices described above, there is a concern that it takes more time to search for an inspection site in each inspection device.

It is an object of the present invention to efficiently perform a plurality of types of inspections on an object by making the inspection results of various inspections on the same object by a plurality of inspection devices compatible. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inspection method that is possible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus capable of efficiently performing an intended inspection by making the inspection results exchanged with another inspection apparatus compatible. .

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, the outline of a representative one will be briefly described.
It is as follows.

That is, the inspection method according to the present invention is an inspection method in which a plurality of types of inspections are performed on the same inspection object using a plurality of inspection devices. The transfer of the position information of the inspection result of the object is performed using a coordinate system unique to the inspection object.

An inspection apparatus according to the present invention is an inspection apparatus for performing a desired inspection by positioning a target inspection site of an inspection object in an inspection system, and a first coordinate system unique to the inspection apparatus. And means for performing coordinate transformation between a second coordinate system unique to the object to be inspected, input of position information of an inspection result of the object to be inspected in another inspection apparatus, and a position of the inspection result in the inspection apparatus. At least one of the output of information is performed using a second coordinate system unique to the inspection object.

According to the above-described inspection method of the present invention, for example, by recording inspection results such as a position where a foreign substance is attached to an inspection object and a defect position with respect to a coordinate system unique to the inspection object, for example, After specifying the position where the foreign matter is attached by the inspection device A, when positioning the target attachment position of the foreign material in the field of view of the analytical inspection system in order to perform a detailed component inspection or the like of the foreign material in another inspection device B By using the position information of the foreign substance recorded in the inspection apparatus A before that, without performing a useless search operation or the like,
A target inspection site can be specified, and a plurality of types of inspections can be efficiently performed on the inspection object by a plurality of inspection devices.

Further, according to the inspection apparatus of the present invention described above, for example, the inspection result such as the position of a foreign substance adhering to the inspection object or the defect position is obtained from the first coordinate system unique to the inspection apparatus. By converting the data into a second coordinate system unique to the object and recording it, for example, after specifying the position where the foreign matter is attached by one inspection device A, a detailed component inspection of the foreign material is performed by another inspection device B. Therefore, when positioning the attachment position of the target foreign matter within the field of view of the analytical inspection system,
The position information on the second coordinate system of the foreign matter recorded in the inspection apparatus A before that is written into the first information unique to the inspection apparatus.
By converting the coordinate system into a coordinate system and using the coordinate system, a target inspection site can be specified without performing a useless search operation or the like, and the target inspection for the inspection object can be efficiently performed.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an example of an inspection method and an apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, as an example of an inspection method and apparatus, a foreign substance inspection is performed on a semiconductor substrate in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device by an inspection apparatus A, and an inspection apparatus B for a foreign substance detected by the foreign substance inspection. A case will be described in which component analysis is performed.

The inspection apparatus A includes a sample table 1 which can be freely moved in parallel and rotated in a horizontal plane, and a semiconductor substrate 2 is detachably fixed thereto.

A plurality of light sources 3 for irradiating an S or P-polarized laser beam 3a at a desired angle to a semiconductor substrate 2 mounted on the sample table 1 are arranged on the side of the sample table 1. I have.

Immediately above the sample table 1, an optical system comprising a lens group for capturing a part of scattered light or reflected light generated from a foreign substance 200 or the like adhered to the surface of the semiconductor substrate 2 when the laser beam 3 a is irradiated. The system 4 and a photodetector 5 provided at the focal position of the optical system 4 are provided with the same optical axis. For example, the S or P polarized light in the base portion of the semiconductor substrate 2 and the foreign matter 200 is provided. A structure in which the presence or absence of the foreign matter 200 in the semiconductor substrate 2 is determined by detecting a difference in the degree of reflection or scattering and comparing the difference with a predetermined threshold value by a determination circuit 6 connected to the photodetector 5. I have.

The operation of the sample stage 1 is performed by a sample stage control unit 7. The sample stage control unit 7 stores position information of the sample stage 1 with respect to the optical axis of the optical system 4 and the like.
And so on, based on a unique sample stage coordinate system α (first coordinate system).

A coordinate conversion unit 8 is connected to the determination circuit 6. The coordinate conversion unit 8 determines whether a sample 200 obtained from the sample stage control unit 7 is detected when the determination circuit 6 detects the foreign substance 200. The operation of recording the position of the foreign matter with respect to the table coordinate system α as coordinates (Xa, Ya) is performed.

Further, in this case, the coordinate conversion unit 8 calculates the coordinates (X
a, Ya) are, for example, two orthogonal sides of the outermost periphery of a plurality of element forming regions 2b regularly arranged in parallel with a so-called orientation flat 2a formed by cutting off a part of the outer periphery of the semiconductor substrate 2. Using the coordinate axes as the coordinate axes, an operation of converting the coordinates into coordinates (Xw, Yw) relating to the substrate coordinate system β (second coordinate system) unique to the semiconductor substrate 2 is performed.

The coordinate conversion unit 8 drives a portable storage medium M such as a floppy disk, an IC card, etc., and stores the converted data (Xw, Yw) and the like in the portable storage medium M. A data input / output unit 9 for recording and exchanging data with other external inspection devices by well-known data communication or the like is connected.

On the other hand, the inspection apparatus B is made movable in a horizontal plane, and the sample table 10 on which the semiconductor substrate 2 is detachably mounted and the semiconductor substrate 2 mounted on the sample table 10 are irradiated with an electron beam. An electron optical system 11 for irradiating an electron beam 11a, and an X-ray 11 generated from a portion of the semiconductor substrate 2 irradiated with the electron beam 11a.
The detector 12 includes a detector 12 for detecting b, secondary electrons, and the like, and a monitor 13 for displaying a processing result obtained by subjecting a detection signal of the X-ray 11b detected by the detector 12 to a predetermined arithmetic processing.

The sample stage 10 and the electron optical system 11,
The detector 12 and the like are housed in a vacuum vessel (not shown) evacuated to a desired degree of vacuum.

Then, the detection signal of the X-ray 11b is displayed, for example, with the horizontal axis representing the wavelength and the vertical axis representing the detection level. The purpose is to ascertain the type, amount, and the like of the substance existing at the irradiation site of the second electron beam 11a.

The operation of the sample stage 10 is controlled by the sample stage controller 14 by a sample stage coordinate system γ (first
The movement and the positioning operation are controlled based on the coordinate system of FIG.

A data input / output unit 16 is connected to the sample stage control unit 14 via a coordinate conversion unit 15.

The semiconductor memory 2 recorded on the substrate coordinate system β unique to the semiconductor substrate 2 input to the data input / output unit 16 by a portable storage medium M or a communication line (not shown) from another inspection apparatus A or the like. The coordinate conversion unit 15 converts the coordinates (Xw, Yw) of the foreign substance 200 attached to the substrate 2 into coordinates (X
b, Yb) and gives the result to the sample stage controller 14 so that the position where the foreign matter 200 is adhered to the semiconductor substrate 2, which has been found by the foreign matter inspection or the like in the inspection apparatus A before that, can be converted into the optical axis of the electron optical system 11. The operation of positioning above is performed quickly and accurately.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below.

First, in the inspection apparatus A, prior to the inspection of the semiconductor substrate 2 placed on the sample table 1, the outermost peripheral portions of the element forming regions 2b regularly formed on the semiconductor substrate 2 are mutually separated. Optically searching two orthogonal sides, or the orientation flat 2a of the semiconductor substrate 2
The conversion formula between the sample stage coordinate system α and the substrate coordinate system β unique to the semiconductor substrate 2 is determined from the relationship of the mounting position of the sample stage with respect to the sample stage.

Thereafter, the sample table 1 is appropriately moved by the sample table control unit 7, whereby the surface of the semiconductor substrate 2 is relatively scanned over the entire area by the laser beam 3a. Foreign matter 2 by 6
00 is determined, and the coordinate conversion unit 8 records the coordinates of the sample table 1 at the time when the foreign matter 200 is detected, that is, the coordinates (Xa, Ya) of the adhesion position of the foreign matter 200 on the semiconductor substrate 2.

After the inspection of the semiconductor substrate 2 is completed, the coordinate conversion section 8 calculates the coordinates (Xa, Ya) of the position where the detected foreign matter 200 is adhered to the semiconductor substrate 2 based on the above-mentioned conversion formula and the like. The coordinates are converted into coordinates (Xw, Yw) related to the substrate coordinate system β unique to the semiconductor substrate 2 and are recorded on the portable storage medium M together with the identification information of the semiconductor substrate 2 and the like.

On the other hand, on the inspection device B side, the semiconductor substrate 2 coming from the inspection device A side is placed on the sample table 10 and the portable memory coming together with the semiconductor substrate 2 is sent to the data input / output unit 16. The medium M is loaded.

Prior to the inspection, an alignment mark (not shown) whose positional relationship with the substrate coordinate system β is known in advance by, for example, a secondary electron image detected by the detector 12 or the like. The conversion formula between the sample stage coordinate system γ and the substrate coordinate system β unique to the semiconductor substrate 2 is determined by searching for

Thereafter, the coordinates (Xw, Yw) on the substrate coordinate system β indicating the position at which the foreign matter 200 is attached to the semiconductor substrate 2 and read from the portable storage medium M loaded in the data input / output unit 16 are calculated by the above-mentioned conversion formula. Sample stage 1
By converting the coordinates (Xb, Yb) of the coordinate system γ peculiar to 0 and giving the obtained coordinates (Xb, Yb) to the sample stage control unit 14, the semiconductor device can be used without performing a useless search operation or the like. The attachment site of the foreign matter 200 on the substrate 2 is quickly and accurately positioned directly below the optical axis of the electron optical system 11.

Thereafter, the thus positioned foreign matter 20
0 is irradiated with an electron beam 11a, X-rays 11b generated from the foreign matter 200 are detected by a detector 12, and for example, the relationship between the wavelength of the X-rays 11b and the detection level is monitored.
By displaying the information in 3, the type and amount of the material constituting the foreign material 200 are known from the wavelength of the X-ray and the detection level peculiar to each substance.

The transmission and reception of the inspection result on the semiconductor substrate 2 via the substrate coordinate system β inherent to the semiconductor substrate 2 is not limited to between the inspection apparatus A and the inspection apparatus B. As shown in FIG. 2, it is needless to say that the same is possible between the inspection apparatus C having the unique coordinate system δ and the inspection apparatus D having the unique coordinate system ε.

That is, since each inspection apparatus does not need to be aware of the coordinate system unique to many other inspection apparatuses, the degree of freedom of combination of inspection apparatuses for performing various inspections is greatly increased.

As described above, according to the inspection technique of the present embodiment, the semiconductor substrate 2 is connected between the plurality of inspection apparatuses A to D.
Inspection results are transmitted and received via a common substrate coordinate system β unique to the system, so that, for example, the position information of a target inspection site obtained by one inspection device can be effectively used by another inspection device. Thus, it is possible to reduce the time required for specifying a target inspection site without performing a useless search operation or the like.

As a result, a plurality of kinds of inspections such as a foreign substance inspection for the semiconductor substrate 2 and the like and a component analysis of the foreign substance can be efficiently performed.

As a result, the manufacturing process of the semiconductor integrated circuit device can be quickly evaluated, and the productivity in the manufacturing process of the semiconductor integrated circuit device is improved.

Although the invention made by the inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. Needless to say.

For example, the inspection object and the inspection device are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiment.

[0050]

Advantageous effects obtained by typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described.
It is as follows.

That is, according to the inspection method of the present invention, a plurality of types of inspections are performed on the same inspection object by using a plurality of inspection devices. The position information of the inspection result of the inspection object is transmitted and received using a coordinate system unique to the inspection object. Therefore, for example, the inspection result such as a position where a foreign substance is attached to the inspection object or a defect position is transmitted to the inspection object. By recording the coordinate system specific to the inspection object, for example, after specifying the position where the foreign matter is attached by one inspection apparatus A, the inspection apparatus B can perform a detailed component inspection of the foreign substance and perform the inspection of the target foreign substance. When positioning the attachment position of the foreign matter in the field of view of the analytical inspection system or the like, the position information of the foreign matter recorded in the inspection apparatus A before that is used, and the target inspection can be performed without performing a useless search operation or the like. Department Can be identified, it is possible to efficiently perform a plurality of kinds of inspection by a plurality of inspection devices for inspection object.

Further, according to the inspection apparatus of the present invention, the inspection apparatus performs a desired inspection by positioning a target inspection site of an inspection object in an inspection system, and a first inspection apparatus unique to the inspection apparatus. Means for performing coordinate conversion between a coordinate system and a second coordinate system unique to the inspection object, input of position information of the inspection result of the inspection object in another inspection device, and Since at least one of the output of the position information of the inspection result is performed using the second coordinate system unique to the inspection object, for example, the inspection result such as the adhesion position of a foreign substance or the defect position on the inspection object is obtained. Is converted from a first coordinate system unique to the inspection device to a second coordinate system unique to the inspection object, and is recorded. In another inspection device B, In order to perform such detailed components inspection,
When positioning the attachment position of the target foreign matter in the field of view of the analytical inspection system or the like, the position information on the second coordinate system of the foreign matter recorded in the inspection apparatus A before that is used as the first information unique to the inspection apparatus. By converting the coordinate system into a coordinate system and using the coordinate system, a target inspection site can be specified without performing a useless search operation or the like, and the target inspection for the inspection object can be efficiently performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a configuration of an inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a process of sharing inspection results among a plurality of inspection apparatuses.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sample stand, 2 ... Semiconductor substrate (inspection object), 2a ... Orientation flat, 2b ... Element formation area, 3 ...
Light source, 3a laser beam, 4 optical system (inspection system), 5
... photodetector, 6 ... judgment circuit, 7 ... sample stage control unit, 8 ... coordinate conversion unit, 9 ... data input / output unit, 10 ... sample stage, 11 ...
Electron optical system (inspection system), 11a ... electron beam, 11b ... X
Line, 12: detector, 13: monitor, 14: sample stage control unit, 15: coordinate conversion unit, 16: data input / output unit, 200
... foreign matter, A, B, C, D ... inspection device, M ... portable storage medium, α, γ, δ, ε ... coordinate system (first coordinate system) unique to each inspection device, β ... substrate coordinates System (second coordinate system).

Claims (1)

[Claims] An object to be inspected based on a positional relationship between a coordinate system unique to the object to be inspected placed on a sample stage of a first inspection apparatus and a coordinate system unique to the first inspection apparatus. Means for transforming the coordinates of the inspection result of the inspection object inspected by the second inspection device represented by a coordinate system unique to the first inspection device into a coordinate system unique to the first inspection device; Means for controlling the position of the sample table of the first inspection apparatus on which the inspection object is mounted, based on the coordinates of the inspection result of the inspection object converted into a coordinate system unique to the inspection apparatus, Means for irradiating an electron beam or an ion beam to a portion to be inspected of the object to be inspected.