Inspection system by charged particle beam and method of manufacturing devices using the same

• US 20070235644A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation (Kioxia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimba, Toshifumi, Murakami, Takeshi, Yamazaki, Yuichiro, Watanabe, Kenji, Yoshikawa, Shoji, Noji, Nobuharu, Hatakeyama, Masahiro, Satake, Tohru, Saito, Mutsumi, Nakasuji, Mamoru, Karimata, Tsutomu, Oowada, Shin, Nagahama, Ichirota, Sobukawa, Hiroshi, Nagai, Takamitsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,411,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/307
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/225 using electron or ion
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/2251 using incident electron beams, e.g. scanning electron microscopy [SEM]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/227 Measuring photoelectric effect, e.g. photoelectron emission microscopy [PEEM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/082 Electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/202 Movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/20228 Mechanical X-Y scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/204 Means for introducing and/or outputting objects
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/22 Treatment of data
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24564 Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2806 Secondary charged particle
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2816 Length
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/70 Arrangements for deflecting ray or beam H01J29/467, H01J29/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/06 Electron sources; Electron guns
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/073 Electron guns using field emission, photo emission, or secondary emission electron sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/141 Electromagnetic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/185 Means for transferring objects between different enclosures of different pressure or atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/20 Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/222 Image processing arrangements associated with the tube
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/244 Detectors; Associated components or circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/266 : Measurement of magnetic or electric fields in the object; Lorentzmicroscopy spot analysing H01J37/252; emission microscopes H01J37/285; reflecting microscopes H01J37/29
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 : with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 : characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67213 : comprising at least one ion or electron beam chamber coating by ion implantation C23C; ion or electron beam tubes H01J37/00

Abstract

An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a sample for defects, comprising:

a charged particle irradiation means capable of irradiating a primary charged particles against said sample;

a projecting means for projecting secondary charged particles emanated from said sample by the irradiation of said primary charged particles so as to form an image;

a detection means for detecting an image formed by said projecting means as an electron image of said sample; and

a defect evaluation means for determining a defect in said sample based on an electron image detected by said detection means, wherein

electrons having energy lower than that of said primary charged particles are supplied to said sample at least while said detection means is detecting said electron image.

2. An inspection apparatus according for inspecting a sample for defects, comprising;

a charged particle irradiation means capable of irradiating a primary charged particles against said sample;

a projecting means for projecting secondary charged particles emanated from said sample by the irradiation of said primary charged particles so as to form an image;

a detection means for detecting an image formed by said projecting means as an electron image of said sample; and

a defect evaluation means for determining a defect in said sample based on an electron image detected by said detection means; and

UV photoelectron supply means capable of supplying UV photoelectrons to said sample.

3. An inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said UV photoelectron supply means comprises a UV lamp a surface thereof being coated with a metal.

4. An inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said UV photoelectron supply apparatus comprises a UV lamp and a metal plate disposed above said sample.

5. An inspection apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said sample is disposed within a sample chamber which can be evacuated to a vacuum, a transparent window member is arranged in a side face wall of said sample chamber, and said UV lamp is located outside said sample chamber.

6. An inspection method for inspecting a sample for defects, comprising:

an irradiating process for irradiating primary charged particles against said sample;

a projecting process for projecting secondary charged particles emanated from said sample by the irradiation of said primary charged particles so as to form an image;

a detecting process for detecting said image formed in said projecting process as an electron image of said sample; and

a defect evaluating process for determining a defect in said sample based on said electron image detected in said detecting process, wherein

electrons having energy lower than that of said primary charged particles are supplied to said sample at least while said electron image is being detected in said detecting process.

7. An inspection method for inspecting a sample for any defects, comprising:

an irradiating process for irradiating primary charged particles against said sample;

a projecting process for projecting secondary charged particles emanated from said sample by the irradiation of said primary charged particles so as to form an image;

a detecting process for detecting said image formed in said projecting process as an electron image of said sample; and

a defect evaluating process for determining a defect in said sample based on said electron image detected in said detecting process, said method further comprising;

a UV photoelectron supplying process for supplying said sample with UV photoelectrons.