Minute structure inspection device, inspection method, and inspection program

• US 20080223136A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Yakabe, Masami, Ikeuchi, Naoki
• Application Number:
  US12/012,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223136A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/587
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2697 Wafer or (micro)electronic parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4445 Classification of defects

Abstract

There are provided an inspection device, an inspection method, and an inspection program for accurately inspecting a minute structure having a movable portion by using a simple method. A test sound wave is inputted and frequency characteristic of a sensor output voltage amplitude responding to the input of the test sound wave is analyzed. The maximum frequency and the minimum frequency of the device is calculated from estimated use conditions and it is judged whether it is possible to detect a desired characteristic in the frequency band. More specifically, the device is judged to be good or bad depending whether the response characteristic in a predetermined frequency band exceeds the minimum characteristic level as a threshold value.

Claims

1. A minute structure inspection device for evaluating a characteristic of at least one minute structure having a movable portion, the minute structure being formed on a substrate, the minute structure inspection device comprising:

sound wave generating means for outputting a test sound wave to said minute structure upon testing; and

evaluating means for detecting movement of said movable portion of said minute structure in response to said test sound wave outputted by said sound wave generating means, and evaluating said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a result of the detection, wherein

said evaluating means evaluates said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a comparison between an output voltage outputted on a basis of said movement of said movable portion of said minute structure in at least one given frequency band and an output voltage corresponding to a given threshold.

2. The minute structure inspection device according to claim 1, wherein said given threshold has a first threshold determination level and a second threshold determination level in said given frequency band;

and

said evaluating means determines said minute structure to be a good item upon a frequency response characteristic of said outputted output voltage being included between said first and second determination threshold levels in said given frequency band.

3. The minute structure inspection device according to claim 1, wherein said given threshold has a plurality of threshold determination levels in said given frequency band;

and

said evaluating means divides a distribution in frequency response characteristic of said outputted output voltage in said given frequency band into a plurality of groups on a basis of said plurality of threshold determination levels, and evaluates quality of said minute structure on a basis of one of said plurality of groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said outputted output voltage.

4. The minute structure inspection device according to claim 1, wherein said evaluating means divides a distribution in frequency response characteristic of said outputted output voltage in said given frequency band into a plurality of frequency band groups, and evaluates quality of said minute structure on a basis of one of said plurality of frequency band group, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said outputted output voltage.

5. The minute structure inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said test sound wave has any single frequency.

6. The minute structure inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said test sound wave has a plurality of any different frequencies.

7. The minute structure inspection device according to claim 6, wherein said test sound wave corresponds to white noise.

8. A minute structure inspection device for evaluating a characteristic of at least one minute structure having a movable portion, the minute structure being formed on a substrate, the minute structure inspection device comprising:

driving means for electrically providing movement to said movable portion of said minute structure; and

evaluating means for detecting sound outputted in response to said movement of said minute structure, and evaluating said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a result of the detection, wherein

said evaluating means evaluates said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a comparison between an output sound pressure outputted on a basis of said movement of said movable portion of said minute structure in at least one given frequency band and an output sound pressure corresponding to a given threshold.

9. The minute structure inspection device according to claim 8, wherein said given threshold has a first threshold determination level and a second threshold determination level in said given frequency band;

and

said evaluating means determines said minute structure to be a good item upon a frequency response characteristic of said outputted output sound pressure being included between said first and second threshold determination levels in said given frequency band.

10. The minute structure inspection device according to claim 8, wherein said given threshold has a plurality of threshold determination levels in said given frequency band;

and

said evaluating means divides a distribution in frequency response characteristic of said outputted output sound pressure in said given frequency band into a plurality of groups on a basis of said plurality of threshold determination levels, and evaluates quality of said minute structure on a basis of one of said plurality of groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said outputted output sound pressure.

11. The minute structure inspection device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said evaluating means divides a distribution in frequency characteristic of said outputted output sound pressure in said given frequency band into a plurality of frequency band groups, and evaluates quality on a basis of one of said plurality of frequency band groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said outputted output sound pressure.

12. A minute structure inspection method for evaluating a characteristic of at least one minute structure having a movable portion, the minute structure being formed on a substrate, the minute structure inspection method comprising the steps of:

outputting a test sound wave to said minute structure upon testing;

detecting movement of said movable portion of said minute structure in response to said test sound wave outputted by sound wave generating means; and

evaluating said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a result of the detection, wherein

said evaluating step evaluates said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a comparison between a detected output voltage in at least one given frequency band and an output voltage corresponding to a given threshold.

13. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 12, wherein said given threshold has a first threshold determination level and a second threshold determination level in said given frequency band;

and

said evaluating step determines said minute structure to be a good item upon a frequency response characteristic of said detected output voltage being included between said first and second threshold determination levels in said given frequency band.

14. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 12, wherein said given threshold has a plurality of threshold determination levels in said given frequency band;

a distribution in frequency response characteristic of said detected output voltage in said given frequency band is divided into a plurality of groups on a basis of said plurality of threshold determination levels; and

said evaluating step evaluates quality on a basis of one of said plurality of groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said detected output voltage.

15. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 12, wherein a distribution in frequency response characteristic of said detected output voltage in said given frequency band is divided into a plurality of frequency band groups;

and

said evaluating step evaluates quality on a basis of one of said plurality of frequency band groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said detected output voltage.

16. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 12, wherein said test sound wave has any single frequency.

17. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 12, wherein said test sound wave has a plurality of any different frequencies.

18. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 17, wherein said test sound wave corresponds to white noise.

23. The minute structure inspection program for instructing a computer to execute the minute structure inspection method according to any one of claims 12 to 22.

19. A minute structure inspection method for evaluating a characteristic of at least one minute structure having a movable portion, the minute structure being formed on a substrate, the minute structure inspection method comprising the steps of:

electrically providing movement to said movable portion of said minute structure;

detecting sound outputted in response to said movement of said minute structure; and

evaluating said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a result of the detection, wherein

said evaluating step evaluates said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a comparison between a detected output sound pressure in at least one given frequency band and an output sound pressure corresponding to a given threshold.

20. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 19, wherein said given threshold has a first threshold determination level and a second threshold determination level in said given frequency band;

and

said evaluating step determines said minute structure to be a good item upon a frequency response characteristic of said detected output sound pressure being included between said first and second threshold determination levels in said given frequency band.

21. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 19, wherein said given threshold has a plurality of threshold determination levels in said given frequency band;

a distribution in frequency response characteristic is divided into a plurality of groups on a basis of said plurality of threshold determination levels for said detected output sound pressure in said given frequency band; and

said evaluating step evaluates quality on a basis of one of said plurality of groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said detected output sound pressure in said given frequency band.

22. The minute structure inspection method according to claim 19, wherein a distribution in frequency response characteristic of said detected output sound pressure in said given frequency band is divided into a plurality of frequency band groups;

and

said evaluating step evaluates quality on a basis of one of said plurality of frequency band groups, the one being belonged to by a frequency response characteristic of said detected output sound pressure.

24. A minute structure inspection device for evaluating a characteristic of at least one minute structure having a movable portion, the minute structure being formed on a substrate, the minute structure inspection device comprising:

driving means for electrically providing movement to said movable portion of said minute structure; and

evaluating means for detecting sound outputted in response to said movement of said minute structure, and evaluating said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a result of the detection, wherein

said evaluating means calculates an occupied area of a given region surrounded by an output sound pressure characteristic based on said movement of said movable portion of said minute structure, to thereby calculate an occupancy rate, the output sound pressure characteristic being between a minimum characteristic level and a maximum characteristic level and in a given frequency band, and evaluates said characteristic of said minute structure on a basis of a comparison between said occupancy rate and an occupancy rate corresponding to a given threshold.