SYSTEM FOR INSPECTING AND REVIEWING A SAMPLE

• US 20160260642A1
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frosien, Juergen, Levin, Jacob, Krivts (Krayvitz), Igor, Uziel, Yoram, Golberg, Boris
• Granted Patent: US 10,177,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/226 Optical arrangements for illuminating the object; optical arrangements for collecting light from the object
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/228 whereby illumination and light collection take place in the same area of the discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/265 Controlling the tube; circuit arrangements adapted to a particular application not otherwise provided, e.g. bright-field-dark-field illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/292 using scanning ray
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14

Abstract

A system for inspecting and reviewing a sample, the system may include a chamber that is arranged to receive the sample and to maintain vacuum within the chamber during at least a scan period; an inspection unit; a review unit; and a mechanical stage for moving the sample, according to a scan pattern and during the scan period, in relation to the inspection unit and the review unit while a spatial relationship between the inspection unit and the review unit remains unchanged; wherein the inspection unit is arranged to detect, during the scan period, multiple suspected defects of the sample; and wherein the review unit is arranged to (a) receive, during the scan period, information about the multiple suspected defects; and (b) locate, during the scan period and in response to the information about the multiple suspected defects, at least one actual defect.

Claims

1. A system for inspecting and reviewing a sample, the system comprising:

a chamber that is arranged to receive the sample and to maintain vacuum within the chamber during at least a scan period;

an inspection unit arranged to detect, during the scan period, multiple suspected defects of the sample;

a review unit arranged to;

(i) receive, during the scan period, information about the multiple suspected defects, and (ii) locate, during the scan period and in response to the information about the multiple suspected defects, at least one actual defect; and

a mechanical stage for moving the sample, according to a scan pattern and during the scan period, in relation to the inspection unit and the review unit while a spatial relationship between the inspection unit and the review unit remains unchanged.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the inspection unit comprises optics that are arranged to scan the sample during the scan period with a photon beam and the review unit comprises a column that is arranged to scan the sample during the scan period with a charged particle beam.

3. The system according to claim 2 the column is arranged to scan a location of a certain suspected defect out of the multiple suspected defects by deflecting the charged particle beam and at least partially countering the scan pattern.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the column and at least a portion of the optics are positioned within the chamber.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the inspection unit and the review unit are arranged to scan the sample during the scan period with charged particle beams.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the review unit comprises multiple columns, wherein each column of the multiple columns is arranged to scan the sample during the scan period with a charged particle beam.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the inspection unit comprises optics that are arranged to scan the sample during the scan period with a photon beam and the multiple columns are located at opposite sides of the optics.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is arranged to output information relating to actual defects and to prevent an output of information relating to suspected defects.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein:

the inspection unit comprises an objective lens, an illumination module, a dark field deflector, a beam splitter and a light sensor;

the chamber comprises a window and an opening;

the objective lens is positioned within the opening;

the illumination module, the beam splitter and light sensor are positioned outside the chamber;

the dark field deflector is positioned within the chamber;

the illumination module is arranged to;

(i) direct a light beam towards the beam splitter when operating in a bright field operational mode, and (ii) direct a light beam through the window and towards the dark field deflector when operating in a dark field operational mode; and

the objective lens is arranged to;

(i) receive a light beam from the beam splitter and direct the light beam towards the sample, and (ii) direct light emitted from the sample through the beam splitter and towards a light sensor.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein a distance between an optical axis of the inspection unit and an optical axis of the review unit does not exceed a diameter of the sample.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein a distance between an optical axis of the inspection unit and an optical axis of the review unit exceeds a diameter of the sample.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein a distance between an optical axis of the inspection unit and an optical axis of the review unit does not exceed 40 centimeters.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the inspection unit is arranged to scan the sample in compliance with the scan pattern and the review unit is arranged to scan areas of the sample that comprise at least a part of the multiple suspected defects while deviating from the scan pattern.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the review unit comprises at least one scanning electron microscope (SEM) column that is positioned with respect to the inspection unit such that the at least one SEM column is operable to review the sample at locations of interest on a scanning line which was previously scanned by the inspection unit.

15. A method for inspecting and reviewing a sample, the method comprising:

receiving, by a chamber, the sample;

maintaining vacuum within the chamber during at least a scan period;

moving, by a mechanical stage, the sample, according to a scan pattern and during the scan period, in relation to an inspection unit and a review unit while a spatial relationship between the inspection unit and the review unit remains unchanged;

detecting, by the inspection unit and during the scan period, multiple suspected defects of the sample;

receiving, by the review unit and during the scan period, information about the multiple suspected defects; and

locating at least one actual defect, by the review unit, during the scan period, and in response to the information about the multiple suspected defects.