Dual resolution combined laser spot scanning and area imaging inspection

• US 6,122,046 A
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Almogy, Gilad
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenberger, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US09/165,992
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 356/371, 356/237.2, 356/237.3, 356/237.4, 356/239.7, 356/239.8
• US Class Current: 356/237.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9501 Semiconductor wafers manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10

Abstract

An optical inspection system for inspecting a substrate includes a light detector, a light source, a deflection system, an objective lens and an optical system. The light source produces an illuminating beam directed along a path to the substrate. The deflection system scans the illuminating beam on a scan line of the substrate. The objective lens focuses the illuminating beam on the substrate and coliects light reflected therefrom. The collected beam is angularly wider than the illuminating beam. The optical system directs the collected light beam along a path at least partially different than the path of the illuminating beam and focuses the collected beam on the light detector. In one embodiment, the system additionally includes at least one dark field detector for collecting light deflected from the substrate.

Claims

1. A dual resolution inspection system for inspecting a substrate, comprising:

an illumination system comprising a light source producing an illuminating beam directed along a path to said substrate, and a deflection system for scanning said illuminating beam on at least a scan line of said substrate;

an illumination objective for focusing said illuminating beam on said substrate and for collecting light reflected therefrom whereby a collected light beam is formed, said collected light beam being angularly wider than said illuminating beam;

at least one dark field detector for detecting scattered light scattered from said substrate;

an array light detector; and

an optical system disposed between said illumination system and said illumination objective for diverting said collected light beam from an optical path connecting said illumination system and said illumination objective and focusing said collected light beam, after said collected light beam passes said illumination objective, onto said array light detector.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said optical system comprises a quarter-wave plate for polarizing said collected light beam in a direction different from that of said illuminating beams and a polarizing beam-splitter for directing said illuminating beam in the direction of said substrate and for redirecting said collected light beam towards said array light detector.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said array is a charge coupled device (CCD) array or a time delay and integration (TDI) CCD array.

4. A device according to claim 3, further comprising means for reading out one portion of said array while a second portion of said array is being illuminated.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said array comprises a plurality of pixels along a principal dimension corresponding to said scan line and substantially less pixels along a dimension orthogonal to said principal dimension.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said optical system comprises a collection objective whose magnification is higher in said principal dimension than in said orthogonal dimension.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein a numerical aperture of said illumination objective is larger than a numerical aperture of said deflection system.

8. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a processing unit for generally simultaneously processing output of said dark field detector and said array light detector.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said the output of said dark field detector and said array light detector are of different resolution and pixel sizes.

10. A dual resolution inspection system for inspecting a substrate, comprising:

an illumination system comprising a light source producing an illuminating beam directed along a path at an angle to said substrate,

and a deflection system for scanning said illuminating beam on at least a scan line of said substrate;

an illumination objective for focusing said illuminating beam on said substrate and

collecting light reflected from said substrate whereby a collected light beam is formed, said collected light beam being angularly wider than said illuminating beam;

at least one dark field detector for detecting scattered light scattered from said substrate;

an array light detector; and

an optical system disposed between said illumination system and said illumination objective for diverting said collected light beam from an optical path connecting said illumination system and said illumination objective and for focusing said collected light beam, after said collected light beam passes said illumination objective, onto said array light detector.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein a numerical aperture of said illumination objective is larger than a numerical aperture of said deflection system.

12. A dual resolution inspection system for inspecting a substrate, comprising:

an illumination system comprising a light source producing a light beam, and a deflection system for scanning said light beam on at least a scan line of said substrate;

illumination optics defining an illumination path for said light beam;

an illumination objective inserted in said illumination path and having a defined numerical aperture for focusing said light beam on said substrate;

at lest one dark field detector for detecting scattered light scattered from said substrate;

a multiple element light sensor

collection optics defining a collection path for light reflected from said substrate; and

a collection objective inserted in said collection path and having a defined numerical aperture larger than said numerical aperture of said illumination objective, for focusing said light beam after said light beam, passes said illumination objective, onto said multiple element light sensor.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein a numerical aperture of said illumination objective is larger than a numerical aperture of said deflection system.

14. A bright-field inspection system for inspecting a substrate, comprising:

an illumination system comprising a laser providing a laser beam, and a deflection system for scanning said laser beam on at least a scan line of said substrate;

illumination optics defining an illumination path for said laser beam and focusing said laser beam on said substrate at an acute incidence angle, said illumination optics having a defined illumination numerical aperture;

collection optics situated to collect light reflected at an acute angle opposite said acute incidence angle and defining a collection path, said collection optics having a defined collection numerical aperture larger than said illumination numerical aperture; and

an array light detector situated in said collection path.

15. The bright field inspection system of claim 14, further comprising:

an illumination objective inserted in the illumination path and having a defined numerical aperture; and

a collection objective inserted in the collection path and having a defined numerical aperture larger than the numerical aperture of the illumination objective.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein a numerical aperture of said illumination objective is larger than a numerical aperture of said deflection system.

17. A device according to claim 14, further comprising at least one dark field detector situated to collect light scattered from said substrate.

18. A dual resolution inspection system for inspecting a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

an illumination system comprising a light source for producing an illumination beam at an acute angle to said substrate, and a deflection system for scanning said illumination beam on at least a scan line of said substrate;

an illumination objective for focusing said illumination beam on said substrate and having a defined illumination numerical aperture;

at least one dark field detector for detecting scattered light scattered from said semiconductor wafer, said dark field detector located at a spatial angle from specular reflection of said illumination beam;

a collection objective for collecting light reflected from said substrate whereby a collected light beam is formed, said collection objective having a defined collection numerical aperture larger than said illumination numerical aperture; and

an array light detector receiving said collected light beam.