A high-intensity light source is formed by a micro array of a semiconductor light source such as a LEDs, laser diodes, or VCSEL placed densely on a liquid or gas cooled thermally conductive substrate. The semiconductor devices are typically attached by a joining process to electrically conductive patterns on the substrate, and driven by a microprocessor controlled power supply. An optic element is placed over the micro array to achieve improved directionality, intensity, and/or spectral purity of the output beam. The light module may be used for such processes as, for example, fluorescence, inspection and measurement, photopolymerzation, ionization, sterilization, debris removal, and other photochemical processes.

High efficiency solid-state light source and methods of use and manufacture

An optical inspection module is provided for detecting defects on a substrate having first and second opposite planar surfaces. The module includes a substrate holding position and first and second measurement instruments. The first instrument includes a first illumination path extending to the substrate holding position and having a grazing angle of incidence with the first surface, which illuminates substantially the entire first surface. A first optical element is oriented to collect non-specularly reflected light scattered by the first surface. A first photodetector has a plurality of pixels positioned within a focal plane of the first lens, which together form a field of view that covers substantially the entire first surface. The second instrument includes a sensor oriented for sensing a physical characteristic of the second surface when the substrate is held in the substrate holding position and the first surface is being illuminated.

Optical method and apparatus for inspecting large area planar objects

A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure.

Method and system for measuring patterned structures

A defect inspection method includes radiating an illumination slit-shaped beam having lights substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction to a substrate having circuit patterns in a direction inclined at a predetermined gradient relative to the direction of a line normal to the substrate and inclined at a predetermined gradient on a surface with respect to a group of main straight lines of the circuit patterns with its longitudinal direction oriented almost perpendicularly to a direction of a movement of the substrate. Scattered light reflected by a defect such as a foreign particle existing on the illuminated substrate is received and converted into a detection signal by using an image sensor, and defect judging is effected of an extracted a signal indicating a defect such as a foreign particle on the basis of the detection signal output.

Apparatus and method for testing defects

A device ( 102 ) for defining a pattern, for use in a particle-beam exposure apparatus ( 100 ), said device adapted to be irradiated with a beam (lb,pb) of electrically charged particles and let pass the beam only through a plurality of apertures, comprises an aperture array means ( 203 ) and a blanking means ( 202 ). The aperture array means ( 203 ) has a plurality of apertures ( 21,230 ) of identical shape defining the shape of beamlets (bm). The blanking means ( 202 ) serves to switch off the passage of selected beamlets; it has a plurality of openings ( 220 ), each corresponding to a respective aperture ( 230 ) of the aperture array means ( 203 ) and being provided with a deflection means ( 221 ) controllable to deflect particles radiated through the opening off their path (p 1 ) to an absorbing surface within said exposure apparatus ( 100 ). The apertures ( 21 ) are arranged on the blanking and aperture array means ( 202,203 ) within a pattern definition field (pf) being composed of a plurality of staggered lines (p 1 ) of apertures. Each of the lines (p 1 ) comprises alternately first segments (sf) which are free of apertures and second segments (af) which each comprise a number of apertures spaced apart by a row offset (pm), said row offset being a multiple of the width (w) of apertures, the length (A) of said first segments (sf) being greater than the row offset. In front of the blanking means ( 202 ) as seen in the direction of the particle beam, a cover means ( 201 ) is provided having a plurality of openings ( 210 ), each corresponding to a respective opening ( 230 ) of the blanking means and having a width (w1) which is smaller than the width (w2) of the openings ( 220 ) of the blanking array means.

Maskless particle-beam system for exposing a pattern on a substrate

An electron beam lithography system having a beamlet shaping section that includes a first multi-aperture array having m rows and n columns of apertures having a first shape and a second multi-aperture array with m rows and n columns of apertures having a second shape. Electron beamlets formed by the first multi-aperture array are deflected by a deflector unit before passing through the second multi-aperture array. The superposition of the electron beamlets on the second multi-aperture produces electron beamlets having a selected shape. Deflection logic on an active beam aperture array blank selected electron beamlets. The deflection logic can be updated with the next logic pattern as the current logic pattern is being executed. The unblanked electron beamlets are directed onto a surface to be exposed. The deflection logic on the active beam aperture array, and the multi-aperture arrays, are shielded from electrons and x-rays generated by the electrons striking surfaces within the electron beam lithography system. Sensitive deflection logic is radiation hardened to prevent degradation.

High throughput electron beam lithography system

Defects in a processed or partly processed semiconductor wafer, or other similar three-dimensional periodic pattern formed on a substrate surface, are detected by light diffraction. Incident monochromatic light is provided from an elongated and extended source to illuminate the entire wafer surface. By use of automated image processing techniques, wafer macro inspection is thereby automated. The elongated and extended light source allows light at different angles to be incident upon each point of the wafer surface, thereby allowing defect detection for an entire wafer surface in a single field of view and reducing inspection time. The particular wavelength of the incident monochromatic light is predetermined to allow optimum detection of defects in the periodic pattern on the wafer, depending on the width and pitch of the features of the periodic pattern.

Wafer inspection method and apparatus using diffracted light

A projection exposure apparatus for exposing a semiconductor wafer to a pattern, formed on a reticle, using a projection lens system. An alignment optical system is disposed at a backside of the wafer which is remote from the projection lens system. The alignment optical system detects an alignment mark provided on the frontside of the wafer from the backside of the wafer. Thus the wafer alignment mark is detected without being adversely affected by integrated circuit layers, e.g. photoresist, metallization, etc. applied to the principal surface (frontside) of the wafer, and the reticle and wafer can be aligned accurately. Any tilting or wedging of the wafer, i.e. non-normality to the incident light beam, is detected and corrected for.

Semiconductor wafer alignment using backside illumination

A mask alignment system for integrated circuit lithography achieves reticle to wafer referencing. A detection system located below the main projection lens detects the image of reticle alignment marks while also detecting wafer alignment marks. The reticle marks are imaged in light at the exposure wavelength. A first detection method images the fluorescence produced in the photoresist by the reticle mark images. A microscope located below the main projection lens produces the image and also images the wafer marks with broadband non-actinic illumination. The second method images the reticle marks in exposure light using a microscope which images and detects the exposure wavelength while maintaining the illumination and detection of the wafer marks. The third method collects directly both the exposure light and fluorescent light that is scattered and reflected from the wafer surface; the presence of wafer alignment marks changes this light collection. Scanning the wafer relative to the reticle produces a signal indicating the relative position of reticle and wafer alignment marks. All three methods provide information for complete field-by-field alignment including offsets, reticle-to-wafer magnification, rotation, and skew for both step-and-repeat and scanning exposure systems.

Direct reticle to wafer alignment using fluorescence for integrated circuit lithography

Accurate measurement of the sidewalls of photoresist features formed on a semiconductor substrate is achieved by a double mask exposure process. This allows probing the sidewalls of closely spaced photoresist features with the probe tip of an atomic force microscope, in spite of the small (submicron) physical dimensions involved. First a conventional line/space pattern is exposed onto the photoresist using the desired mask. Then a second exposure is made using a second mask which has a special space pattern to effectively remove the already exposed photoresist features along at least one side of one of the previously exposed features. Hence, at least that one side of that one feature is clear of any adjoining photoresist features when the photoresist is then developed after the two exposures. This allows easy access to the sidewall of that one photoresist feature by tilting the probe tip of the atomic force microscope. This allows the measurement of the photoresist feature sidewall characteristics, including for instance angle, curvature and any artifacts present.

John H. McCoy

Papers

High throughput electron beam lithography system

Wafer inspection method and apparatus using diffracted light

Semiconductor wafer alignment using backside illumination

Direct reticle to wafer alignment using fluorescence for integrated circuit lithography

Atomic force microscope measurement process for dense photoresist patterns