Wafer defect inspection and review systems

Abstract

Imaging objectives and inspection systems equipped with such imaging objectives are disclosed. The imaging objective may include a front objective configured to produce a diffraction limited intermediate image. The imaging objective may also include a relay configured to receive the intermediate image produced by the front objective. The relay may include three spherical mirrors positioned to deliver a projection of the intermediate image to a fixed image plane.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 290,586, filed February 3, 2016, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e). The entirety of said US Provisional Application No. 62 / 290,586 is incorporated herein by reference. [0003] This application is related to co-pending US Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 055,292 filed February 26, 2016. The entirety of said US Patent Application No. 15 / 055,292 is incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0004] The present invention relates generally to the field of inspection, and in particular to the inspection of semiconductor devices. Background technique [0005] Thin polished plates such as silicon wafers and the like are a very important part of modern technology. For example, a wafer may refer to a thin sheet of semiconductor material used in the manufacture of integrated circuits and other devices. Other examples of thin polishing plates may inclu...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, it should be noted that recent advances in large-scale circuit integration and size reduction have challenged this expectation

That is, as defects become smaller, existing inspection tools become less efficient and effective at detecting defects

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