US 12,072,621 B2
Photomask inspection method and apparatus thereof
Chih-Wei Wen, Tainan (TW); Hsin-Fu Tseng, Hsinchu County (TW); and Chien-Lin Chen, Tainan (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/185,407.
Application 18/185,407 is a continuation of application No. 17/200,867, filed on Mar. 14, 2021, granted, now 11,614,684.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/075,584, filed on Sep. 8, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0213853 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 1/84 (2012.01); G03F 1/86 (2012.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 1/84 (2013.01) [G03F 1/86 (2013.01); G03F 7/702 (2013.01); G03F 7/70608 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inspection apparatus, comprising:
a stage configured to receive a photomask;
a radiation source configured to inspect the photomask;
a mirror configured to direct a first radiation beam from the radiation source to the photomask at a first tilt angle;
an aperture stop configured to receive a second radiation beam reflected from the photomask through an aperture of the aperture stop, wherein the aperture is tangent at a center of the aperture stop; and
a detector configured to generate an image of the photomask according to the second radiation beam.