Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Kyoto University

Tokyo Kogaku Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha

The University of Electro-Communications

Akihiko Sekine

Toshiyuki Watanabe

Ikunao Isomura

Toru Tojo

Yoichiro Iwa

Fumio Ohtomo

Riki Ogawa

Shinji Sugihara

Shinji Wada

Hisakazu Yoshino

Masayuki Hideshima

Kazuhiro Miyakawa

Takashi Yokokura

Mitsuo Tabata

Isao Minegishi

Akihiro Arai

Tsutomu Kikawa

Hisashi Isozaki

Kazuo Nunokawa

Nagahisa Yoshimura

Naoto Miki

Masanori Hangai

Akiko Matsumoto

Nobusuke Obata

Hideki Hatanaka

Katsuhiro Yamada

Masaru Isono

Eriko Watanabe

Yugo Kimura

Hiroaki Soma

Funio Ohtomo

An apparatus enabling abnormality detection of a sample. A first interference optical system scans the sample with first signal light from a first sample optical path, making the first signal light interfere with first reference light from a first reference optical path, to detect first interference light. Optical path length difference between the first sample optical path and first reference optical path is changed based on the detection. A change in the optical path length difference is determined. A second interference optical system scans the sample with second signal light from a second sample optical path, making the second signal light interfere with second reference light from a second reference optical path to detect second interference light. Tomographic information of the sample based on detection of the second interference light is determined. A refractive index profile of the sample is obtained based on the change amount information and tomographic information.

Optical property measurement apparatus and optical property measurement method

In a fundus observation apparatus, an optical system detects interference light generated by superposing signal light having traveled by way of an eye fundus and reference light having traveled by way of a reference optical path. An image forming part forms a cross sectional image based on detection results of the interference light. A specifying part analyzes the cross sectional image to specify an abnormal region located in the vicinity of central fovea of the eye fundus. The association information generating part calculates the distance between the central fovea and the abnormal region and generates association information in which the direction of the abnormal region relative to the central fovea and the distance are associated with each other. The evaluation information generating part generates evaluation information for evaluating the state of the eye fundus based on the association information.

Fundus observation apparatus and fundus image analyzing apparatus

An ophthalmic observation apparatusperforms an OCT measurement of a fundus Ef to form an OCT image, performs an analytical processing on this OCT image, and outputs examination-results information including the analysis results. The ophthalmic observation apparatusis capable of selectively executing a plurality of operation modes. The ophthalmic observation apparatuspreliminarily stores operation mode information, in which various operational details are associated with each operation mode. When one operation mode is designated, the ophthalmic observation apparatusrefers to the operation mode informationto identify the operational details associated with this operation mode, and controls an optical system, an image forming part, a three-dimensional image forming part, an analytic processor, a display, and/or a printer, etc. based on the identified operational details.

Ophthalmic observation apparatus

A mask-defect inspection apparatus including a plurality of illumination optical systems () for illuminating different areas () on a mask () on which a pattern () is formed, an objective lens (OL) disposed to face the mask, and at least a pair of detection optical systems () each having a detection sensor () to form an image of the pattern and for receiving illumination light from each of the different areas through the objective lens, each of the detection optical systems having a mechanism () for adjusting an angle of an aperture.

Mask-defect inspecting apparatus with movable focusing lens

The mask defect inspection apparatus including an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask on which a pattern is formed; an objective lens facing the mask; at least a pair of detection optical systems having a detection sensor for obtaining an image of the pattern, respectively, and which receive illumination light from illumination areas different from each other through the objective lens, respectively; and focusing changing means for changing a position of focusing between sites of the pattern in a film-thickness direction of the mask and the pattern images obtained by the detection sensors, such that the pattern images obtained by the detection sensors are changed corresponding to the film-thickness direction of the mask.

Mask defect inspection apparatus

A pattern inspection apparatus comprises an illumination optics applying a first inspection light on a predetermined wavelength to a surface opposite to a pattern formed surface of the substrate, and a second inspection light whose wavelength is equal to the wavelength of the first inspection light to the pattern formed surface, a detector independently detecting a transmitted light from the substrate by irradiation of the first inspection light and a reflected light from the substrate by irradiation of the second inspection light, and a space separation mechanism provided in the vicinity of an optical focal plane toward the pattern formed surface, and spatially separates an irradiation area of the first and second inspection lights such that the transmitted and reflected lights from the substrate are imaged in two discrete areas separated on the optical focal plane.

Pattern inspection method

Pattern inspection apparatus

A surface inspection apparatus of the present invention includes an irradiation optical unit having a multibeam irradiation optical unit for converging and irradiating multiple beams upon a surface of an object to be inspected; a detector which has a light-condensing optical unit including light-sensitive elements for respectively receiving the multiple beams reflected by the surface of the inspecting object; and a processor which obtains a plane-coordinate-position of a position to be irradiated and detected at a reference height position based on a difference between light-receiving reference positions of each of the light-sensitive elements when assumed that the irradiated and detected position of the inspecting object is at the reference height position and actual light-receiving positions of each of the light-sensitive elements, according to a result of analysis and process of surface state information.

Surface inspection apparatus

A surface inspection apparatus includes an LD (for emitting a laser beam (L), an irradiation optical system for entering the emitted laser beam (L) onto an inspection surface () of a wafer at predetermined depression angle (&#x3b1;), a scanning device () to displace the wafer () in order for the laser beam (L) scans the inspection surface () in a spiral, an light intensity detecting device () to detect light intensity, and a scattered light detecting optical system () for guiding scattered light (L) emitted from an irradiation area () in which the laser beam (L) is entered. The light intensity detecting device () includes a multianode PMT () for detecting the light intensity by decomposing the scattered light (L) into 10 channels (ch) in a one-dimensional direction (Y axis direction).

Surface inspection method and surface inspection apparatus

A method for inspecting a surface, including entering a predetermined luminous flux at a predetermined incident angle in an inspected surface of an inspection object which is an object of a surface inspection, displaying relatively at least one of the luminous flux and the inspection object so that the luminous flux scans upon the inspected surface, decomposing spatially light intensity of scattered light reflected on an area of the inspected surface entering the luminous flux into a plurality of channels with respect to an one-dimensional direction corresponding to a predetermined direction in the area of the inspected surface entering the light flux, performing inspection of the inspected surface by detecting individually light intensity of each of the decomposed scattered lights obtained by the decomposition, and increasing uniformity of light intensity distribution with respect to at least the predetermined direction in the area of the inspected surface in which the luminous flux is entered.

Method for inspecting surface and apparatus for inspecting it

A wafer surface inspection apparatus comprises a light source, an optical system for focusing the light beams from the light source onto the wafer surface, a scanning means for scanning the focused point over a predetermined range on the wafer surface, a photo detector including an photoelectric converter for sensing scattered light from the focused point, and a signal detector for detecting signals from the photo detector, in which the light source is a light source for emitting two different wavelengths, the optical system is adapted to focus the light beams of the two wavelengths on one and the same point on the wafer surface, and the photo detector is adapted to sense the two wavelengths separately, and further comprises a discriminating portion for discriminating between a foreign matter or a scratch on the wafer surface and a recess in a spot form existing on the wafer surface by utilizing outputs from the signal detector.

A photomask defect inspection method is provided by which defects of pin holes with the diameter equal to or less than 0.35 .mu.m can be detected with certainty. According to the inspection method, a pattern whose image is projected onto an imaging position by the use of illumination light (P1) for exposure consists of light transmitting portions (41) formed on a glass base (2) and light intercepting portions (42) which transmit part of the illumination light (P1) in such a way that a phase of the part of the illumination light (P1) passing through the light intercepting portions (42) is delayed with respect to a phase of the illumination light (P1) passing through the light transmitting portions (41). Slight detects in the photomask pattern are detected on the basis of a signal obtained by illuminating the pattern with inspection light having an inspection wavelength in which the transmittance (T) of the light intercepting portions (42) is defined in the following formula on the basis of a signal detection limit (Thr). When the signal detection limit (Thr) of an inspection circuit is calculated on the supposition that a signal level of the inspection light passing through the light transmitting portions (41) is equal to 1, the relational expression is T.gtoreq.(Thr-0.01).sup.1/1.8.

Apparatus for inspecting slight defects on a photomask pattern

A surface inspection apparatus comprises a light source, a scan optical system having a scanning means for scanning a wafer surface in a direction of crossing the wafer by luminous flux from the light source, a moving unit for moving the wafer relatively in a direction of a prescribed angle with respect to the scanning direction, a light receiving unit having a photoelectric converter for receiving scattered lights from the wafer surface, and a signal processing unit performing the the surface inspection based on signals from the light receiving unit. The scanning means is controlled to scan the luminous flux forward and rearward. The signal processing unit performs the surface inspection based on signals of the light receiving unit in a region excluding a transition area where scan is performed from the outside of the wafer to the wafer within a forward and rearward scan region by the scanning means.

Surface detecting apparatus

A photomask defect inspection method is provided by which defects of pin holes with the diameter equal to or less than 0.35 .mu.m can be detected with certainty. According to the inspection method, a pattern whose image is projected onto an imaging position by the use of illumination light (P1) for exposure consists of light transmitting portions (41) formed on a glass base (2) and light intercepting portions (42) which transmit part of the illumination light (P1) in such a way that a phase of the part of the illumination light (P1) passing through the light intercepting portions (42) is delayed with respect to a phase of the illumination light (P1) passing through the light transmitting portions (41). Slight defects in the photomask pattern are detected on the basis of a signal obtained by illuminating the pattern with inspection light having an inspection wavelength in which the transmittance (T) of the light intercepting portions (42) is defined in the following formula on the basis of a signal detection limit (Thr). When the signal detection limit (Thr) of an inspection circuit is calculated on the supposition that a signal level of the inspection light passing through the light transmitting portions (41) is equal to 1, the relational expression is T.gtoreq.(Thr-0.01).sup.1/1,8.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Akihiko Sekine