Nikon Corporation

Yasuharu Nakajima

Takeo Oomori

Hideo Hirose

Kenzo Chiaki

Tatsumi Satou

A microscope for focusing by inserting a split prism at a focusing support time. The image of an iris stop is branched into such two images by the angle deflecting action of the split prism as are individually shifted and focused at symmetric positions across the optical axis of the microscope. These two branched images of the iris stop are further focused on an objective lens through a beam splitter by the focusing action of a lens. The operation unit of a vertical motion device is operated to move an optical system up and down so that the images of a focused pattern are viewed to move in opposite directions from each other in the field of view.

Microscope with a focusing assist apparatus

A light beam emitted from a light source () impinges on the spherical surface () of a collimator lens () substantially perpendicularly thereto. A light beam making a small angle to the optical axis impinges on the ellipsoid () and then it is refracted. The ellipsoid () converts light beams diverging from a light source located at the first focal point thereof into parallel light beams. A light beam making a large angle to the optical axis impinges on an ellipsoid () and then it is reflected totally off the ellipsoid (). A light beam diverging from a light source located at the first focal point of the ellipsoid () is converted into a light beam being focused on the second focal point thereof. An ellipsoid () converts the light beams focused on the second focal point thereof into parallel light beams. In this way, the light beams emitted from the light source () are converted into substantially parallel light beams by the collimator lens (), thus providing an illuminator exhibiting high directivity, high efficiency and high uniformity in light quantity distribution.

Illumination light source and image projector

A surface inspection apparatus includes: a light source unit that emits a divergent light flux of predetermined linearly polarized light to be used to illuminate a test substrate; a first optical member that allows the divergent light flux of the predetermined linearly polarized light to enter therein with a predetermined angle of incidence and then guides a light flux to the test substrate; a second optical member that allows a light flux from the test substrate to enter therein, emits a convergent light flux thereof with a predetermined angle of emergence and forms an image at a specific surface; an extraction unit that extracts linearly polarized light in the convergent light flux from the second optical member, which is perpendicular to the predetermined linearly polarized light; a light-receiving unit that receives an image of the test substrate formed via the second optical member and the extraction unit; and at least one polarization correcting member disposed within a light path extending between the light source unit and the light-receiving unit, which corrects a disruption of a polarization plane attributable to the first optical member and the second optical member.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Yasuharu Nakajima