Nikon Corporation

Yuwa Ishii

Kazuhiko Fukazawa

Takeo Oomori

Tomoaki Yamada

Hisaharu Kaneko

Hirohsi Ooki

A surface inspection apparatus includes an illumination means for illuminating a pattern formed through a predetermined pattern forming process containing a process of exposure of a resist layer formed on a substrate having a periodicity with a linearly polarized light, a setting means for setting a direction of the substrate such that a plane of vibration of the linear polarization and a direction of repetition of the pattern are obliquely to each other, an extraction means for extracting a polarization component having a plane of vibration perpendicular to that of the linear polarization out of specularly reflected light from the pattern, and an image forming means for forming an image of the surface of the substrate based on the extracted light. A pattern forming condition in the pattern forming process is specified based on the light intensity of the image of the surface of the substrate formed by the image forming means.

Surface inspection apparatus, surface inspection method and exposure system

An optical disk has neighboring land tracks, and groove tracks for separating the land tracks. Pits each having a predetermined depth are formed on the land tracks, and islands each having a predetermined height are formed on the groove track.

Optical disk capable of recording information on both land and groove

A magnetooptic recording medium cartridge which accommodates a double face type disk-like magnetooptic recording medium with which an overwriting can be performed by modulating only the intensity of a laser beam in accordance with two-valued information to be recorded, without modulating a recording magnetic field. The cartridge has two initial auxiliary magnetic field (Hini.) applying devices adapted to produce magnetic fields directed opposite to each other.

Magnetooptic recording medium cartridge for two-sided overwriting

A mirror rotation angle detection mechanism is provided for an optical system having a mirror which is rotatable about an axis substantially on a reflection surface thereof at which a main beam of light is reflected. The mirror has a thin reflective layer with opposite surfaces that are nearly coplanar, and one of which constitutes the main beam reflection surface. The detection mechanism includes a light emitting member to irradiate a beam of detection light onto the opposite surface of the reflective layer. A light receiving element recieves the reflected detection beam, and an angle detection circuit detects the rotation angle of the mirror in accordance with the output of the light receiving element. According to a preferred embodiment, a condenser lens may be arranged between the light emitting member and the detection beam reflection surface.

Mirror rotation angle detection mechanism

An optical pickup apparatus comprises two photodetectors disposed on one and the same substrate. The light beam from the recording medium is divided into two light components by an optical member and the two light components are guided to the two photodetector positioned on the same substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Yuwa Ishii