The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 22, 1997
Satoshi Masuda, Tokyo, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
Graphic data for forming a light-shielding pattern and graphic data for forming a semitransparent pattern are stored in first and second memories, respectively. A synthesis circuit converts the graphic data stored in the first and second memories into bit patterns and writes them in a third memory. A line width determination circuit determines, as a halftone region, a region having the number of continuous bits at the same level, which number is a predetermined number or less, in the bit patterns stored in the third memory. A pattern data generation circuit generates pattern data constituted by the signal levels of a light-transmitting region and a light-shielding region on the basis of an output signal from the synthesis circuit. A pattern data correction circuit corrects the signal level of the pattern data corresponding to the halftone region designated by the line width determination circuit to a signal level corresponding to a semitransparent film in accordance with the transmittance of the semitransparent film. A comparator compares the corrected pattern data output from the pattern data correction circuit with a signal output from a line sensor and corresponding to a halftone type phase shift mask to be inspected, thereby inspecting the patterns.