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:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 13, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
Hideki Ina, Yokohama, JP;
Kenji Itoga, Tokyo, JP;
Assignee:
Other;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/189 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/189 ;
Abstract
A dust particle inspection apparatus for detecting size information and height information of a dust particle on the surface of a mask or a wafer, as well as a device manufacturing method using the same, are disclosed. Light from a light source is directed to a predetermined surface to be inspected, and reflection light from a dust particle on the predetermined surface is detected by a detecting system. An output signal of the detecting system is processed by a signal processing system, so that size information of the dust particle along the predetermined surface and height information thereof with respect to a direction of a normal to the predetermined surface are detected.