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.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 2004

Filed:

Sep. 15, 2003
Applicant:
Inventors:

Koichiro Komatsu, Setagaya-ku, JP;

Takeo Oomori, Katsushika-ku, JP;

Assignee:

Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/188 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/188 ;
Abstract

A surface inspection method for inspecting a pattern formed at a surface of a test piece, includes: a first step in which a plurality of inspection conditions that are different from each other are set; a second step in which light from the surface of the test piece is detected by irradiating illumination light onto the surface of the test piece under each of the plurality of inspection conditions; a third step in which a plurality of sets of detection information corresponding to the plurality of inspection conditions are generated based upon the detected light; a fourth step in which a logical OR of the plurality of sets of detection information is obtained; and a fifth step in which a decision is made as to whether or not the pattern at the surface of the test piece is acceptable based upon results of the logical OR.


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