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:
Sep. 04, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2001
Takashi Hiroi, Yokohama, JP;
Masahiro Watanabe, Yokohama, JP;
Chie Shishido, Yokohama, JP;
Aritoshi Sugimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Maki Tanaka, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Miyai, Hitachi, JP;
Asahiro Kuni, Tokyo, JP;
Yasuhiko Nara, Hitachinaka, JP;
Takashi Hiroi, Yokohama, JP;
Masahiro Watanabe, Yokohama, JP;
Chie Shishido, Yokohama, JP;
Aritoshi Sugimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Maki Tanaka, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Miyai, Hitachi, JP;
Asahiro Kuni, Tokyo, JP;
Yasuhiko Nara, Hitachinaka, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A pattern inspection method in which an image can be detected without an image detection error caused by an adverse effect to be given by such factors as ions implanted in a wafer, pattern connection/non-connection, and pattern edge formation. A digital image of an object substrate is attained through microscopic observation thereof, the attained digital image is examined to detect defects, while masking a region pre-registered in terms of coordinates, or while masking a pattern meeting a pre-registered pattern, and an image of each of the defects thus detected is displayed. Further, each of the defects detected using the digital image attained through microscopic observation is checked to determine whether its feature meets a pre-registered feature or not. Defects having a feature that meets the pre-registered feature are so displayed that they can be turned on/off, or they are so displayed as to be distinguishable from the other defects.