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:
May. 06, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 02, 2005
Takeo Oomori, Sagamihara, JP;
Kazuhiko Fukazawa, Misato, JP;
Yuwa Ishii, Yokohama, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
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.