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. 10, 2009
Filed:
Sep. 11, 2006
Minoru Yoshida, Yokohama, JP;
Shunji Maeda, Yokohama, JP;
Atsushi Shimoda, Hiratsuka, JP;
Kaoru Sakai, Yokohama, JP;
Takafumi Okabe, Yokohama, JP;
Minoru Yoshida, Yokohama, JP;
Shunji Maeda, Yokohama, JP;
Atsushi Shimoda, Hiratsuka, JP;
Kaoru Sakai, Yokohama, JP;
Takafumi Okabe, Yokohama, JP;
Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for inspecting pattern defects emitting a laser beam, adjusting a light-amount of the laser beam, converting the light-amount adjusted laser beam into a slit-like laser light flux, lowering coherency of the slit-like laser light flux, and irradiating a sample with the coherence reduced slit-like laser light flux. An image of reflection light from the sample is obtained, and a detector is provided which includes the image sensor for receiving the image of the reflection light and for converting it into a detected image signal. An image processor is provided for detecting defects on patterns formed on the sample in accordance with the detected image signal.