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:
Jan. 31, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 25, 2011
Shunji Maeda, Yokohama, JP;
Kenji Oka, Yokohama, JP;
Yukihiro Shibata, Fujisawa, JP;
Minoru Yoshida, Yokohama, JP;
Chie Shishido, Yokohama, JP;
Yuji Takagi, Kamakura, JP;
Atsushi Yoshida, Yokohama, JP;
Kazuo Yamaguchi, Sagamihara, JP;
Shunji Maeda, Yokohama, JP;
Kenji Oka, Yokohama, JP;
Yukihiro Shibata, Fujisawa, JP;
Minoru Yoshida, Yokohama, JP;
Chie Shishido, Yokohama, JP;
Yuji Takagi, Kamakura, JP;
Atsushi Yoshida, Yokohama, JP;
Kazuo Yamaguchi, Sagamihara, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Arrangements for inspecting a specimen on which plural patterns are formed; capturing a first image of a first area; capturing a second image of a second area in which patterns which are essentially the same with the patterns formed in the first area; creating data relating to corresponding pixels of the first and second images, for each pixel; determining a threshold for each pixel for detecting defects directly in accordance with the first and second images; and detecting defects on the specimen by processing the first and second images by using the threshold for each pixel and information of a scattered diagram of brightness of the first and second images, wherein the threshold is determined by using information of brightness of a local region of at least one of the first and second images, with the local region including an aimed pixel and peripheral pixels of the aimed pixel.