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. 20, 2014
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2008
Kazumasa Endo, Kawasaki, JP;
Daisaku Mochida, Nagoya, JP;
Toru Yoshikawa, Yokohama, JP;
Hiromasa Shibata, Yokohama, JP;
Akitoshi Kawai, Yokohama, JP;
Kazumasa Endo, Kawasaki, JP;
Daisaku Mochida, Nagoya, JP;
Toru Yoshikawa, Yokohama, JP;
Hiromasa Shibata, Yokohama, JP;
Akitoshi Kawai, Yokohama, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A defect inspecting apparatus inspects defects of a sample having a pattern formed on the surface. The defect inspecting apparatus is provided with a stage which has a sample placed thereon and linearly moves and turns; a light source; an illuminating optical system, which selects a discretionary wavelength region from the light source and epi-illuminates the sample surface through a polarizer and an objective lens; a detecting optical system, which obtains a pupil image, by passing through reflection light applied by the illuminating optical system from the surface of the sample through the objective lens and an analyzer which satisfies the cross-nichols conditions with the polarizer; and a detecting section which detects defects of the sample by comparing the obtained pupil image with a previously stored pupil image. Conformity of the pattern on a substrate to be inspected can be judged in a short time.