Abstract: Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result.

Abstract: A system for monitoring foreign matter includes a manufacturing line having plural process processing apparatuses, a production management system which manages the processing of workpieces in the manufacturing line, plural optical heads which monitor foreign matter in relation to at least one of the workpieces, and which provide an output signal indicative thereof, and at least one image signal processing unit provided in a lesser number than a number of the plural optical heads for processing the output signal therefrom.

Abstract: Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result.

Abstract: Conventionally, a particle/defect inspection apparatus outputs a total number of detected particles/defects as the result of detection. For taking countermeasures to failures in manufacturing processes, the particles/defects detected by the inspection apparatus are analyzed. Since the inspection apparatus outputs a large number of detected particles/defects, an immense time is required for analyzing the detected particles/defects, resulting in a delay in taking countermeasures to a failure in the manufacturing processes. In the present invention, an apparatus for optically inspecting particles or defects relates a particle or defect size to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result.

Abstract: A piezo actuator is provided between a suspension spring and a head carriage. When a predetermined track of a magnetic disk is accessed by positioning a magnetic head in the predetermined track, the piezo actuator maintains the magnetic head in an ON track state by dynamically moving a light weight head cartridge according to a servo information or dynamically moving a head assembly in the head cartridge according the servo information.

Abstract: An apparatus for automated preparation of DNA samples which comprises a reactor for preparing DNA samples and adjacent thereto an enzyme supply section, a plate holding section, a nozzle sealing section and a cleaning tank section, and wherein plates are loaded onto or unloaded from said plate holding section by means of a transport robot.

Abstract: An abrasive tape is supplied to a tape head by a tape supply unit and taken up from the tape head by a tape take-up unit. The tape head presses the abrasive tape against a surface of an object under polish, which is rotated by a rotating unit. A tape head pressuring unit utilizes a vice voice coil motor, for example. Since the tape head pressuring unit generates a pressuring force for pressuring the tape head using the electromagnetic force, it is able to set a minute pressuring force by controlling a drive signal, and to obtain the fine adjustment of the pressuring force easily by controlling the electric signal. Therefore, it becomes possible to press the abrasive tape against the surface of the object under polish with a desired low pressure.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for registering and bonding upper and lower substrate plates together through a sealer material and in such a way as to form a gap of a predetermined width between the two substrate plates. Registered substrate plates are provisionally pressed to form a joined substrate assembly, which is then pressed under heated conditions at a hot press station, thereby compressing the sealer material into a flattened form and at the same time thermally hardening the sealer material to form a predetermined gap space between the two substrate plates. In order to correct positional deviations which occur to the upper and lower substrate plates in the course of the hot pressing, on the basis detected positional deviations of upper and lower substrate plates of a hot-pressed substrate assembly, upper and lower substrates are set in offset positions instead of aligned positions when registering them at the provisional press station to cancel predicted positional deviations at the hot press station.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting foreign particle and defect on an object in detection by means of a laser beam, in which the laser beams of different wavelengths are irradiated onto the surface of the object in detection from different angles and the state of foreign particle and defect is separately detected according to the output level of the scattered light reflected from that surface. Further, it is arranged such that the scattered light reflected from the object onto which the laser beam is irradiated from the sole source or the plurality of sources is detected in plural directions, which detecting result is compared for the detection of the directivity of said scattered light in reflection.

Abstract: A lamp house is located face to face with a substrate which is transferred by a conveyer means. A dielectric barrier discharge lamp is provided in the lamp house to irradiate the substrate with ultraviolet light, while a moistened inert gas, consisting of an inert gas and water vapor, is supplied to a space between the substrate and the dielectric barrier discharge lamp from a moistened inert gas generating means. Under irradiation of ultraviolet light from the dielectric barrier discharge lamp, water vapor in the moistened inert gas is split into a reducing active member [H.] and an oxidative active member [.OH].

Abstract: A testing apparatus of a magnetic recording medium for conducting a test on the magnetic recording medium by using reproduced data obtained through reproduction of the magnetic medium, including a plurality of conversion means for converting the reproduced data into digital data, holding means for holding the digital data converted by the plurality of conversion means, data processing means for performing a calculation process on the digital data held by the holding means in relation to a magnetic characteristic of the magnetic recording medium, and analysis processing means for performing an analysis to determine whether or not information obtained by the data processing means satisfies a certain condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting foreign matter in repeated micro-miniature patterns formed upon a surface of an object to be inspected, comprising: an inspection light illuminating device for irradiating an inspection light directed upon the surface of the object to be inspected, on which the repeated micro-miniature patterns are formed; a scattered light detector for detecting scattered light of the inspection light being scattered upon the surface said object to be inspected; means for obtaining a first information related to a foreign matter attaching upon the surface of said object to be inspected, which is obtained on a basis of the detection of said scattered light by said scattered light detector; an illumination means for applying a bright field illumination upon the surface of the object to be inspected, on which the repeated micro-miniature patterns are formed; means for picking up the image of the foreign matter, under a bright field illumination by said illumination means; means for obtaining a second

Abstract: When performing supply and measurement of various signals on n=8 semiconductor IC devices under test DUT1-DUT8 using m=3 substrates 10-30, reference voltages of the devices under test DUT1-DUT3 are input to the substrate 10, reference voltages of the devices under test DUT4-DUT6 are input to the substrate 20, and reference voltages of the devices under test DUT7 and 8 are input to the substrate 30. The reference voltages input to each substrate 10-30 are averaged. The mean voltages made in each substrate are further connected to each other, and a reference voltage is made using three substrates 10-30. The reference voltage is used as a reference voltage for voltage generating circuits 11-31. The reference voltage having no variation among each substrate is set even if the number of semiconductor IC devices under test is increased and the whole equipment becomes large.

Abstract: A lamp house is located face to face with a substrate which is transferred by a conveyer means. A dielectric barrier discharge lamp is provided in the lamp house to irradiate the substrate with ultraviolet light, while a moistened inert gas, consisting of an inert gas and water vapor, is supplied to a space between the substrate and the dielectric barrier discharge lamp from a moistened inert gas generating means. Under irradiation of ultraviolet light from the dielectric barrier discharge lamp, water vapor in the moistened inert gas is split into a reducing active member [H·] and an oxidative active member [·OH].

Abstract: In a phase interference detecting system with use of an interferometer, a height from a reference surface on a measurement surface is detected by receiving interference components of reflection lights from the reference surface and a measurement surface, which lights are divided from a laser beam and are modulated with a frequency being different therefrom, i.e., by irradiating only one laser beam. A light detector is constructed with a line type sensor for receiving the interference components of the reflection lights, and has a plurality of pixel groups for common use of a measurement surface and a plurality of pixel groups for exclusive use of a reference surface, which are provided at both thereof.

Abstract: An image of a scanning position on a faceplate on a light receiving region defined by an arrangement of n light receiving elements such that an amount of light received by the light receiving region becomes a peak at a center of the light receiving region in an arranging direction of the light receiving elements and is gradually reduced substantially symmetrically toward both ends thereof in the same direction. Therefore, if there is no defect in the surface of the faceplate, levels of light receiving signals of the light receiving elements arranged substantially symmetrically in position on both sides of the light receiving region with respect to the center thereof as a reference are substantially equal and there is no substantial difference therebetween.

Abstract: For measurement of an error of alignment between first and second patterns overlappingly formed on a same substrate, first and second alignment reference marks of predetermined symmetric shapes are formed at a predetermined position of the substrate during formation of the first and second patterns. The first and second marks formed on the substrate are detected optically to obtain dimension detection data of the first or second mark as well as respective position detection data of the first and second marks. Respective symmetry centers of the first and second marks are determined on the basis of the respective position detection data of the first and second marks, and then an error of the alignment between the first and second patterns is determined on the basis of a positional deviation between the symmetry centers of the first and marks.

Abstract: A system and method of inspecting a foreign particle or a defect on a sample are provided. Such a method comprises irradiating light to an object to be inspected; detecting reflected light or scattered light from the object to be inspected irradiated with the light; detecting a signal of the foreign particle or the defect from the detected signal; providing information related to a size of the foreign particle or the defect from the signal of the detected foreign particle or the defect; and outputting information on a display screen a distribution of the size of the foreign particle or defect with information indicating a cause of the distribution of the foreign particle or defect.

Abstract: A magnetic disk certifier includes a defect detector circuit comprising a low-pass filter for extracting a low frequency component of the read-out signal, the low frequency component containing a signal component of the error, a signal generator circuit for generating a signal having a predetermined frequency lower than the frequency of the read-out signal, a synthesizer circuit for synthesizing an output signal of the low-pass filter and the signal outputted from the signal generator circuit and a comparator for generating an error signal by comparing the synthesized signal from the synthesizer circuit with a predetermined reference level.

Abstract: Locking claw engages a recording medium to be transferred, and a determination is made as to which of a plurality of predetermined points a current position of the locking member corresponds to. Current position of the recording medium can be determined indirectly on the basis of the thus-determined predetermined point corresponding to the current position of the locking member. If any recording medium is not properly settled in a predetermined rest position at power-ON, then the recording medium is automatically transferred to be settled in the predetermined rest position. Simplified detection of the position of the locking claw is made in absolute or quasi-absolute form, by a picker position detector unit that is provided in association with a rotating drive shaft of the locking member and employs a simply-constructed mechanism capable of generating detection pulses responsive to predetermined rotational angles of two shafts rotating at different rates.