Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a suitable method for identifying depression/protrusion information in a design data; and a program and an apparatus for the same; for example, even in the case that similar portions are arranged, to provide a method for enabling a pattern matching with high precision between the design data and an image obtained by an image formation apparatus or the like; and a program and an apparatus for the same. To attain the above object, a pattern matching method, wherein, using information concerning a depression and/or a protrusion of the pattern on the design data, or a pattern portion and/or a non-pattern portion on the design data, pattern matching is executed between the pattern on the design data and the pattern on said image; and a program for the same are provided.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium; a fixing pressure member that forms, between the fixing member and the fixing pressure member, a fixing pressure portion for the recording medium holding an unfixed toner image to pass through, by being brought into pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member; a drive unit that rotates the fixing pressure member by rotating the fixing member; and a lubricant adjusting member that comes into contact with an inner circumferential surface of a belt member, at least either the fixing member or the fixing pressure member being the belt member. The lubricant adjusting member is separated from the inner circumferential surface of the belt member, at least while the recording medium and the belt member are in contact with each other and while rotation of the belt member is stopped.

Abstract: A pattern measuring method and device are provided which set a reference position for a measuring point to be measured by a scanning electron microscope and the like, based on position information of a reference pattern on an image acquired from the scanning electron microscope and based on a positional relation, detected by using design data, between the measuring point and the reference pattern formed at a position isolated from the measuring point.

Abstract: A pattern measuring method and device are provided which set a reference position for a measuring point to be measured by a scanning electron microscope and the like, based on position information of a reference pattern on an image acquired from the scanning electron microscope and based on a positional relation, detected by using design data, between the measuring point and the reference pattern formed at a position isolated from the measuring point.

Abstract: There is provided a recipe generation apparatus and method for reducing the time required to reflect an optimal value and changed value in an input file by automatically reflecting a value obtained by optimizing an input file for recipe generation in the input file for recipe generation. This invention eliminates the inconvenience of manually reflecting changes in an input file for recipe generation by automatically reflecting changed values in the input file for recipe generation after editing a provisionally generated off-line recipe and achieves a reduction in processing time. This invention also provides a method for automatically generating an off-line recipe and a file for recipe generation from a recipe of a scanning electron microscope (see FIG. 3).

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device that has a planar member including a heat conduction layer. The heat conduction layer has a predetermined thickness and relatively pressed against a rotary member being rotated so that the device fixes an unfixed toner image born by a recording sheet onto the recording sheet by causing the sheet bearing the unfixed toner image to pass between the planar member and the rotary member and applying heat and pressure to the unfixed toner image. The device includes a heater that applies heat to the unfixed toner image born by the sheet passing between the planar member and rotary member. The heat conduction layer includes a heat conduction anisotropic material whose heat conduction coefficient showing the degree of easiness of heat conduction in a surface direction in which the heat conduction layer extends is larger than that in a thickness direction.

Abstract: A pattern matching method which is capable of selecting a suitable measurement object pattern, even on a sample containing a periodic structure, and a computer program for making a computer execute the pattern matching. In a pattern matching method which executes matching between the design data-based first image of an object sample, and a second image, whether or not a periodic structure is included in a region to execute the matching is determined, so as to select a pattern, based on distance between an original point which is set in said image, and the pattern configuring said periodic structure, in the case where the periodic structure is included in said region, and to select a pattern based on coincidence of the pattern in said image, in the case where the periodic structure is not included in said region, and a computer program product.

Abstract: A workpiece size measurement method suitable for length measurement of multilayered circuit elements with increased complexities is disclosed. This method employs a technique for changing measurement conditions in a way pursuant to either an image of workpiece or the situation of a target semiconductor circuit element to be measured when measuring pattern sizes on the workpiece image using design data of the semiconductor circuit element. With such an arrangement, adequate measurement conditions are selectable in accordance with the state of workpiece image and/or the state of a circuit element formed on the workpiece, thereby making it possible to improve the measurement efficiency. A workpiece size measurement apparatus using the technique is also disclosed.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a suitable method for identifying depression/protrusion information in a design data; and a program and an apparatus for the same; for example, even in the case that similar portions are arranged, to provide a method for enabling a pattern matching with high precision between the design data and an image obtained by an image formation apparatus or the like; and a program and an apparatus for the same. To attain the above object, a pattern matching method, wherein, using information concerning a depression and/or a protrusion of the pattern on the design data, or a pattern portion and/or a non-pattern portion on the design data, pattern matching is executed between the pattern on the design data and the pattern on said image; and a program for the same are provided.

Abstract: A circulating body driven with its surface being circulated along a fixed route and having a base material provided with a tubular outside peripheral surface and a surface layer covering the outside peripheral surface of the base material, the surface static friction coefficient of the surface layer is designed to be 0.06 or less with common paper at 100° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device that has a planer member including a heat conduction layer. The heat conduction layer has a predetermined thickness and relatively pressed against a rotary member being rotated so that the device fixes an unfixed toner image born by a recording sheet onto the recording sheet by causing the sheet bearing the unfixed toner image to pass between the planer member and the rotary member and applying heat and pressure to the unfixed toner image. The device includes a heater that applies heat to the unfixed toner image born by the sheet passing between the planer member and rotary member. The heat conduction layer includes a heat conduction anisotropic material whose heat conduction coefficient showing the degree of easiness of heat conduction in a surface direction in which the heat conduction layer extends is larger than that in a thickness direction.

Abstract: A pattern measuring method and device are provided which set a reference position for a measuring point to be measured by a scanning electron microscope and the like, based on position information of a reference pattern on an image acquired from the scanning electron microscope and based on a positional relation, detected by using design data, between the measuring point and the reference pattern formed at a position isolated from the measuring point.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to increase efficiency in review work by appropriately narrowing down review work that verifies shapes of visual defects relating to an enormous amount of defects detected by a visual inspecting apparatus with high sensitivity. In order to appropriately extract defect information from an inspecting apparatus, a filter function and a sampling function are prepared by unitizing the functions. As a result, defects as review targets are narrowed down and extracted automatically using the filter function and the sampling function in combination. In addition, sequencing the filter conditions and the sampling conditions and registering the sequence enables automatic filtering and sampling on the basis of information on a wafer as a review target, and thereby only defect information on the review target is extracted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inspection device and inspection method of a specimen, particularly to the inspection device and inspection method of defects of semiconductor wafers, and the object is to cope with the increase of inspection images and provide an inspection device and inspection method which is capable of classification by sub class, meeting the user needs, in addition to the automatic classification by an inspection device.

Abstract: In a circulating body driven with its surface being circulated along a fixed route and comprising a base material having a tubular outside peripheral surface and a surface layer covering the outside peripheral surface of the base material, the surface static friction coefficient of the surface layer is designed to be 0.06 or less with common paper at 100° C.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus for detecting defects existing on a surface of a semiconductor sample and/or inside the sample based on light information from the sample obtained by irradiating a light beam onto the sample is provided, which comprises a detecting means for detecting positions in the depth direction where the defects exist and distribution of the defects based on the light information; a setting means for setting a position in the depth direction where defects exist; and a means for displaying the distribution of the defects obtained by the detecting means, the displaying means displaying the distribution of the defects corresponding to the position in the depth direction set by the setting means.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to increase efficiency in review work by appropriately narrowing down review work that verifies shapes of visual defects relating to an enormous amount of defects detected by a visual inspecting apparatus with high sensitivity. In order to appropriately extract defect information from an inspecting apparatus, a filter function and a sampling function are prepared by unitizing the functions. As a result, defects as review targets are narrowed down and extracted automatically using the filter function and the sampling function in combination. In addition, sequencing the filter conditions and the sampling conditions and registering the sequence enables automatic filtering and sampling on the basis of information on a wafer as a review target, and thereby only defect information on the review target is extracted.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus for detecting defects existing on a surface of a semiconductor sample and/or inside the sample based on light information from the sample obtained by irradiating a light beam onto the sample is provided, which comprises a detecting means for detecting positions in the depth direction where the defects exist and distribution of the defects based on the light information; a setting means for setting a position in the depth direction where defects exist; and a means for displaying the distribution of the defects obtained by the detecting means, the displaying means displaying the distribution of the defects corresponding to the position in the depth direction set by the setting means.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus for detecting defects existing on a surface of a semiconductor sample and/or inside the sample based on light information from the sample obtained by irradiating a light beam onto the sample is provided, which comprises a detecting means for detecting positions in the depth direction where the defects exist and distribution of the defects based on the light information; a setting means for setting a position in the depth direction where defects exist; and a means for displaying the distribution of the defects obtained by the detecting means, the displaying means displaying the distribution of the defects corresponding to the position in the depth direction set by the setting means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inspection device and inspection method of a specimen, particularly to the inspection device and inspection method of defects of semiconductor wafers, and the object is to cope with the increase of inspection images and provide an inspection device and inspection method which is capable of classification by sub class, meeting the user needs, in addition to the automatic classification by an inspection device.