Abstract: A method and apparatus of inspecting a sample, in which the sample is inspected under a plurality of inspection conditions, and inspection data obtained by inspecting the sample under each of the plurality of inspection conditions and position information on the sample of the inspection date in correspondence with the respective inspection conditions, are stored. The inspection data for each of the plurality of inspection conditions is against each other by the use of the position information on the sample to determine a position to be inspected in detail, and an image of the sample at a position to be inspected in detail is obtained. The obtained image is classified, the inspection condition of the sample by the use of information of classification of the image is determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of inspecting a sample, in which the sample is inspected under a plurality of inspection conditions, and inspection data obtained by inspecting the sample under each of the plurality of inspection conditions and position information on the sample of the inspection date in correspondence with the respective inspection conditions, are stored. The inspection data for each of the plurality of inspection conditions is against each other by the use of the position information on the sample to determine a position to be inspected in detail, and an image of the sample at a position to be inspected in detail is obtained. The obtained image is classified, the inspection condition of the sample by the use of information of classification of the image is determined.

Abstract: An appearance inspection apparatus analyzes a difference in detection characteristics of detection signals obtained by detectors to flexibly meet various inspection purposes without changing a circuit or software. The apparatus includes a signal synthesizing section that synthesizes detection signals from the detectors in accordance with a set condition. An input operating section sets a synthesizing condition of the detection signal by the signal synthesizing section, and an information display section displays a synthesizing map structured based on a synthesized signal which is synthesized by the signal synthesizing section in accordance with a condition set by the input operating section.

Abstract: A pupil detection device and a pupil detection method, which are capable of stably detecting the pupil by actively using information of cornea-reflected image even when most of the pupil is hidden by the cornea-reflected image. In pupil detection device (100), peripheral state evaluating section (105) sets a plurality of line segments having a reference point of a cornea-reflected image as one end and having a predetermined length, and calculates a luminance evaluation value based on luminance of each pixel in each line segment and reference luminance. Pupil center straight line calculation section (106) specifies a pupil center straight line passing through a center of a pupil image from among a plurality of line segments based on a luminance evaluation value. Pupil search section (107) detects a pupil image based on a luminance state around the pupil center straight line.

Abstract: Disclosed are an ambient light reflection determination apparatus and an ambient light reflection determination method enabling to determine reflection without using an edge and even in a case where luminance of a reflection generating part in eyeglasses is low. In a reflection determination apparatus (100), a luminance histogram calculation section (102) calculates a luminance histogram representing a luminance distribution of an eye area image, a difference calculation section (104) calculates a difference histogram by finding a difference between the two luminance histograms calculated from the two eye area images having different photographing timings, an evaluation value calculation section (105) calculates an evaluation value regarding reflection of ambient light based on the difference histogram and a weight in accordance with luminance, and a reflection determination section (107) determines the reflection of ambient light based on the calculated evaluation value.

Abstract: An inspection method, including: illuminating a light on a wafer on which plural chips having identical patterns are formed; imaging corresponding areas of two chips formed on the wafer to obtain inspection images and reference images with an image sensor; and processing the obtained inspection image and the reference image to produce a difference image which indicates a difference between the inspection image and the reference image and detect a defect by comparing the difference image with a threshold, wherein a threshold applied to a difference image which is produced by comparing the inspection image and the reference image obtained by imaging peripheral portion of the wafer is different from a threshold applied to a difference image which is produced by comparing the inspection image and the reference image obtained by imaging central portion of the wafer.

Abstract: An appearance inspection apparatus analyzes a difference in detection characteristics of detection signals obtained by detectors to flexibly meet various inspection purposes without changing a circuit or software. The apparatus includes a signal synthesizing section that synthesizes detection signals from the detectors in accordance with a set condition. An input operating section sets a synthesizing condition of the detection signal by the signal synthesizing section, and an information display section displays a synthesizing map structured based on a synthesized signal which is synthesized by the signal synthesizing section in accordance with a condition set by the input operating section.

Abstract: The visual line estimating apparatus 200 comprises: an image inputting section 201 operable to take an image of a human; a visual line measurement section 202 operable to measure a direction of a visual line on the basis of the taken image; a visual line measuring result storing section 211 operable to store therein visual line measuring results previously measured; a representative value extracting section 212 operable to extract a previous representative value; and a visual line determining section 213 operable to judge whether or not a difference between the representative value and the visual line measuring result is lower than a predetermined threshold to determine a visual line estimating result from the representative value and the visual line measuring result.

Abstract: A pupil detection apparatus and pupil detection method are provided that enable a high-accuracy detection result to be selected and output even when a gray scale image using near-infrared light is used. In a pupil detection apparatus (100), based on a calculated value of red-eye occurrence intensity that is relative brightness of brightness within a first pupil image detected by a pupil detection section (103) with respect to brightness of a peripheral image outside the first pupil image, and a correlation characteristic of red-eye occurrence intensity and a pupil detection accuracy value, a switching determination section (105) selectively outputs a detection result of the first pupil image or a detection result of a second pupil image detected by a pupil detection section (104).

Abstract: Technical Problem In the method of determining an inspection condition while measuring a signal in the dark-field inspection apparatus or the like, it takes time to produce the inspection condition, and the judgement as to the appropriateness of a sensitivity condition which is set is influenced by the operator's discretion.

Abstract: While an illumination optical system 2 is irradiating the surface of a contaminated standard wafer 110 with illumination light, this illumination light is scanned over the surface of the contaminated standard wafer 110, then detectors 31 to 34 of a detection optical system 3 each detect the light scattered from the surface of the contaminated standard wafer 110, next a predefined reference value in addition to detection results on the scattered light is used to calculate a compensation parameter “Comp” for detection sensitivity correction of photomultiplier tubes 331 to 334 of the detectors 31 to 34, and the compensation parameter “Comp” is separated into a time-varying deterioration parameter “P”, an optical characteristics parameter “Opt”, and a sensor characteristics parameter “Lr”, and correspondingly managed. This makes it easy to calibrate the detection sensitivity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a cyclic olefin compound having two or more cyclohexene rings per molecule via intramolecular dehydration of an alicyclic alcohol having two or more hydroxylated cyclohexane rings per molecule. The method includes the step (i) of heating the alicyclic alcohol at a temperature of 130° C. to 230° C. and a pressure greater than 20 Torr in an organic solvent in the presence of a dehydration catalyst, to carry out dehydration of the alicyclic alcohol while distilling off by-product water, which dehydration catalyst is liquid or soluble in a liquid reaction mixture under the reaction conditions; and the subsequent step (ii) of heating the resulting reaction mixture at a temperature of 50° C. to 220° C. and a pressure of 200 Torr or less to recover the cyclic olefin compound as a distillate.

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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of inspecting a sample, in which the sample is inspected under a plurality of inspection conditions, and inspection data obtained by inspecting the sample under each of the plurality of inspection conditions and position information on the sample of the inspection date in correspondence with the respective inspection conditions, are stored. The inspection data for each of the plurality of inspection conditions is against each other by the use of the position information on the sample to determine a position to be inspected in detail, and an image of the sample at a position to be inspected in detail is obtained. The obtained image is classified, the inspection condition of the sample by the use of information of classification of the image is determined.

Abstract: An imaging device (1) includes a camera unit (3) that captures images of the same object, respectively, using two optical systems, a face part detection unit (9) that detects a plurality of face parts composing a face included in each of the images captured by the camera unit (3), a face part luminance calculation unit (10) that calculates luminance of the detected plurality of face parts, and an exposure control value determination unit (12) that determines an exposure control value of the camera unit (3) based on the luminance of the plurality of face parts. A distance measurement unit (17) in the imaging device (1) measures distances to the face parts based on the images captured by the camera unit (3) using the exposure control value. Thus, the imaging device (1) can measure the distances to the face parts with high accuracy.

Abstract: A technology capable of ensuring measurement results of a dark-field inspection apparatus up to a microscopic area is provided. A dark-field inspection apparatus is calibrated using a bulk wafer as a reference wafer, the bulk wafer having microroughness of an irregular asperity pattern accurately formed on a surface, and the microroughness of the surface having an ensured microroughness degree. The microroughness can be more accurately formed by a chemical treatment with a chemical solution. This microroughness is measured by using an AFM, and an expected haze value is obtained based on the measured value. Then, haze of the surface of the reference wafer is measured by the dark-field inspection apparatus to be inspected to obtain an actually-measured haze value, and a difference between the expected haze value and the actually-measured haze value is obtained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of inspecting a sample, in which the sample is inspected under a plurality of inspection conditions, and inspection data obtained by inspecting the sample under each of the plurality of inspection conditions and position information on the sample of the inspection date in correspondence with the respective inspection conditions, are stored. The inspection data for each of the plurality of inspection conditions is against each other by the use of the position information on the sample to determine a position to be inspected in detail, and an image of the sample at a position to be inspected in detail is obtained. The obtained image is classified, the inspection condition of the sample by the use of information of classification of the image is determined.

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.

Abstract: A method of inspecting patterns, including: adjusting a brightness of at least one of a first bright field image and a second bright field image detected from a specimen and directed to similar patterns on differing parts of the specimen, so as to more closely match a brightness; comparing the images which are adjusted in brightness to match with each other to detect dissimilarities indicative of a defect of the pattern, wherein in adjusting the brightness, the brightness between the first bright field image and the second bright field image is adjusted by performing a gradation conversion of at least one of the brightness between the first bright field image and the second bright field image; and wherein in the comparing, said defect of the pattern is detected by using information of a scattered diagram of brightness of the first bright field image and the second bright field image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of bias adjustment for a millimeter wave radar apparatus that can efficiently and highly accurately adjust the bias of an MMIC used in a radio frequency circuit in the millimeter wave radar apparatus.