Abstract: A method for producing a thin film multilayer substrate having a base substrate, and, which a plurality of conductor pattern layers superposed thereon through dielectric layers therebetween comprises the steps of: optically detecting the uppermost conductor pattern layer whenever the conductor pattern layer is formed on the base substrate; inspecting an absence and/or presence of a fault of the conductor pattern layer; and repairing a faulty portion in accordance with fault position data detected by the inspecting. According to this method, it is possible to enhance a production yield of relatively large size of thin film multilayer substrates which needs a relatively small amount of production at a high production cost, for mounting LSI chips thereon.

Abstract: A rotary member is continually held suspended by a strong pinning force of oxide superconductors in a superconductive state. The magnetic field of magnets on the suspended rotary member is distributed concentrically about the center of the pinning force, so that the rotary member can be continually rotated in a non-contacting state while being lifted off the high temperature oxide superconductors. The rotary member is rotated in a high vacuum and is held to continually rotate for an extended period of time. Kinetic energy is stored in and recovered from the rotating member via an input/output device.

Abstract: Method of inspecting reticles and an apparatus therefor, where means for holding and transferring an inspected reticle and a standard reticle respectively, means for illuminating light with spatial coherency adjusted onto both reticles respectively, and an objective lens for collecting transmitted light or reflected light from the illuminated body produced by the illuminating, are installed on respective Fourier transformation surfaces of both reticle surfaces, and a light blocking plate for blocking light corresponding to the adjusted spatial coherency is installed, and electric signals obtained are compared thereby a defect or a foreign substance existing on the inspected reticle can be detected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting foreign matter on a sample by illuminating a stripe-shaped region with linearly polarized light. Some of the light reflected by the sample is intercepted by a light intercepting stage, and the rest of the light reflected by the sample, which passes through the light intercepting stage is directed to a detecting optical system, to be detected by a photo-detector. The sample is illuminated obliquely at a predetermined angle with respect to a group of straight lines constituting a primary pattern on the sample. The angle is selected so that the diffraction light reflected by the group of straight lines does not enter the detecting optical system. A polarizing spatial filter using a liquid crystal element may be disposed in a predetermined restricted region in a spacial frequency region, or Fourier transformation plane, within the detecting optical system.

Abstract: The present invention resides in a method and apparatus for detecting a foreign particle, wherein an ultraviolet light beam is radiated in the form of a spot to a sample having a protective film formed on a circuit pattern or a wiring pattern; the spot and the sample are scanned relative to each other; the ultraviolet light is absorbed by the protective film; diffracted light produced from a foreign particle present on the protective film is condensed by an integrating sphere; the thus-condensed light is sensed by an optoelectro transducer to convert it into an electric signal; and the foreign particle present on the protective film formed on the circuit pattern or the wiring pattern is detected on the basis of the electric signal provided from the optoelectro transducer.

Abstract: The present invention is of an apparatus, in a reduction-projection exposure apparatus, for reduction-projection position detection comprising illuminating means for illuminating a registration mark on a specimen with three or four wavelengths of laser beams oscillated in an Ar laser and one or two wavelengths, which are different from the aforesaid wavelengths, of laser beams oscillated in a He-Ne laser passed through a reduction-projection lens, an image forming optical system condensing, through the reductio-projection lens, reflected beams from the the registration mark on the specimen illuminated by the illuminating means and separating the beams into beams of four wavelengths, at least, out of the aforesaid wavelengths, for forming images of the separated beams, and image pick-up means for picking up the images, formed by the image forming optical system, of the registration mark on the specimen, thereby to detect the position of the registration mark, and of a relative method thereto.

Abstract: A method of correcting a circuit pattern such as an X-ray mask, carried out by first preparing a circuit pattern structure where a circuit pattern on a conductive film is coated with a protective film, then forming a hole or a slit by irradiating a high-intensity focused ion beam to a dropout defective portion in the circuit pattern of the circuit pattern structure, and plating such hole or slit while utilizing the conductive film as a plating electrode, thereby forming a metal frame to correct the dropout defective portion.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprises a stage; a base plate provided on the stage; a flexible chuck plate which is capable of sucking under vacuum a substantially entire surface of a substrate to a surface thereof; a plurality of vertical displacement generating mechanism including a plurality of feedscrews provided at the base plate with predetermined intervals therebetween, a plurality of rotational actuators for rotatively driving each of the feedscrews, and a plurality of spring members interposed between the chuck plate and the base plate so as to allow a tip of each of the feedscrews to be engaged with a rear surface of the chuck plate; restricting mechanism for restricting the chuck plate in such a manner as not to be displaced horizontally relative to the base plate; a mask holder for holding a mask; a mechanism for measuring a level of the mask held by the mask holder; and a mechanism for measuring a level of the substrate sucked onto the chuck plate, whereby each of the rotational actuators of the vertica

Abstract: A flaw detection method for detecting flaw existing in the surface of a substantially plate-shaped examination object by making use of an interference of light. A coherent light is applied to the surface of the examination object and also to a reference mirror surface. The light reflected by the surface of the examination object and the light reflected by the reference mirror surface are made to interfere with each other to form an interference image from which the flaw is detected. The reference mirror surface is disposed at an optical inclination to the surface of the examination object. The reference mirror surface may be the reverse surface of the examination object while the obserse side of the same is being examined. Infrared coherent ray is preferably used as the coherent light.

Abstract: An automatic contaminants detection apparatus comprises a polarized laser beam source, a polarized laser beam irradiation optical system having irradiation angle switching means for switching an irradiation angle depending on the presence or absence of a pattern on a sample surface to irradiate the polarized laser beam emitted by the polarized laser beam source to the sample surface with an angle of grazing, a detector for detecting condensed scattered or reflected lights of the laser beam from the sample surface with or without interleave of an analyzer, and analyzer switching means for inserting or removing the analyzer into or from a detection light path of the detector depending on the presence or absence of the pattern on the sample surface. The apparatus can detect contaminants on the patterned or non-patterned sample surface with a high sensitivity.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting contaminants depositing on the reticle of a reduction projection mask aligner comprises a laser spot projector which conducts a laser beam to the light path upstream of the condenser lens of the aligner such that the laser beam is in the same direction as of the exposure light beam. The laser spot projector projects the laser beam from above the reticle through the condenser lens so as to form a laser spot on the upper surface of the reticle. A laser spot scanner which scans the entire area of the reticle by the laser spot projected on to the reticle by the laser spot projector, and a photoelectric detector which receives the scattered light emitted aslant on the reticle surface, whereby a contaminant on the reticle is detected in accordance with the signal produced by the detector.

Abstract: A pattern detection system for inspecting defects in fine or minute patterns such as photomask patterns at a fast speed is disclosed. The system comprises an illuminator, a device for moving objects with the patterns to be inspected with being illuminated by the illuminator, an optical system for imaging the objects, a scanner for scanning the objects in a direction intersected at a given angle with respect to direction of the objects moved by the moving device and arrays of photosensors arranged linearly in a direction perpendicular to that of images on the objects scanned by the scanner, on the surface of which the images are formed by the optical system and for producing respective outputs parallelly on the time basis.

Abstract: A wafer transforming device defines an airtight space by means of a base, a hollow case, and a diaphragm type chuck which is fixed to the upper end of the case by suction. In this space, a large number of vertically moving elements are arranged at predetermined intervals. In the state in which a wafer is held by suction by means of the chuck and in which the chuck is held in contact with the upper ends of the vertically moving elements by supplying a vacuum pressure into the space, the vertically moving elements located within a required range are selectively actuated. Thus, the chuck is pushed up, and the wafer held on the chuck by the suction is transformed into a desired state.

Abstract: A device for measuring a flatness of a plate such as a silicon wafer, a GGG wafer, a printed circuit board, a ceramic substrate, or the like. The measuring device is provided with a disc which is disposed in parallel with the plate on one of the surfaces of the plate and is driven by a rotating drive source and a plurality of detectors for detecting a distance from the detector to the surface of the plate, the detectors being disposed on the surface closer to the disc. With this arrangement, distance data from the plurality of the detectors to the surface of the plate is obtained during the course of the rotation of the disc, and a flatness of the plate is measured.

Abstract: An X ray exposure process and system for transferring a mask pattern onto a wafer with use of X rays, wherein heights on the mask at many points are measured on a light interference band basis by a mask-height measuring device of non-contact measurement type at an X ray exposure position, the mask being mounted on a chamber which is filled with a He gas and or the like to prevent attenuation of an X ray source, heights on the wafer at many points are measured at a wafer-height measuring position different from said exposure position, and according to the measured results, the wafer is finely moved upwardly or downwardly (that is, deformed) individually independently by means of a chuck which sucks and holds the wafer at many points thereon so that, a gap between the mask and wafer is adjusted to a desired level.

Abstract: A test apparatus for detecting defects on a plate is disclosed. An illumination light is focused to one surface of the plate and another illumination light is focused to the other surface of the plate, and scattered light from the defects on the surfaces are detected to separately detect the defects on the front and rear surfaces of the plate.

Abstract: A method is provided for inspecting defects in the surface of an object to be inspected, wherein oblique lighting and perpendicular lighting are alternately applied to a location where a defect or a foreign substance possibly exists. Brightness detected in the location under the application of oblique lighting is evaluated as a foreign substance so as to be discriminated from a defect. Defects are classified through shape recognition of a defect pattern obtained under the application of perpendicular lighting.

Abstract: An exterior view examination apparatus comprising a movable sample stage provided in a sample chamber of a scanning type electron microscope; a sample mounted on the stage; and an optical microscope which can observe the sample from an exterior of the chamber, mounted on the chamber in parallel with the scanning type electron microscope, the position of a surface part of the sample (mounted on the sample stage) to be observed, measured or analyzed being preliminary defined by the optical microscope, and the sample stage being moved by a certain amount thereby to bring the sample at the center of the visual field of the electron microscope.

Abstract: A focusing position detecting device in which a laser beam is directed through an objective lens toward the surface of an object to form a minute spot on the surface of the object, and the beam reflected from the surface of the object is led through the objective lens again toward a concentrating point, so as to detect the focusing position of the objective lens by measuring the position of the concentrating point. In the device, a photoelectric element is provided to detect the intensity of the reflected beam, and the intensity of the laser beam is so controlled that the output of the photoelectric element is maintained constant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of inspecting a surface of a specimen for the presence of defects, foreign substance and the like are disclosed. The surface has a mark such as a cutting mark formed thereon and composed of fine grooves or recesses extending in a predetermined direction. The surface is scanned two-dimensionally with an irradiating laser beam impinging or illuminating on the specimen surface perpendicularly thereto. Those of the irregularly scattered laser light rays reflected from the specimen surface which are in a first direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the mark are intercepted by a shielding member or caused to pass through regions other than a reflecting region of a reflecting mirror, while those scattered light rays which are in other directions than the first direction are directed to a photoelectric converter tube along a bypass path across the shielding member or through reflection of the mirror.