Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for measuring the end surface of a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer based on its projection image, without the influence of contaminants on the end surface. A rotation supporting mechanism supports a wafer between a first supporting position rotated by +?relative to a predetermined reference position and a second supporting position rotated by ??degrees at two or more supporting positions. An image sensor picks up a projection image of the wafer's end surface. An index value for the end surface is calculated for each of a plurality of obtained projection images. One representative value of the calculated index values or an aggregate value is obtained, and a shape measurement of the wafer's end surface corresponding to the reference supporting position is derived. When the wafer's radius and a chamfer width are set as r and k, ??cos?1 ((r-k)/r) is satisfied.

Abstract: A shape measuring device including a light projecting device for projecting a light flux to a measurement portion, and image pickup device for picking up a projection image of the measurement portion. The light projecting device includes a collimator lens having outgoing light of a point light source pass and collimating the same in a light projection direction and one or more apertures shielding passage of light in a range outside an image pickup range or passage of light in a range inside the image pickup range and outside a boundary located in a range outside a projection image of a measurement portion. Moreover, a parallel supporting portion for supporting a face of the measurement target in parallel with the light projection direction at a position on the center side with respect to the measurement portion in the measurement target supported by a center sucking and supporting mechanism is provided.

Abstract: When a shape of an end face of a disc-shaped measurement target is to be measured on the basis of its projection image, a shape measuring device in which a non-parallel light component is not contained in a light flux projected to the measurement target as much as possible and moreover, correct shape measurement can be made by ensuring parallelism between a light projection direction and each face of front and back sides of the measurement target.

Abstract: To provide a shape measurement apparatus and a shape measurement method with which it is possible to perform a shape measurement, when a shape of an end surface of a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or the like is measured on the basis of a projection image thereof, without receiving an influence of a contaminant on the end surface.

Abstract: Method and its device for evaluating semiconductor wafers that evaluates semiconductor wafers by estimating the dopant level which is equivalent to the critical value at which the excess minority carrier injection density reaches the high injection state, and that measures the minority carrier lifetime at a low-injection-state exposure condition adapted to said dopant level. Excitation light (emitted by excitation light generator 4) is emitted onto a semiconductor wafer 2 at varying exposure conditions as imposed by an exposure condition controller 9. Detector 6 detects the change in the level of reflected radiation from microwaves emitted by microwave generator 5 onto the wafer 2. The dopant level in the semiconductor wafer 2 is estimated by estimation circuit 10' based on the change in the exposure conditions and the change in the minority carrier lifetime as determined by the change in the microwave level.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting position/variance of input light is disclosed which includes a photoelectric conversion device receiving input light constituted of a first resistive layer formed of a first photoelectric conversion material and a second resistive layer formed of a second photoelectric conversion material connected with the first resistive layer through a depletion layer or directly, wherein the first resistive layer is provided with uniform resistivity throughout its surface so that a linear output proportional to the average of the distances between one end of the photoelectric conversion device and positions of the input light is detected and the second resistive layer is provided with resistivity dependent upon the distance from its one end so that a quandratic ouput proportional to the average of the squares of the distances between one end of the photoelectric conversion device and positions of the input light is detected.

Abstract: A surface inspection system detects imperfections on the surface of a hot radiant material, in which video signals for imperfections or defects are discriminated by comparison with normal level signals which are obtained through a variable area peak hold to preclude completely the influences of dark or bright defects which happen to be on the inspecting surface. The system includes apparatus for removing noises due to scales to produce outputs indicating true surface imperfections alone or indicating the degree of defectiveness of the detected defects. Also disclosed is a multi-camera surface inspection system capable of detecting defects on all sides of a hot radiant material which is transferred along a predetermined transfer line, with or without follow-up control of a camera or cameras scanning a given side of the material using edge signals detected from the normal level signal of another camera scanning a surface on the ensuing side of the material.