Abstract: In a wafer thickness measuring apparatus and a method thereof, detection values are obtained from a sample piece (for example, a wafer chip) at a plurality of measurement points thereon by first and second detectors for absolute measurement of distances, and at the same time, measurement values of the fluctuations, for relative measurement of distances, are obtained by the optical heterodyne interferometer, and those measurement values are memorized as a plurality of measurement data being related with those measurement values. When measuring the thickness of a wafer, the measurements are performed at measurement points on the wafer which has a front surface and a reverse surface in height lying within the height of the sample piece, on which such a correspondence is obtained, thereby obtaining the detection values of the first and second detectors.

Abstract: For testing electrical properties of packaged IC devices, there is provided an apparatus which includes a test board which is located at a testing station and provided with a plural number of contacting sockets for connecting individual IC devices to an IC tester separately and independently of each other, a loader which is located at a loading station and adapted to feed untested IC devices toward the test board, an unloader which is located at an unloading station and adapted to discharge tested IC devices from the test board at the testing station, and a device transfer mechanism which is movable across the testing station to transfer untested IC devices from the loader to the test board and also to transfer tested IC devices from the test board to the unloader. Upon detecting completion of a test on one of IC devices in one socket of the test board, a fresh untested IC device is transferred to the testing station to replace the tested IC device.

Abstract: Digital calibration of an A/D converter, which converts an analog signal into a digital signal, is performed by first sequentially inputting two analog signals of different values to the A/D converter, then calculating an offset calibration value and gain calibration coefficient on the basis of two digital converted signals generated from the A/D converter and then calibrating a digital signal output from the A/D converter on the basis of the thus-calculated offset calibration value and gain calibration coefficient.

Abstract: Contact ring, which is brought into contact with a probe card having tungsten needles, has a multiplicity of POGO pins on its one surface facing the probe card. The contact ring has, on another surface opposite to the one surface, press-fitting sockets electrically connected with the POGO pins. Motherboard has sockets similar in construction to the press-fitting sockets of the contact ring. Coaxial cables each have press-fit terminals that are press-fittable in one of the sockets of the contact ring and in one of the sockets of the motherboard, and thereby these coaxial cables electrically connect the contact ring with the motherboard. Because the contact ring and the motherboard are electrically connected with each other by the press-fit engagement alone, there are encountered no inconveniences due to the conventional soldering-based connection.

Abstract: Interference light occurring between a first laser light of a reference phase and a second laser light of a measuring phase is divided via a light divider into two interference light beams to be directed in two directions. One of the divided interference light beams is received by a polarizing light separator, which separates components of the first and second laser lights from the received interference light beam. First and second light detectors convert respective light energy of the separated components into corresponding electric signals. Adder adds together the converted electric signals. Third light detector converts light energy of the other divided interference light beam into an electric signal. Comparator compares the electric signal from the third light detector with the output of the adder as a reference value, to generate a detection output of a predetermined phase.

Abstract: A DNA base sequencer including a gel electrophoretic means having tracks for electrophoresing fluorophore-labelled DNA fragments, a laser diode as a light source for illuminating said tracks with exciting laser light and a CCD sensor for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the illuminated DNA fragments, the laser diode has a control unit including a Peltier device for controlling the temperature of the laser diode, a Peltier device temperature setting generating means having a processor and a memory, and a temperature control circuit that generates a drive current to the Peltier device for controlling its temperature. The CCD sensor receives part of the exciting light from the laser diode as stray light and detects its wavelength.

Abstract: While being transferred in substantially horizontal state along a predetermined path of transfer by a conveyer means, a substrate plate is dried by a jet of compressed air which is spurted out from a slit-like mouth of an air knife nozzle crosswise of the entire width of the substrate plate and at a predetermined angle of incidence with respect to a drying surface of the substrate plate to scrape off a liquid. The angle of incidence of jet air is made shallower as soon as the substrate on the conveyer means comes to a point of entry to an air blasting zone and is made deeper at latest when the substrate plate comes to a position immediately before a point of disengagement from the air blasting zone.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises a first switch circuit connected between a transmission line and an input terminal of a comparator and adapted to be turned ON according to a change of a response waveform from High level to Low level to connect an impedance substantially equal to a characteristic impedance of the transmission line to the transmission line, a second switch circuit connected between the transmission line and the input terminal of the comparator and adapted to be turned ON according to a change of the response waveform from Low level to High level to connect an impedance substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line to the transmission line, a first voltage generator circuit connected to the first switch circuit for generating a voltage for clamping the level of the response waveform at a certain Low level and a second voltage generator circuit connected to the second switch circuit for generating a voltage for clamping the level

Abstract: An IC device contactor for electrically connecting IC devices each having a large number of spherical electrodes on one side of a substrate to an IC tester head for a test of electrical properties or characteristics. The IC device contactor includes: a socket board having a predetermined number of contact points formed on a surface thereof; an anisotropic conductive sheet having a multitude of fine conductive wires embedded in the insulating sheet in an angularly oriented state; a tip holder perforated with a predetermined number of apertures; and a predetermined number of contact tips fitted in the apertures of the tip holder for contact with the spherical electrodes of the IC devices. The anisotropic conductive sheet is disposed with its side in engagement with the socket board and the other side in engagement with the contact tips to electrically connect the contact tips with the contact points on the socket board.

Abstract: Main tester unit tests an IC device for presence of a defect for each of a plurality of addresses of the IC device under predetermined test conditions and stores test results for the individual addresses into a first memory. Curing analysis processing section cures each of the addresses of the IC device determined as defective, on the basis of the test results for the individual addresses stored in the first memory. To this end, the curing analysis processing section may rearrange an address logic of the IC device to replace a physical space of the defective addresses with an extra or redundant address space and thereby place each of the defective addresses in a usable condition.

Abstract: An electrophoresis separation and detection apparatus for separating and detecting fluorophore-labeled samples by electrophoresis, which comprises a migrating and separating means for electrophoresis separation of the samples labeled with two or more kinds of fluorophore labels, respectively; an irradiating means which casts two or more kinds of exciting lights having different wavelengths on a plurality of positions in all the electrophoresis lanes or on the extensions of all the electrophoresis lanes substantially at the same time; and a detecting means which detects the samples separated by the electrophoresis, at the positions on which the exciting lights are casted, wherein each fluorophore label is composed of a substance for excitation which is excited by the exciting light and a substance for emission which emits light owing to energy transfer from the substance for excitation; two or more kinds of substances are used as each of the substance for excitation and the substance for emission; and the dete

Abstract: A magnetic disk testing method is provided, which comprises a surface defect test step of detecting, as defect data, the size of surface defect of a magnetic disk, the continuity thereof, the number thereof and the position thereof by testing magnetic disks optically and a classification step of classifying the magnetic disks to first magnetic disks, second magnetic disk and third magnetic disks on the basis of the defect data obtained in the surface defect test step.

Abstract: The improved fluorescence detector comprises a tubular electrophoretic device through which a sample labelled with four kinds of fluorescent dye is caused to migrate, illumination optics for illuminating the tubular electrophoretic device with exciting light and detection optics for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the sample illuminated with the exciting light and it is characterized in that a plurality of tubular electrophoretic devices (1) are arranged in a row, a plurality of graded-index lenses (9) are arranged parallel to and in the same number as said plurality of tubular electrophoretic devices (1), each lens array being composed of four vertically stacked graded-index lenses, a plurality of bandpass filter arrays (11) are also arranged parallel to and in the same number as said plurality of electrophoretic devices (1), each filter array being composed of four filters arranged vertically in a row, and a light-receiving element of a planar type (13) is provided at the back of the rows of said ba

Abstract: Method and apparatus for a disk texturing operation in which laser pulses are successively bombarded against a delimited surface area on the face of a rotating disk, from an optical laser pulse irradiating means which is put in movement in a radial direction relative to the disk to provide a textured zone of a predetermined width on the disk. A pulsed laser beam from a laser light source is adjusted to an optimum power level for an aimed bump diameter. The laser beam is then transformed into an annular beam of a collimated light flux having specified inner and outer diameters, and the resulting laser pulses are successively bombarded on the texturing zone through an objective optical system condensing said laser pulses into a specified spot diameter thereby to form minute bumps of predetermined shape and diameter uniformly on the surface of the disk.

Abstract: Inspection apparatuses of an inspection apparatus group are connected to a network and transfer inspected result to a data collection system. The same wafer selected from a specific process is inspected by the different inspection apparatuses and the inspected data are collected and analyzed to calculate a correlation degree among the inspection apparatuses. On the other hand, the course of occurrence of failures in the same process can be analyzed to thereby calculate an average occurrence frequency of failures. An optimum inspection apparatus and inspection frequency are successively obtained on the basis of calculated results of an inter-apparatus correlation degree calculation process and a failure occurrence frequency calculation process, so that a feeding method of wafers to the inspection apparatus group is indicated through an inspection apparatus group management system.

Abstract: A mechanism for chucking a disk with a first and a second roller includes a base plate provided substantially at a right angle to a surface of the disk, and a first and a second rod that are spaced apart and which move along the base plate either toward or away from the disk. A first block is provided which, when the first rod advances or retracts, moves along the base plate and substantially parallel to the surface of the disk, and a first roller is mounted on the first block. A second block is provided which, when the second rod advances or retracts, moves either toward or away from the first roller and the disk, and a second roller is mounted on the second block. A roller position setting mechanism which is secured to the base plate is provided which allows the first rod to move either toward or away from the disk, thereby causing the first block to move along the base plate such that the first roller comes to a position associated with the size of the disk.

Abstract: A test data is written in an arbitrary point p on a non-linear characteristics portion of a hysteresis characteristics of a piezo actuator by a write head and the written test data is read out by an MR head using the point p as a reference to detect a maximum read-out voltage to thereby obtain a drive voltage of the piezo actuator corresponding thereto. From the drive voltage of the piezo actuator thus obtained, a position of the MR head whose offset is to be corrected is detected. In a magnetic disk certifier, the position of the MR head is corrected by applying the drive voltage corresponding to the maximum read-out voltage to the piezo actuator and the written test data is read out thereby. Thus, the position of the MR head on the piezo actuator becomes that of the write head when the offset correction value is detected and it becomes possible to correct the offset of the MR head with respect to the write head.

Abstract: Arranging a pair of temperature control units on both sides of gel 1 and arranging light-transmitting slit 134 on one of the elements, irradiation of an excitation beam over the gel 1 and signal detection are practiced through the slit 134. Introducing dry air onto the slit part, mildew occurrence is prevented on the detecting part. Detecting the power level applied to the gel and calculating the temperature of the temperature control units so that the gel temperature might be a predetermined temperature, on the basis of the detected power level, thereafter carrying out the feedback control of the power level, the gel temperature can be controlled appropriately and strictly during electrophoresis in an automatic fluorescent electrophoresis system, so that high-speed analysis can be done highly reproducibly at a higher voltage applied even by SSCP.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a textured zone in a predetermined surface area on a magnetic data recording disc, which is capable of precisely controlling the position and range of the texturing zone. Bumps 4 are formed on a CSS zone on the inner peripheral side of a magnetic recording disc 1 by the use of a spindle means 6 and a laser beam bombarding means 7. The spindle means 6 is provided with a chuck mechanism 13 with opposingly confronting tapered surfaces 18a and 21a to hold a disc 1 in a centered position in alignment with the rotational axis of a spindle shaft 10. On the other hand, the laser beam bombarding means 7 has part of component parts of its optical system, from a laser energy source 34 up to an electromagnetic shutter 39, mounted on its main casing 7a, and has a reflector mirror 40 and an objective lens 41 accommodated in a movable housing 31 which is movable in the direction of its optical axis to displace a laser spot position on the surface of the disc 1 in a radial direction thereof.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism for transferring molded IC device packages or the like between different types of trays which have IC package holder nests in differently spaced arrays. The transfer mechanism includes a suction gripper assembly supported on a horizontally and vertically movable robot arm, and having four suction heads mounted separately on four support blocks on a mounting plate. The four support blocks consist of a first support block fixed in a predetermined reference position on the mounting plate, second and third support blocks movably supported on the mounting plate for movements toward and away from the first support block in perpendicularly intersecting directions, and a fourth support block movably supported on the mounting plate for movements toward and away from the first support block in a diagonal direction following movement of at least one of the second and third support blocks.