Abstract: A method whereby the circuit pattern on a photographic mask or a reticle used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices is inspected for defects by an image processing technique. In this inspection method, the pattern of the mask is printed on a photosensitive member prepared by forming an opaque or semitransparent photosensitive layer on a transparent substrate and an image of the printed pattern formed on the photosensitive member is inspected by the image processing technique.

Abstract: An arrangement in an apparatus for handling a substrate such as a photomask or a reticle used in a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises a container unit for containing therein the substrate in a substantially horizontal posture, an inspection unit having means for inspecting a surface of the substrate, the inspecting means including a radiation source for supplying a directional beam, and a device for detecting the scattering of the directional beam, a holding member for supporting the substrate substantially horizontally, a device for moving the holding member between the container unit and the inspection unit and conveying the substrate from the container unit to the inspection unit by the use of the holding member, and a scanning device for moving the holding member in a horizontal direction relative to the inspecting means and moving the substrate relative to the directional beam while subjecting the surface of the substrate to the directional beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for photochemically processing a silicon wafer placed in a reactive gas by an illuminating energy for etching or film forming purposes. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber in which the silicon wafer is positioned and the reaction chamber is filled with a gas which is photochemically reactive to the illuminating energy. An opening is formed through the wall of the reaction chamber and the silicon wafer is positioned within the chamber apart from the opening. Condensing means for condensing the light energy from the illuminating energy radiating means at around the opening and directing the same into the chamber is arranged outside the chamber.

Abstract: Automatic photomask or reticle washing and cleaning system comprises a foreign particle inspecting unit for inspecting whether or not foreign particles are attached to the surfaces of substrates; a washing and cleaning unit for washing and cleaning the surfaces of substrates with a cleaning liquid, thereby removing foreign particles and transfer means for withdrawing a substrate from a case, transferring the withdrawn substrate to the washing and cleaning unit, thereafter transferring the washed and cleaned substrate to the foreign particle inspecting unit and finally inserting the inspected substrate into the case again.

Abstract: A camera capable of automatically rewinding a film into a cartridge comprises detection means for detecting completion of a film rewinding operation and producing a detection signal, warning means, responsive to the detection signal, for warning, and control means for controlling the warning means. The control means has timer means for measuring a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the exposure for successively exposing or printing the same pattern in the different areas on a photosensitive surface of a photosensitive substrate such as a wafer or a photographic mask. The intensity of the light projected onto the photosensitive surface from a light source through a shutter is detected in response to the full opening of the shutter. The required exposure time is computed in accordance with the detection result and a desired exposure and the closing operation of the shutter is started when there is a special relation between the measured shutter time count and the computed result. To prevent any waste of the light source, the light source performs its light emitting operation such that alternate relatively high-intensity emission and relatively low-intensity emission are periodically repeated and the average input power to the light source during the interval is maintained at a predetermined value.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for optically transferring a pattern of a circuit such as an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer. The positioning control of stepping movement of a movable stage holding the wafer thereon is effected in such a manner that even if a rotational displacement is present in the optical image of a mask pattern with respect to the moving coordinate axes of the stage the rotational displacement is substantially cancelled in a printed pattern.

Abstract: A zoom lens in which fluctuation of lateral chromatic aberration is small has, in succession from the object side, a first group of positive refractive power including at least one positive lens, a second group of negative refractive power including at least one negative lens, and an aperture stop disposed closer to the image plane than the second group. Each of the groups is moved on the optic axis during magnification change so that the distance between the first group and the second group becomes greater and the distance between the second group and the aperture stop becomes smaller as the focal length of the entire system becomes longer. At least one of negative lenses constituting the second group is formed of a material which satisfies the following conditions:.nu.d+596.7.theta.>386.5.nu.d>55,where when the refractive indices of the lens material for wavelengths 436 nm (g-line), 486 nm (F-line), 588 nm (d-line) and 656 nm (c-line) are ng, nF, nd and nc, respectively, .nu.d and .theta.

Abstract: A picture signal generating apparatus has a CCD line sensor. In this apparatus, an image read instruction pulse is generated whenever a CCD line sensor or an original image is moved by a predetermined distance, an exposure is detected by a time integral determined by a pulse interval of the image read instruction pulses upon detection of an intensity of light reflected by or transmitted through the original image, and an image output from the CCD line sensor in response to the image read instruction pulse is normalized according to the detected exposure. Image output normalization can be achieved by dividing the CCD line sensor image output by the exposure or by controlling the intensity of the illumination light so as to keep the exposure constant.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a means for providing a predetermined frequency difference between two light beams and generating an optical beat with respect to interference between first and second diffracted light beams from a diffraction grating formed on a substrate, and a means for detecting a phase difference between the optical beat and a reference signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency difference between the two light beams, and detects a position of the substrate based upon the phase difference in accordance with an optical heterodyne interference method.

Abstract: A drive circuit for a brushless DC motor capable of generating a torque in the acceleration and deceleration directions, respectively, and effective when used in a portable device such as an electronic still picture camera. In the drive circuit, a power amplifier having an output stage composed of a pair of complementarily connected tansistors is connected to each end of each of the stator coils. Thus, the drive circuit controls the input potentials of the power amplifiers so as to produce a potential difference across the terminals of each of the stator coils and thereby control the magnitude and direction of current flow through the stator coils. Also, all the transistors of the power amplifier output stages are cut off to prevent the flow of current through the stator coils.

Abstract: Proposed is a machining apparatus with a laser beam, wherein a stage is controlled and driven to cause a target to come close to a beam spot when the target is located far away from the beam spot, and a laser beam radiation system is controlled and driven to cause the beam spot to come closer to the target when the target is located within a predetermined range with respect to the beam spot.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing picture signals in conformity with revolution of a motor from a disk on which the picture signals are recorded includes separating means for successively separating horizontal synchronizing signals from the reproduced picture signals and producing separated horizontal synchronizing signals, detecting means for detecting the time intervals at which the horizontal synchronizing signals are produced by the separating means and putting out detection data indicative of the plurality of detected time intervals, memory means, means for storing in the memory means the detection data corresponding to at least one field of the picture signals, preparation means for preparing control data in accordance with the detection data stored in the memory means and storing the control data in the memory means, the preparation means preparing the control data from the detection data in accordance with a transfer function, and control means for controlling the revolution of the motor in accordance with

Abstract: A system for recording information on an information recording disc such as a magnetic or optical disc. The recording system includes velocity control means for controlling the disc at a predetermined rotation velocity and synchronizing signal phase shifting means for shifting the phase of a synchronizing signal of a signal to be recorded. The system controls the rotation of the disc by the velocity control at the same velocity as the rotation velocity in the phase locked condition by the phase control in a very short period of time and during the recording of a signal the synchronizing signal of the signal is generated to conform with the rotational phase of the disc thereby producing the same condition as the phase locked condition.

Abstract: A projection type exposing apparatus includes a projection objective for projecting the image of a reticle having a predetermined pattern and a plurality of alignment marks onto a wafer, photoelectric alignment means having an imaging optical system for forming the images of the alignment marks on the reticle, a photoelectric detecting slit member disposed at a predetermined image position of the imaging optical system, and a slit image displacing optical member disposed in the optical path of the imaging optical system to optically displace the image position of the slit member on the reticle in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the slit member, the slit member being designed such that the lengthwise direction thereof is coincident with a straight line intersecting the optic axis of the projection objective on the reticle, a movable stage for supporting the wafer thereon for movement relative to the projection objective, and a reference index mark member provided on the movable stage t

Abstract: This invention provides a novel apatite composite ceramic useful for implants such as artificial dental root, artificial bone or the like. The apatite composite ceramic comprises an interconnected structure of fluorapatite phase and an at least partially crystallized biologically active glass phase, which ceramic is obtained by reaction-sintering at a sintering temperature of 700.degree.-1100.degree. C. at a pressure of at least atmospheric pressure a powder mixture of a synthetic hydroxyapatite (A) and a biologically active glass (B) containing fluoride ions and having a crystallization temperature below the sintering temperature in a weight ratio of A/B ranging from 60/40 to 30/70. The reaction-sintered material has excellent biological affinity and high mechanical strength.

Abstract: In an albada finder having index means for indicating the photographable area of an object to be photographed and an albada reflecting surface positioned more adjacent to the object side than the index means and reflecting a light beam from the index means toward the observer side, there is provided a lens in which the albada reflecting surface is formed on the lens surface thereof which is adjacent to the object side.

Abstract: A film rewinder for a camera comprising a motor and rewinding means driven by the motor and adapted to rewind a used film into a film cartridge, comprises first sensing means disposed at a specific position in the path of the film moved to the film cartridge when the film is being rewound and effective to generate an output signal when the leader portion of the film has passed the specific position; second sensing means effective to generate an output signal when the leader portion of the film is further rewound to the film cartridge beyond the specific position; means for selecting one of first and second conditions; and control means. The control means is used for de-energizing the motor when the first condition is selected by the selecting means and if the control means receives the output signal from the first sensing means and for de-energizing the motor when the second condition is selected by the selecting means and if the control means receives the output signal from the second sensing means.

Abstract: In a photographing lens barrel having a manual operation ring and a stationary ring, a device for locking said manual operation ring is provided. The locking device includes a lock member projecting from one of said two rings, a lock part formed on the other ring to engage with said lock member, and a lock-operating member movable between a lock position and an unlock position. The lock operating member is biased toward said locking position by spring means and is held in said unlock position by limiting means.