Abstract: A condenser lens works to process an ion beam into a collimated form. An electrical aperture unit is disposed between the condenser lens and the objective lens. The electrical aperture unit works to alter an area through which the ion beam, as processed by the condenser lens, passes, thereby controlling a diameter of the ion beam. A plurality of beam shielding plate units are provided each of which includes a pair of beam shielding plates which are diametrically opposed to each other across the ion beam which has passed through the condenser lens. The beam shielding plates are movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the ion beam. The beam shielding plate units are arranged around the ion beam to define a diameter of the ion beam passing therethrough.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system includes a beam emitter and an aperture. The beam emitter is equipped with a focused ion beam optical system which works to control an ion beam, as produced by an ion source, and emit the ion beam into an inner space. The aperture communicates with the inner space to permit the ion beam, as emitted from the beam emitter, to pass therethrough, thereby having a target substrate exposed to the ion beam. The inner space is evacuated in a vacuum. A movable sealing valve is provided which selectively opens or closes the aperture.

Abstract: A laser repair method includes a repair process of performing repair work by setting a laser radiation range for a defect part in a multi-layer film substrate and irradiating the defect part with a laser beam under set laser working conditions. In the repair process, spectrum data of the defect part is acquired, and the laser working conditions of the laser beam, with which the defect part is to be irradiated, are set using a neural network after learning on the basis of the spectrum data, and the neural network has undergone machine learning using, as learning data, measurement data including multi-layer film structure data, spectrum data of each multi-layer film structure, and laser working experimental data of each multi-layer film structure.

Abstract: A differential pumping apparatus for creating a high vacuum inside a processing space includes a displacement drive unit configured to move a substrate to be processed or a head, to adjust parallelism and distance between a surface to be processed and a surface of the head. Gap measurement devices are placed at three or more locations along the periphery of the surface of the head to provide distance information. A gap control unit is configured to control the displacement drive unit in response to the distance information between the surface to be processed and the surface adapted to face the surface to be processed, so that the surface to be processed and the surface adapted to face the surface to be processed are parallel.

Abstract: A process apparatus includes a differential pumping device having a head which has a plurality of annular grooves in a surface which faces a substrate to be processed. An orifice is formed inside an innermost one of the annular grooves and defines a processing space for processing the substrate. A vacuum pump is connected to at least one of the annular grooves to suck gas therefrom, with the surface of the head facing the substrate processing surface to create a high-level vacuum in the processing space. A focused ion beam column is equipped with a cylindrical chamber leading to the orifice. The chamber has disposed therein a focused ion beam optical system which emits a focused ion beam through the orifice. A precursor gas supply connects to the innermost annular groove to eject a precursor gas to flow into the processing space along the process surface.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a mask mark illumination light source irradiating a mask mark with exposure light itself or a first alignment light having substantially the same wavelength as the exposure light, and an alignment unit having a work mark illumination light source irradiating a work mark with second alignment light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the exposure light, an imaging device, and an imaging optical system. The imaging optical system includes a first dichroic prism for synthesizing the first alignment light and the light from the work mark and emitting the synthesized light toward the imaging device, and an optical path length changing optical system for splitting and merging the first alignment light, in which the optical positional relationships of the work mark and the image of the mask mark with respect to the imaging device are equivalent.

Abstract: A metal pattern inspection method which applies a pulsed voltage to a metallic pattern, sets a cycle of the pulsed voltage to be shorter than a scanning cycle in which a focused ion beam is swept, indicating only a region of a secondary charged particle image corresponding to a portion of the metallic pattern which is isolated by a wire breakage and to which the pulsed voltage is applied in the form of a first pattern created as a function of surface electrical potentials changing in level with time, detecting, as a disconnection, a boundary between the first pattern and a second pattern created as a function of surface electrical potentials not changing in level with time, and determining whether there is a breaking of or a short circuit in the metallic pattern based on the presence or absence of the disconnection.

Abstract: A focused charged particle beam apparatus which includes a support which supports a substrate to be processed and a focused charged particle beam column equipped with a differential pumping device movable to a location facing a given area of a process target surface of the substrate. The support bears only a periphery of the substrate while keeping the substrate horizontal. A positive pressure chamber is disposed below the substrate borne by the support and works to exert a positive pressure on the whole of the process target area of the substrate to cancel deflection of the substrate arising from its own weight. A local depressurizing mechanism is arranged in the positive pressure chamber and placed out of contact with the substrate. The local depressurizing mechanism works to exert a negative pressure on a lower surface of the substrate to cancel a suction force created by the differential pumping device.

Abstract: The present invention enables a layer to be worked to be properly subjected to a correcting process without being affected by the variations in the material of the underlayer or in the film thickness of the layer. A laser repair method for irradiating a defect portion of a multilayer film structure formed on a substrate, and performing a correcting process is provided. The method includes: acquiring an image of a region including the defect portion; and setting a scan range of the laser beam on the image so as to include the defect portion. At the time of scan of the inside of the scan range with the laser beam, at a scanning position at which color information of the image is recognized as that of the defect portion, an output of the laser beam is controlled to be ON or High.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system has a differentially-pumped vacuum unit and a focused ion beam column, comprising: a vacuum pad, of a porous material, with a suction surface exposed in a way that surrounds the outer edge of a substrate to be processed; a substrate support on which the substrate and vacuum pad are placed, and a vacuum pump for vacuum evacuation using the vacuum pad. The system provides an arrangement in which, while a head of the differentially-pumped vacuum unit partially falls out of the outer edge of the substrate, the suction surface allows an input of air evacuated from a region between the suction surface and the head, and the processing area on a substrate is expanded by allowing the processing with an ion beam to be performed even in the vicinity of the peripheral substrate surface without requiring a large vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A first laser irradiation, in which an amorphous silicon film is irradiated with a first laser beam for transformation of the amorphous silicon film to a microcrystalline silicon film, and a second laser irradiation, in which a second laser beam moves along a unidirectional direction with the microcrystalline silicon film as a starting point for lateral crystal growth of growing crystals constituting a crystallized silicon film, are carried out to form a microcrystalline silicon film and a crystallized silicon film alternately along the unidirectional direction.

Abstract: A defective part recognition device includes a microscope for obtaining a magnified image of a unit area for recognizing a defective part on the surface of a multi-layer film substrate; a spectral camera having an imaging surface where the magnified image is formed; and an information processing part for processing the spectrum information from the spectral camera. The information processing part includes a machine learning part for a clustering process on the spectrum information for each pixel, and a defect recognition part for recognizing a defective part from the result of the machine learning part. The machine learning part sets a cluster in the unit area and generates a histogram with a frequency, the number of pixels clustered into the cluster. The defect recognition part compares the frequency distribution of the generated histogram with that of a histogram free of defects and recognizes a defective part.

Abstract: In a measurement of a microscope image, a measurement can be conducted with high accuracy when measuring a measuring object including a step having a depth larger than a depth of focus or comparing patterns at different positions along the optical axis of a microscope. A microscope image measuring device includes: a microscope for obtaining a magnified image of a surface of a measuring object by irradiating the surface with white incident light; a spectral camera for obtaining a spectral image of the magnified image; and an image processing part for extracting the spectral image at each wavelength and performs an image measuring process. The microscope forms an image of a different focal position at each wavelength on the imaging surface of the spectral camera, and the image processing part extracts a spectral image with a wavelength where a measuring point has the highest contrast, and performs edge detection.

Abstract: A process apparatus includes a differential pumping device and a focused ion beam column. The differential pumping device includes a head which has a plurality of annular grooves formed in a surface thereof which faces a substrate to be processed. The annular grooves surround the center of the head. An orifice is formed inside an innermost one of the annular grooves and defines a processing space serving to achieve processing of a process surface of the substrate. A vacuum pump is connected to at least one of the annular grooves to suck gas from the one of the annular grooves with the surface of the head facing the processing surface of the substrate to create a high-level vacuum in the processing space. The focused ion beam column is equipped with a cylindrical chamber leading to the orifice in communication with the processing space. The chamber has disposed therein a focused ion beam optical system which works to emit a focused ion beam through the orifice.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus (10) includes a mask mark illumination light source (21) capable of irradiating a mask mark (MM) with exposure light itself or a first alignment light (L1) having substantially the same wavelength as the exposure light, and an alignment unit (30) having a work mark illumination light source (31) capable of irradiating a work mark (WM) with second alignment light (L2) having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the exposure light, an imaging device (32), and an imaging optical system (40).

Abstract: A focused energy beam apparatus includes a substrate support and a focused energy beam column equipped with a differential pumping device movable to a location facing an area of a process target surface of the substrate. The support supports a periphery of the substrate with a horizontal orientation. A positive pressure chamber is disposed below the substrate and exerts a positive pressure on the process target area to cancel deflection of the substrate arising from its own weight. A local depressurizing mechanism is arranged in the positive pressure chamber, out of contact with the substrate, and exerts a negative pressure on a lower surface of the substrate to cancel a suction force created by the differential pumping device. The local depressurizing mechanism is movable relative to the substrate following movement of the differential pumping device while facing the differential pumping device through the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microstructure in which evenly distributed crystal grains line up in parallel lines extending along the surface of the film, and a no-lateral-growth region left at each of locations exposed to both ends of a grain interface, which serves as a partition between the neighboring two crystal grains. According to the present invention, there are also provided: a method for forming a polycrystalline film, such as a thin polycrystalline silicon film, a thin aluminum film, and a thin copper film, which is flat and even, in surface, electrically uniform and stable, and mechanically stable; a laser crystallization device for use in manufacture of polycrystalline films, and a semiconductor device using the polycrystalline film and having good electrical property and increased breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A metal pattern inspection method which applies a pulsed voltage to a metallic pattern, sets a cycle of the pulsed voltage to be shorter than a scanning cycle in which a focused ion beam is swept, indicating only a region of a secondary charged particle image corresponding to a portion of the metallic pattern which is isolated by a wire breakage and to which the pulsed voltage is applied in the form of a first pattern created as a function of surface electrical potentials changing in level with time, detecting, as a disconnection, a boundary between the first pattern and a second pattern created as a function of surface electrical potentials not changing in level with time, and determining whether there is a breaking of or a short circuit in the metallic pattern based on the presence or absence of the disconnection.

Abstract: A focused ion beam system has a differentially-pumped vacuum unit and a focused ion beam column, comprising: a vacuum pad, of a porous material, with a suction surface exposed in a way that surrounds the outer edge of a substrate to be processed; a substrate support on which the substrate and vacuum pad are placed, and a vacuum pump for vacuum evacuation using the vacuum pad. The system provides an arrangement in which, while a head of the differentially-pumped vacuum unit partially falls out of the outer edge of the substrate, the suction surface allows an input of air evacuated from a region between the suction surface and the head, and the processing area on a substrate is expanded by allowing the processing with an ion beam to be performed even in the vicinity of the peripheral substrate surface without requiring a large vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A differential pumping apparatus for creating a high vacuum inside a processing space includes a displacement drive unit configured to move a substrate to be processed or a head, to adjust parallelism and distance between a surface to be processed and a surface of the head. Gap measurement devices are placed at three or more locations along the periphery of the surface of the head to provide distance information. A gap control unit is configured to control the displacement drive unit in response to the distance information between the surface to be processed and the surface adapted to face the surface to be processed, so that the surface to be processed and the surface adapted to face the surface to be processed are parallel.