Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting a solder joint by an X-ray fluoroscopic image in which an X-ray is irradiated on an object to be inspected located by a specimen stage and having a lead of an electronic part soldered to a substrate to detect an X-ray fluoroscopic image signal, a position of a lead in a tip direction is obtained by a distribution of projection with said X-ray fluoroscopic image signal projected in a lead row direction, a position of a lead in a row direction is obtained by a distribution of projection with said X-ray fluoroscopic image projected in a lead tip direction to extract a position of a solder joint as an object to be inspected, and said X-ray fluoroscopic image is evaluated every solder joint in accordance with the postion information to effect a defect detection.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for inspecting a soldered joint with an X-ray, the soldered joint being formed by soldering a lead to a surface of a substrate.

Abstract: A pattern detection apparatus based on a scanning transmission electron microscope having an electron gun for generating and accelerating an electron beam, a plurality of convergent lenses for converging the electron beam, a deflection circuit for deflecting the electron beam so that it scans an object to be inspected, such as an X-ray mask, a detection circuit which receives electrons that have been dispersed and transmitted in the object and converts the detected electrons into an electrical signal, and an image forming circuit which forms a detected image of the object under test in response to the detected signal from the detection circuit and in synchronism with the deflection signal applied to the deflection circuit.

Abstract: In an X-ray tomographic imaging system and method, an object to be inspected is irradiated with X-rays from an X-ray source to obtain an X-ray transmission image of the object. The X-ray transmission image is converted by an X-ray fluorescence image intensifier into a detection image. The intensity of the detection image is also intensified by the X-ray fluorescence image intensifier. A photo-electric converter converts the intensified detection image from the X-ray fluorescence image intensifier into an electrical signal. The object to be inspected is held by an object holder rotatably at a position in proximity to the X-ray source and movably in a direction of the axis of rotation of the object and a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. The electrical signal from the photo-electric converter is processed to a cross-sectional image.

Abstract: Two kinds of image corresponding to a reference pattern and a pattern to be inspected are converted into binary images and local images cut out from the binary images are compared with each other to detect differences between the cut out images and recognize these differences as a defect. One of the main subjects of the inspecting method is to moderate excess sensitivity to the different portions to the extent of allowing non-serious actual defects. By setting don't care areas each of which consists of one pixel row neighboring on a binary boundary line in the image, and comparing the remaining portions of the images other than the don't care areas by logical processing it is possible to detect various defects without regarding the quantization error as a defect.

Abstract: A pattern checking apparatus carries out the detection of candidate defects through a primary selection with a sensitivity high enough to detect any existing defect, and then carries out a detailed analysis by a controlling processor for a pattern including the periphery of the detected candidate defect through a secondary selection in which a candidate defect which is not a defect in a practical sense is removed from candidates, so that only real defects are detected.

Abstract: A bit pattern generator includes two memories which are provided for storing a bit pattern for a scanning line produced from design data. When a bit pattern is created and stored in one of the memories, the previously created and stored bit pattern is read out from the other memory. For the creation of each bit pattern, a scanning line is divided into a plurality of bytes. Model patterns of bit patterns existing in the respective bytes are stored in a ROM. From the combination of start point and end point addresses specifying the byte positions and the ROM addresses, a ROM address for each byte is logically determined so that any model patterns in the ROM are sequentially stored in the first mentioned memories.

Abstract: A raster, for example in magenta, generated on a phosphor screen of a color picture tube is picked up by a television camera through an optical filter which allows a magenta component to pass therethrough predominantly. The television camera scans the displayed raster in the horizontal direction on the line base thereby to produce a video signal representing luminances at individual points on the raster lines. A sample and hold circuit is provided to extract paired video signal values at paired points on the raster lines located symmetrically to each other relative to a vertical center line of the display screen. One of the paired video signal values extracted through the timed sampling operation is subtracted from the other at a processing circuit.