Abstract: A photomask comprises a transparent film of conductive material and a light shielding film of predetermined pattern on a transparent substrate. The pattern film is made of a metallic element having its atomic number not smaller than 25 or a composition containing the metallic element. The photomask structure is suited to the case where the pattern formed on the mask is inspected with an electron beam. With the mask structure, the contrast of a pattern related information signal (backscattered electrons, secondary electrons, absorption current, etc.) derived from the mask upon irradiation thereof with the electron beam is improved.

Abstract: A method of treating a photo mask comprising preparing the photo mask which has a conductive transparent substance on a major surface of an insulating substrate and which is formed with a mask pattern of an opaque substance on the conductive transparent substance, and irradiating the mask with an electron beam to inspect and/or retouch said mask.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which an object picture such as an integrated circuit pattern is precisely and exactly detected at high speed by the use of an electron beam. At least two kinds of signals obtained by irradiating an object with an electron beam are detected and subjected to an adding/subtracting operation and a resulting signal is used to detect the object picture. Thus, a satisfactory S/N ratio can be obtained. The method is applicable to the inspection of a mask used for integrated circuits.

Abstract: A semiconductor Hall element consists of a substantially rectangular main island and at least one small island of semiconductor material, one conductivity type disposed in an epitaxial semiconductor layer grown on a single crystal semiconductor substrate of the opposite conductivity type. In the main island, a pair of highly doped elongated current terminal regions of the one conductivity type are disposed, so that they are near and substantially parallel to a pair of sides of the main island, which are opposite to each other. At least a highly doped Hall signal voltage terminal semiconductor region of the one conductivity type is disposed in the small island. The Hall signal voltage terminal region has a protrusion having a small cross section, the extremity of which is slightly beyond one side of the main island which is perpendicular to the current terminal regions.

Abstract: A Hall element comprises a thin plate of n-type Si, the face of which accords with a {110} atomic plane, wherein the direction from one current electrode to the other current electrode is substantially <100> or <110> crystalline direction to which the direction from one Hall voltage electrode to the other Hall voltage electrode is substantially normal. This Hall element has a very low unbalanced voltage caused by the strain generated during the process of packaging.