Abstract: A detecting unit 4 receives light reflected from the object 2. A detecting unit 4 has a plurality of light guiding members 404 and 405 adjacently arranged so that longitudinal surfaces thereof are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the object 2, and photo sensors 410 and 411 which receive rays that are incident from the longitudinal surfaces constituting a light incident surface of each of the light guiding members and are emitted from light emitting surfaces of the light guiding members. An image forming device 3 forms an image of the reflected light, on the vicinity of the light incident surface. The surface shape of the object 2 in a portion in which the reflected light has been reflected is measured according to an output distribution of each of the photo sensors 410 and 411 arranged to face the light emitting surfaces.

Abstract: An optical inspection apparatus inspecting the optical system of the optical scanning apparatus by measuring the light quantity of scanning light emitted from the optical scanning apparatus includes: a slit plate that includes a plurality of slits for allowing a part of scanning light to pass provided so as to include a scanning effective portion; a diffuser that diffuses the scanning light having passed through slit; a light guide that guides the scanning light diffused by the diffuser; an optical sensor that measures the light quantity of the scanning light guided by the light guide; and an inspection device that inspects the state of the optical system by comparing a measurement result acquired by the optical sensor with a preset reference value, in which the slits are arranged at intervals in a direction where scanning is performed on the slit plate with the scanning light.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a laser cutting method where a laser beam is condensed at internal points inside a substrate forming processing regions, and where the laser is swept along a cutting line, where the cutting line is associated with a recess on the substrate and where the recess can be formed contemporaneously with the formation of the processing regions.

Abstract: A laser cutting apparatus and a laser cutting method are provided which are adapted to concentrate laser light into a silicon substrate to produce a plurality of internal cracks. A light concentrating position, to which laser beams included in the laser light are concentrated, is temporally and spatially displaced to appropriately change lengths of the cracks according to positions in a direction of depth of the substrate. Consequently, the lengths of the internal cracks are controlled to surely lead a crack opening, the starting point of which is the internal crack formed by laser processing, to a predetermined cutting line on a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus, in accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, is configured to contemporaneously perform the functions of observing a surface of a substrate and concentrating laser light to a given position inside the substrate. The laser processing apparatus can include an optical system having an afocal optical subsystem configured to concentrate laser light inside the substrate. Adjustment of the position of a laser light concentrating point can be achieved independent of adjustment of a focal point by the automatic focusing mechanism to observe the surface of the substrate irradiated with laser light.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a laser processing apparatus that can use the shape of a plurality of reflected light fluxes to adjust the position of workpiece relative to an optical system, where the laser processing apparatus facilitates both the viewing of the workpiece and a focusing of a processing laser into the workpiece.

Abstract: A laser splitting method for splitting off a segment from an object to be split using a laser beam, includes a surface processing step of processing the object by forming a linear recessed portion in a surface of the object, the linear recessed portion being effective to cause a stress concentration at the surface of the object; an internal processed-region forming step of forming an internal processed-regions at a depth of the object in a line along which a laser beam scans the surface of the object by a relative motion therebetween, the laser beam being converged adjacent the depth, wherein the thus formed internal processed-regions extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the object; and an external force applying step of applying an external force to the object to form cracks between the recessed portion and the internal processed-regions.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method of cutting a member by irradiating the member with a laser beam including the steps of forming an internal processing area in the depth direction of the member by focusing the laser beam inside the member and forming a melt area extending in the depth direction of the member by focusing the laser beam on the surface of the member or inside the member.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a laser cutting method where a laser beam is condensed at internal points inside a substrate forming processing regions, and where the laser is swept along a cutting line, where the cutting line is associated with a recess on the substrate and where the recess can be formed contemporaneously with the formation of the processing regions.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a laser processing apparatus that can use the shape of a plurality of reflected light fluxes to adjust the position of workpiece relative to an optical system, where the laser processing apparatus facilitates both the viewing of the workpiece and a focusing of a processing laser into the workpiece.

Abstract: A laser cutting apparatus and a laser cutting method are provided which are adapted to concentrate laser light into a silicon substrate to produce a plurality of internal cracks. A light concentrating position, to which laser beams included in the laser light are concentrated, is temporally and spatially displaced to appropriately change lengths of the cracks according to positions in a direction of depth of the substrate. Consequently, the lengths of the internal cracks are controlled to surely lead a crack opening, the starting point of which is the internal crack formed by laser processing, to a predetermined cutting line on a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus, in accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, is configured to contemporaneously perform the functions of observing a surface of a substrate and concentrating laser light to a given position inside the substrate. The laser processing apparatus can include an optical system having an afocal optical subsystem configured to concentrate laser light inside the substrate. Adjustment of the position of a laser light concentrating point can be achieved independent of adjustment of a focal point by the automatic focusing mechanism to observe the surface of the substrate irradiated with laser light.

Abstract: A laser splitting method for splitting off a segment from an object to be split using a laser beam, includes a surface processing step of processing the object by forming a linear recessed portion in a surface of the object, the linear recessed portion being effective to cause a stress concentration at the surface of the object; an internal processed-region forming step of forming an internal processed-regions at a depth of the object in a line along which a laser beam scans the surface of the object by a relative motion therebetween, the laser beam being converged adjacent the depth, wherein the thus formed internal processed-regions extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the object; and an external force applying step of applying an external force to the object to form cracks between the recessed portion and the internal processed-regions.

Abstract: An illumination system for illuminating a particular surface, to be illuminated, with light from a light source, includes a first optical component having an optical power with respect to a predetermined plane, and a second optical component having an optical power with respect to the predetermined plane, wherein the particular surface is illuminated through Koehler illumination with respect to a plane orthogonal to the predetermined plane and is illuminated approximately through critical illumination with respect to the predetermined plane, wherein the first and second optical components are adapted to provide an afocal system, and wherein the condition for the afocal system is disconnected when a relative position between the first and second optical components is changed, whereby an illumination range with respect to the predetermined plane, upon the particular surface, is changed.

Abstract: An ink jet printer comprises a nozzle member manufactured by a method including the step of splitting light from a light source by amplitude splitting to form a plurality of illumination beams, and the step of illuminating a plurality of mask patterns formed on a mask with corresponding split illumination beams so as to expose a workpiece via the mask patterns.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a nozzle member, having the step of splitting light from a light source by amplitude splitting to form a plurality of illumination beams, and the step of illuminating a plurality of mask patterns formed on a mask with the corresponding split illumination beams so as to expose a workpiece via the mask patterns, and a work apparatus using the method.

Abstract: A work apparatus for manufacturing a nozzle member by a method including the step of splitting light from a light source by amplitude splitting to form a plurality of illumination beams, and the step of illuminating a plurality of mask patterns formed on a mask with the corresponding split illumination beams so as to expose at least a single workpiece via the mask patterns.

Abstract: A laser beam from an excimer laser is split into three beams along a first plane by a pair of prisms and the three beams are caused to intersect each other at the position of the object side focal point of a first cylindrical lens and be incident upon the first cylindrical lens. The three beams are respectively focused independently from each other by the first cylindrical lens. The above focused three beams are then focused along a second plane perpendicular to the first plane by a second cylindrical lens; then, the three beams are caused to superimpose each other on a mask and at the same time are brought to a defocus along the first plane and into focus again along the second plane by an anamorphic optical system containing a third cylindrical lens and a lens having a rotation symmetry, thereby a line-like illumination area extended in the first direction is formed on the mask.

Abstract: A method used in manufacturing a workpiece using a plurality of spaced apart mask patterns includes two dividing steps and two focusing steps. The first step divides a light beam emitted from a light source into a plurality of light beams on a first plane including a first axis. A second step divides each of the plurality of light beams into a plurality of light beams on a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, the second plane including a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. A third step focuses the plurality of light beams produced by the second step only in the first direction. A fourth step focuses the plurality of light beams focused in this third step in the first direction at a position beyond the plurality of mask patterns in the second direction so that the light beams focused in the third step overlap each other to perform a plurality of spaced apart images, each of which illuminate one of the plurality of spaced apart mask patterns.

Abstract: An illumination optical system includes a beam dividing device for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams, and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a surface to be illuminated, the optical arrangement having different focal distances in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and the optical arrangement being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the surface in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the surface.