Abstract: In a displacement measurement apparatus using light interference, a probe light path is spatially separated from a reference light path. Therefore, when a temperature or refractive index distribution by a fluctuation of air or the like, or a mechanical vibration is generated, an optical path difference fluctuates between both of the optical paths, and a measurement error is generated. In the solution, an optical axis of probe light is brought close to that of reference light by a distance which is not influenced by any disturbance, a sample is irradiated with the probe light, a reference surface is irradiated with the reference light, reflected light beams are allowed to interfere with each other, and a displacement of the sample is obtained from the resultant interference light to thereby prevent the measurement error from being generated by the fluctuation of the optical path difference.

Abstract: A displacement measurement method, an apparatus thereof, and a probe microscope. which enable stable measure an amount of displacement and a moving distance of an object under measurement with an accuracy of the sub-nanometer order or below without being affected by disturbances such as fluctuations of air and mechanical vibration. A pulsed beam is split into two; one beam is reflected by an object under measurement and then inputted to a delay optical path equivalent to one pulse period; and the other beam is sent through the same delay optical path in the opposite direction up to the object under measurement with a delay of one pulse period, and then reflected by the object under measurement. An optical phase variation caused by the movement of the object under measurement is obtained by subjecting the two pulsed beams to interference.

Abstract: A displacement measurement method, an apparatus thereof, and a probe microscope. which enable stable measure an amount of displacement and a moving distance of an object under measurement with an accuracy of the sub-nanometer order or below without being affected by disturbances such as fluctuations of air and mechanical vibration. A pulsed beam is split into two; one beam is reflected by an object under measurement and then inputted to a delay optical path equivalent to one pulse period; and the other beam is sent through the same delay optical path in the opposite direction up to the object under measurement with a delay of one pulse period, and then reflected by the object under measurement. An optical phase variation caused by the movement of the object under measurement is obtained by subjecting the two pulsed beams to interference.

Abstract: The present invention provides a displacement measurement method, an apparatus thereof, a probe microscope. which make it possible to stably measure an amount of displacement and a moving distance of an object under measurement with an accuracy of the sub-nanometer order or below without being affected by disturbances such as fluctuations of air, mechanical vibration. Specifically, with the present invention, a pulsed beam is split into two; one beam is reflected by an object under measurement and then inputted to a delay optical path equivalent to one pulse period; and the other beam is sent through the same delay optical path in the opposite direction up to the object under measurement with a delay of one pulse period, and then reflected by the object under measurement. Then, an optical phase variation caused by the movement of the object under measurement is obtained by subjecting the two pulsed beams to interference.

Abstract: In a displacement measurement apparatus using light interference, a probe light path is spatially separated from a reference light path. Therefore, when a temperature or refractive index distribution by a fluctuation of air or the like, or a mechanical vibration is generated, an optical path difference fluctuates between both of the optical paths, and a measurement error is generated. In the solution, an optical axis of probe light is brought close to that of reference light by a distance which is not influenced by any disturbance, a sample is irradiated with the probe light, a reference surface is irradiated with the reference light, reflected light beams are allowed to interfere with each other, and a displacement of the sample is obtained from the resultant interference light to thereby prevent the measurement error from being generated by the fluctuation of the optical path difference.

Abstract: In a displacement measurement apparatus using light interference, a probe light path is spatially separated from a reference light path. Therefore, when a temperature or refractive index distribution by a fluctuation of air or the like, or a mechanical vibration is generated, an optical path difference fluctuates between both of the optical paths, and a measurement error is generated. In the solution, an optical axis of probe light is brought close to that of reference light by a distance which is not influenced by any disturbance, a sample is irradiated with the probe light, a reference surface is irradiated with the reference light, reflected light beams are allowed to interfere with each other, and a displacement of the sample is obtained from the resultant interference light to thereby prevent the measurement error from being generated by the fluctuation of the optical path difference.

Abstract: A TFT device having a pixel portion and a driving circuit portion formed on a glass substrate; wherein at least the active layer (active region) of a transistor constituting said driving circuit comprises polycrystalline silicon including crystals that do not have crystal grain boundaries which cross the direction of current flow.

Abstract: In a displacement measurement apparatus using light interference, a probe light path is spatially separated from a reference light path. Therefore, when a temperature or refractive index distribution by a fluctuation of air or the like, or a mechanical vibration is generated, an optical path difference fluctuates between both of the optical paths, and a measurement error is generated. In the solution, an optical axis of probe light is brought close to that of reference light by a distance which is not influenced by any disturbance, a sample is irradiated with the probe light, a reference surface is irradiated with the reference light, reflected light beams are allowed to interfere with each other, and a displacement of the sample is obtained from the resultant interference light to thereby prevent the measurement error from being generated by the fluctuation of the optical path difference.

Abstract: In a displacement measurement apparatus using light interference, a probe light path is spatially separated from a reference light path. Therefore, when a temperature or refractive index distribution by a fluctuation of air or the like, or a mechanical vibration is generated, an optical path difference fluctuates between both of the optical paths, and a measurement error is generated. In the solution, an optical axis of probe light is brought close to that of reference light by a distance which is not influenced by any disturbance, a sample is irradiated with the probe light, a reference surface is irradiated with the reference light, reflected light beams are allowed to interfere with each other, and a displacement of the sample is obtained from the resultant interference light to thereby prevent the measurement error from being generated by the fluctuation of the optical path difference.

Abstract: The present invention provides a displacement measurement method, an apparatus thereof, a probe microscope. which make it possible to stably measure an amount of displacement and a moving distance of an object under measurement with an accuracy of the sub-nanometer order or below without being affected by disturbances such as fluctuations of air, mechanical vibration. Specifically, with the present invention, a pulsed beam is split into two; one beam is reflected by an object under measurement and then inputted to a delay optical path equivalent to one pulse period; and the other beam is sent through the same delay optical path in the opposite direction up to the object under measurement with a delay of one pulse period, and then reflected by the object under measurement. Then, an optical phase variation caused by the movement of the object under measurement is obtained by subjecting the two pulsed beams to interference.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope for measuring a surface profile of a sample by bringing a probe into close proximity to or contact with the surface of the sample and scanning the sample surface includes: a sample stage movable in at least one axis direction; the probe which is brought into close proximity to or contact with the surface of the sample mounted on the sample stage and scans the sample surface; a probe-driving unit for moving the probe three-dimensionally; a probe deflection detector for detecting a deflection of the probe; and an observation optical system which has an objective lens and observes the probe disposed on substantially the optical axis of the objective lens, and the sample. The probe-driving unit is disposed with three sets of paired drive sources arranged essentially with symmetry with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a plasma display comprises: a phosphor painting process for painting phosphor layer in ribs formed on a back plate; and a phosphor inspection process that includes the steps of: irradiating the phosphor layer with ultraviolet light; preparing an imaging system so that the imaging system images the emitted light beam to acquire information on brightness; comparing the brightness information with correlation between a shape model of the phosphor layer and brightness signal information that have been obtained in advance; and obtaining a painted state of the phosphor layer painted in the ribs; and a process for feeding back the applied state of the phosphor layer, which has been obtained in the phosphor inspection process, to the phosphor painting process so that the manufacturing equipment is controlled in the phosphor painting process.

Abstract: A TFT device having a pixel portion and a driving circuit portion formed on a glass substrate; wherein at least the active layer (active region) of a transistor constituting said driving circuit comprises polycrystalline silicon including crystals that do not have crystal grain boundaries which cross the direction of current flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bump shape measuring apparatus comprising an illumination optical system which illuminates bumps arranged on a board with illumination light of a low tilt angle to a surface of the board; a detection optical system where reflected light from the bumps is condensed for detection of image signals of the bumps by a high tilt angle to the surface of the board; an image processing unit where an outline of the tip and the base of each of the bumps is calculated based on the image signals of each of the bumps, and geometric characteristics including at least a position and height of each of the bumps are calculated based on the outline of the tip and the base of each of the bumps; and a main control unit where information on the calculated geometric characteristics of the bumps is displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: Arrangements (e.g., methods) for manufacturing a display device, including irradiating an amorphous semiconductor film formed on a substrate with an excimer laser beam to convert the amorphous semiconductor film into a polycrystalline semiconductor film; and irradiating predetermined areas of the polycrystalline semiconductor film intermittently with a continuous wave laser beam while a position of the substrate with respect to the continuous wave laser beam is scanned, crystal grains larger than those of the polycrystalline semiconductor film other than the predetermined areas are formed in each of the predetermined areas locally in the polycrystalline semiconductor film, wherein first thin film transistors are formed in the predetermined areas while second thin film transistors are formed in the polycrystalline semiconductor film other than the predetermined areas thereof.

Abstract: An image input can be executed without any influence of physical conditions of an inspection object and environment such as installation area by utilizing a cordless type image pickup apparatus in the excellent portability combining a lighting apparatus to a digital camera. On the occasion of picking up an image of such inspection object, marks of the shape such as the rectangular shape, circular shape and linear line shape and marks of the shape combining the linear lines (plus sign (+), capital letter L or cross (+)) of known size are allocated within the same image and these marks are extracted simultaneously. Thereby, compensation process for the magnifying factor, position and tilt is conducted using the marks allocated in the image with the equal interval. Input data is continuously applied depending on the inspection object to generate a total inspection map by combining such input data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inspecting a crack in a metal surface or the like, and, particularly, to an inspection method and apparatus for nondestructive inspection such as liquid penetrant inspection and magnetic particle testing. The present invention provides a flaw inspection method that essentially comprises the steps of illuminating a surface of a sample to be inspected, obtaining an image of the surface, characterizing a potential flaw on the inspected surface by processing the obtained image, displaying an image of the potential flaw, verifying that the potential flaw is a true flaw, and storing an image of the verified flaw in memory.

Abstract: Apparatus for fabricating a display device includes a stage capable of mounting an insulating substrate of the display device and moving the insulating substrate, linear scales which detect a position or moving distance of the substrate, a laser oscillator which generates continuous-waves laser light, a modulator which turns ON/OFF the continuous-wave laser light, a beam forming optic which shapes the continuous-wave laser light passing through the modulator into a linear or rectangular form, an objective lens which projects the at least one of the laser light on the insulating substrate so as to irradiate the insulating substrate with the laser light.

Abstract: The active layer (active region) of the thin-film transistor making up the driver circuit is obtained by reformation implemented by scanning the continuous-wave laser light, condensed into a linear form or a rectangle form extremely longer in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction, along a given direction crossing the longitudinal direction. This is made up of a poly silicon film containing crystal grains having no grain boundaries crossing the direction of current flow, that is, a band-like polycrystalline silicon film. As a result, it is possible to implement a display device having stable and high quality active elements outside the display region on the insulating substrate.

Abstract: A manufacturing method and manufacturing device for high-precision thin film devices is disclosed, whereby the film thickness and film thickness distribution of a transparent film is measured to a high degree of accuracy during a CMP process without being affected by the film thickness distribution between LSI regions or within the semiconductor wafer surface generated by CMP processing. Film thickness is measured by specifying relatively level measurement regions, according to a characteristic quantity of the spectral waveform of the reflected light from the transparent film, such as the reflection intensity, frequency spectrum intensity, or the like, thereby permitting highly accurate control of film thickness. The leveling process in CMP processing can be optimized on the basis of the film thickness distribution. The film deposition conditions in the film deposition stage and the etching conditions in the etching stage can also be optimized.