Abstract: A pattern evaluation method comprising the steps of, illuminating light from a light source constituting an optical system and acquiring an optical image of a sample having a repeated pattern with a period not more than a resolution of the optical system, allocating a gradation value to each pixel of the optical image and obtaining at least one of an average gradation value for each predetermined unit region and deviation of the gradation value in the unit region, and performing at least one of a process of converting the average gradation value into average line width information in the region of the repeated pattern and a process of converting the deviation of the gradation value into roughness of the repeated pattern and creating a map representing distribution of at least one of the average line width information and the roughness with the use of an obtained converted value.

Abstract: An objective lens switching mechanism holds a plurality of objective lenses respectively disposed on each of the plurality of lens mounts, moves the plurality of objective lenses between a first position on the lens mounts and a second position above the lens mounts by a rotating mechanism and moves the plurality of objective lenses from the second position above the lens mounts to another second position above the lens mounts.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprising, a Rochon prism configured to branch the light transmitted through a half-wave plate, a first sensor and a second sensor for acquiring an optical image of a pattern of the sample, the branched light being incident to the first sensor and the second sensor, a light quantity acquisition unit configured to acquire a light quantity ratio (1:A) of the second sensor to the first sensor using the optical image, and to obtain an angle ? of the half-wave plate such that the light quantity ratio becomes A:1, an angle controller configured to receive information on the angle ? from the light quantity acquisition unit to control an angle of the half-wave plate, a light source controller configured to control a light quantity of the light source such that each of the light quantity values becomes a target value.

Abstract: An image capturing device comprising, a light source configured to emit light having a predetermined wavelength, a polarization beamsplitter configured to receive the light from the light source, a Faraday rotator configured to rotate a polarization plane of the light via the polarization beamsplitter by changing the intensity of the magnetic field, an objective lens configured to illuminate an inspection target with the light transmitted through the Faraday rotator and a sensor configured to capture an optical image of the inspection target by causing the light reflected by the inspection target to be incident through the objective lens, the Faraday rotator, and the polarization beamsplitter.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprising, a light source configured to illuminate a sample, a half-wavelength plate configured to transmit light transmitted through or reflected from the sample, a polarization beamsplitter, a first and second sensor configured to receive the light as a first and second optical image respectively transmitted through the beamsplitter, an image processor configured to obtain a gradation value of each pixel of the first sensor, a defect detector configured to detect a defect of the first optical image, using the gradation value, and a comparator configured to compare the second optical image to a reference image based on design data, and to determine that the second optical image is defective when at least one difference of position and shape between the optical image and the reference image exceeds a predetermined threshold, and an angle adjusting unit configured to adjust an angle of the half-wavelength plate.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprising, a Rochon prism configured to branch the light transmitted through a half-wave plate, a first sensor and a second sensor for acquiring an optical image of a pattern of the sample, the branched light being incident to the first sensor and the second sensor, a light quantity acquisition unit configured to acquire a light quantity ratio (1:A) of the second sensor to the first sensor using the optical image, and to obtain an angle ? of the half-wave plate such that the light quantity ratio becomes A:1, an angle controller configured to receive information on the angle ? from the light quantity acquisition unit to control an angle of the half-wave plate, a light source controller configured to control a light quantity of the light source such that each of the light quantity values becomes a target value.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus comprising, a light source that emits a laser beam, a lens array on which the laser beam is illuminated, a plurality of element lenses having a diameter greater than or equal to the laser beam are arranged in the lens array, the lens array being rotatable around an optical axis of the laser beam, wherein the two lens arrays are arrayed in an optical axis direction of the laser beam, and the element lenses in each lens array are arranged such that a boundary between the element lenses adjacent to each other radiates from a rotation center of the lens array and a direction in which the element lens of one of the lens arrays traverses the optical axis of the laser beam is orthogonal to a direction in which the element lens of the other lens array traverses the optical axis of the laser beam.

Abstract: A sample support apparatus is provided in which a XY-table and a Z-table moving along a height direction are disposed in a Z-reference surface as a height reference, and in which a sample is disposed at a predetermined height position while supported by the Z-table, the sample support apparatus comprising, a height correction unit that controls movement of the Z-table, and a Z-sensor that is provided on the Z-reference surface to measure the height from the Z-reference surface, wherein a measuring surface is aligned along the same axis with respect to a measuring position of the sample, the height of the measuring surface from the Z-reference surface is measured by the Z-sensor, the height correction unit moves the Z-table according to the measured value of the height so that the sample is disposed at the predetermined height position.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus comprising, a step of reflecting linearly-polarized light having a predetermined wavelength using an non-polarizing beam splitter after transmitting the linearly-polarized light through a half-wave plate, irradiating a sample with the linearly-polarized light having a polarization plane of a predetermined angle, causing the light reflected by the sample to be incident to an image capturing sensor through a lens, the non-polarizing beam splitter, and an analyzer, and acquiring an optical image of a pattern formed on the sample; acquiring a plurality of optical images by changing an angle of the analyzer or the half-wave plate, and obtaining an angle of the analyzer or the half-wave plate such that a value of (?/?A) becomes a minimum; and a step of inspecting whether a defect of the pattern exists, wherein the pattern is a repetitive pattern having a period at a resolution limit or less.

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a laser light source configured to emit a laser light, an integrator lens configured to input the laser light, and form a light source group by dividing the laser light inputted, a scattering plate, arranged at a front side of an incident surface of the integrator lens, configured to scatter the laser light which is to enter the integrator lens, and an inspection unit configured to inspect a defect of a pattern on an inspection target object where a plurality of figure patterns are formed, by using the laser light having passed through the integrator lens as an illumination light.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprising, an optical system emitting light having a predetermined wavelength, illuminating a sample while the light is converted into light having a polarization plane not in the range of ?5 degrees to 5 degrees and 85 degrees to 95 degrees with respect to a direction of a repetitive pattern on the sample, an optical system for acquiring an image and forming said image on an image sensor using a lens, a half-wave plate, a first image sensor, a second image sensor, an inspection analyzer, wherein these differ in a transmission axis direction, a processor that obtains an average gray level and a standard deviation in each predetermined unit region of the image, and a defect detector, wherein a resolution limit defined by a wavelength of the light source and a numerical aperture of the lens is a value in which the pattern is not resolved.

Abstract: A luminous flux branching element includes a transparent base member arranged diagonally to an optical axis and having an incidence plane and an emission plane parallel to each other. Incident light from the incidence plane is split into a main luminous flux emitted from an emission position on the emission plane and a branched luminous flux emitted from a branch position apart from the emission position and having a smaller light quantity than of the main luminous flux. A reflecting member is arranged on the incidence plane to cause the incidence plane to reflect reflected light from the emission plane. A non-coat region in which antireflection-treatment is not performed is formed in a region of the emission plane where the incident light from the incidence plane is reached, and antireflection-treatment is performed in the emission plane excluding the non-coat region and the incidence plane.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus includes a rotating phase plate having a height equal to or less than a wavelength of light from a light source and including a plurality of randomly arranged step regions so as to change a phase of light from the light source by allowing the light beam to pass therethrough; and a fly's eye lens including an array of a plurality of lenses configured to pass the light beam passed through the rotating phase plate, wherein a portion in which a product of a maximum size of the plurality of step regions and an optical magnification from the rotating phase plate to a plane of incidence of the fly's eye lens is equal to or less than an arrangement pitch of the plurality of lenses and a portion in which the product is larger than the arrangement pitch of the plurality of lenses are mixed.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprising, a focal position detector that detects a reference focal position of an image plane of a sample from a variation of an output value in optical image data of the sample, the output value being acquired by changing a distance between a first lens and the sample, and detects an optimum focal position of an inspection from the reference focal position, an image processor that obtains at least one of either an average gradation value in each predetermined unit region or a variation of a gradation value in the unit region with respect to the optical image data obtained at the optimum focal position, and a defect detector that detects a defect of the sample based on at least one of either the average gradation value or the variation of the gradation value.

Abstract: A pattern evaluation method comprising the steps of, illuminating light from a light source constituting an optical system and acquiring an optical image of a sample having a repeated pattern with a period not more than a resolution of the optical system, allocating a gradation value to each pixel of the optical image and obtaining at least one of an average gradation value for each predetermined unit region and deviation of the gradation value in the unit region, and performing at least one of a process of converting the average gradation value into average line width information in the region of the repeated pattern and a process of converting the deviation of the gradation value into roughness of the repeated pattern and creating a map representing distribution of at least one of the average line width information and the roughness with the use of an obtained converted value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern test apparatus includes a light source configured to apply test light to a test sample, a polarizing beam splitter which reflects or transmits the test light, an imaging device which receives light which has been reflected by the test sample and transmitted through or reflected by the polarizing beam splitter, an optical system which forms a Fourier transform plane of the test sample between the test sample and the polarizing beam splitter, and a polarizing controller disposed in the Fourier transform plane. The polarizing controller includes a first region which lets the test light through, and a second region which is greater than the first region and lets the light reflected by the test sample through, and the each regions have different retardation quantities.

Abstract: A defect detection method comprising, irradiating light from a light source in an optical system and obtaining a plurality of optical images of a sample having a repeated pattern of a size smaller than a resolution of the optical system; while changing the conditions of the optical system, performing correction processing for the optical images with the use of at least one of a noise filter and a convolution filter; shifting a position of the other optical images based on any of the plurality of optical images, obtaining a relationship between shift amounts of the other optical images and a change of correlation of a gray scale value between the plurality of optical images, and performing positional alignment of the optical images based on the shift amount obtained when the correlation is highest, performing defect detection of the sample with the use of the optical images after the positional alignment.

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a laser light source configured to emit a laser light, an integrator lens configured to input the laser light, and form a light source group by dividing the laser light inputted, a scattering plate, arranged at a front side of an incident surface of the integrator lens, configured to scatter the laser light which is to enter the integrator lens, and an inspection unit configured to inspect a defect of a pattern on an inspection target object where a plurality of figure patterns are formed, by using the laser light having passed through the integrator lens as an illumination light.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus includes a rotating phase plate having a height equal to or less than a wavelength of light from a light source and including a plurality of randomly arranged step regions so as to change a phase of light from the light source by allowing the light beam to pass therethrough; and a fly's eye lens including an array of a plurality of lenses configured to pass the light beam passed through the rotating phase plate, wherein a portion in which a product of a maximum size of the plurality of step regions and an optical magnification from the rotating phase plate to a plane of incidence of the fly's eye lens is equal to or less than an arrangement pitch of the plurality of lenses and a portion in which the product is larger than the arrangement pitch of the plurality of lenses are mixed.

Abstract: A light polarization control apparatus includes a linear polarized light generation device for generating a linearly polarized light ray; and a pair of first and second four-division type half-wave plate located at front and back positions of a light axis, each said half-wave plate having a surface divided into four regions by a couple of boundary lines crossing together at right angles, wherein the linearly polarized light ray is guided to pass through said pair of first and second four-division type half-wave plate to thereby divide this light ray into eight areas each having its polarization state as converted to any one of a azimuthally polarized state and a radially polarized state.