Abstract: The object of the present invention is to transmit the position information of a defect that has been specified by means of a circuit pattern inspection apparatus quickly and precisely so that the position information is efficiently used in another apparatus. Marking is carried out on the peripheral area of the defect by use of a charged particle beam irradiation mechanism of the inspection apparatus. The marking realizes sharing of the defect position information with another apparatus. The marking technique includes deposition of a deposit and charging up by means of irradiation of a charged particle beam. The marking in the inspection apparatus allows the defect position information to be transmitted to another apparatus more correctly and easily, and as a result, analysis accuracy is improved and analysis time is shortened.

Abstract: An inspection method and an inspection apparatus using an electron beam enabling more detailed and quantitative evaluation at a high throughput level. The method comprises the steps of irradiating, based on previously prepared information concerning a defect position on the surface of a sample, the defect and its vicinity with an electron beam a plurality of times at predetermined intervals; detecting an electron signal secondarily generated from the sample surface by the electron beam; imaging an electron signal detected by the previously specified n-th or later electron beam irradiation; and measuring the resistance or a leakage amount of the defective portion of the sample surface in accordance with the degree of charge relaxation by monitoring the charge relaxation state of the sample surface based on the electron beam image information.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to detect defects in a circuit pattern formed on a semiconductor wafer by a circuit pattern forming process, to facilitates the extraction and observation of the defects, to improve the accuracy of analysis of the causes of the defects, and to determine the causes of the defects and to take measures to eliminate the causes of the defects in a greatly reduced time after the formation of the defects. A method of inspecting a circuit pattern for defects and analyzing defects, comprising locating a defect in a circuit pattern formed on a wafer by using an electron beam, specifying a chip having the defect on the basis of position data on the defect, cutting out the chip from the semiconductor wafer, thinning a portion of the chip to form a thin portion, and observing the thin portion of the chip under a transmission electron microscope to determine the causes of the defect.

Abstract: Using an optical pickup, recording/reproducing of information is performed by irradiating light beams to an optical recording medium to form light spots. The optical pickup includes means for generating plural light beams, an optical waveguide for guiding the plural light beams in a row into a flat space, and a light deflecting element for deflecting the light beams, which run in the optical waveguide, within a plane formed by a vector perpendicular to a plane of the optical waveguide and a directional vector of the light beams. The light deflecting element deflects the plural light spots, which are to be arranged in a row, in a direction perpendicular to the light spot row to perform micro seek.

Abstract: A beam control method and apparatus for processing a specimen. A specimen is irradiated with a first beam capable of modifying a property of the specimen. Subsequently, a second beam, incapable of modifying a property of the specimen, irradiates the trace formed by the first beam to thereby identify the actual position of the trace by detecting a signal representing the actual position of the trace. On the basis of comparing actual position of the trace with a desired position of the trace, the latter is controlled.

Abstract: A sample is located so as to be close to a prism and a light beam coming from a light source is projected to the prism while varying the incident angle to the prism as a parameter. The incident light beam to the prism is propagated therein and light emerging from the bottom surface of the prism, which is in contact with the sample, is projected to the sample. At the same time the intensity of light reflected by the bottom surface of the prism is measured. Optical constants such as the refractive index, the film thickness, the distribution of the refractive index, etc. are obtained by calculation, starting from measured values thus obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information detecting system of scanning type which comprises a substrate formed with an optical waveguide layer, a laser oscillator emitting a laser beam, a SAW type beam deflecting device formed on the optical waveguide layer, a beam irradiating section irradiating a specimen with the laser beam derived from the optical waveguide layer, a controller controlling the frequency of a high-frequency voltage applied to the SAW type beam deflecting device so as to scan the specimen with the laser beam directed from the beam irradiating section, and a detecting section detecting the position and/or the intensity of the laser beam scanning the specimen with respect to the SAW control signal controlled by the controller.

Abstract: An enlargement projection type exposure method includes the steps of deforming the shape of a substrate so as to eliminate distortion in an enlarged image of the pattern, which is formed on a mask and projected onto the substrate through an enlargement projection system. The pattern is exposed with the use of an enlargement projection optical system. An apparatus for the method comprises an enlargement projection optical system for enlarging the pattern formed on the mask, and a substrate deforming device for deforming by adsorption the substrate in shape so as to eliminate the distortion in the enlarged image of the pattern through the enlargement projection optical system.

Abstract: An X-ray lithography apparatus for transferring a pattern formed in a mask onto a wafer by using a soft X-ray.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for alignment for use in X-ray exposure or the like wherein a mask is provided having a formation of an alignment pattern made up of at least one linear segment formed in a peripheral section of the mask and a wafer is provided having a formation of an alignment pattern formed in a same direction as the alignment pattern of the mask and made up of linear segments. An illuminating arrangement illuminates a light to the mask alignment pattern along a direction inclined to the alignment direction and the mask alignment pattern and the wafer alignment pattern are imaged and transformed into a video signal. An A/D converts the video signal into a digital signal and stores the digital signal in a memory.

Abstract: A light-exposure apparatus which can keep uniform the gap between a mask and a wafer and reduce the density of arrangement of vertical movers adapted to deform the wafer to thereby reduce cost and weight of the apparatus. The apparatus has a thin plate deforming mechanism comprising a chuck platen for holding on its top surface the wafer, the bottom surface of the chuck platen being formed with imperforate slits patterned in the form of a grid composed of a plurality of triangular meshes so that the chuck platen may be deformed along bending lines near the triangular meshes, and a plurality of vertical movers for vertically deforming the individual triangular meshes so as to flatten or deform into a desired shape the wafer.