Abstract: A defect inspection method wherein illumination light having a substantially uniform illumination intensity distribution in a certain direction on the surface of a specimen is radiated onto the surface of the specimen; wherein multiple components of those scattered light beams from the surface of the specimen which are emitted mutually different directions are detected, thereby obtaining corresponding multiple scattered light beam detection signals; wherein the multiple scattered light beam detection signals is subjected to processing, thereby determining the presence of defects; wherein the corresponding multiple scattered light detecting signals is processed with respect to all of the spots determined to be defective by the processing, thereby determining the sizes of defects; and wherein the defect locations on the specimen and the defect sizes are displayed with respect to all of the spots determined to be defective by the processing.

Abstract: Provided is a method for inspecting a defect on a surface of a sample, the method including the steps of comparing a haze signal distribution with a predetermined light intensity distribution to calculate pixel shift amounts of detection signals; and adding up shift corrected detection signals to detect a defect.

Abstract: To inspect a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate for surface roughness at high precision. The surface roughness of the substrate is measured in each frequency band of the surface roughness by applying a light to the substrate surface and detecting a scattered light or reflected light at a plurality of azimuth or elevation angles.

Abstract: Provided are a defect inspecting method and a defect inspecting apparatus, wherein defect detecting sensitivity is improved and also haze measurement is performed using polarization detection, while suppressing damages to samples. The defect inspecting apparatus is provided with a light source which oscillates to a sample a laser beam having a wavelength band wherein a small energy is absorbed, and two independent detecting optical systems, i.e., a defect detecting optical system which detects defect scattered light generated by a defect, by radiating the laser beams oscillated by the light source, and a haze detecting optical system which detects roughness scattered light generated due to roughness of the wafer surface. Polarization detection is independently performed with respect to the scattered light detected by the two detecting optical systems, and based on the two different detection signals, defect determination and haze measurement are performed.

Abstract: A parallel glass which is a prism having a parallelogram-shaped cross section in an x-y direction, and parallel glasses which are prisms having a parallelogram-shaped cross section in the x-y direction and each include grooves formed in one surface in a z direction perpendicular to the x-y direction, are stacked in direct contact with each other such that the grooves are located on the inside, and light trying to enter the grooves is subjected is total reflection, thereby changing incident parallel beams with a pitch of 13 mm into emergent parallel beams with a pitch of 1 mm.

Abstract: An adjustable beam size illumination optical apparatus includes a beam size adjusting optical system which includes groups of cylindrical array lenses disposed correspondingly to the long and short axis directions respectively and having variable intervals among the lenses, and a group of cylindrical telescope lenses disposed correspondingly to one of the long and short axis directions and having variable intervals among the lenses, and adjusts parallel light from a light source in size in accordance with the two axis directions orthogonal to each other. The lens interval of one of the cylindrical array lens groups and the cylindrical telescope lens group is changed to adjust a beam size on a projection surface in accordance with the long axis direction or the short axis direction. Thus, it is possible to adjust the beam size in accordance with the long axis direction and the short axis direction individually, and it is possible to make irradiation with the beam with uniform intensity.

Abstract: To inspect a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate for surface roughness at high precision. The surface roughness of the substrate is measured in each frequency band of the surface roughness by applying a light to the substrate surface and detecting a scattered light or reflected light at a plurality of azimuth or elevation angles.

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 laser beam machining method for a printed circuit board, for enabling to bring the depth of a bottom surface of grooves within an overlap region, which is irradiated with a laser beam, repetitively, to be nearly equal to that of the bottom surface of grooves within other regions, comprises the following steps of: fixing a line beam 4, which is shaped into a rectangular having a length sufficiently larger than its width, in a cross-section perpendicular to a central axis thereof; executing a belt-like machining on a certain region of the printed circuit board 6, while moving a mask 1 and the printed circuit board 6 in opposite directions, in a direction of the width of the line beam 4 (i.e.

Abstract: A laser machining apparatus capable of accurately projecting mask patterns onto a work piece and superior in machining accuracy. An auto-focusing unit is provided. The auto-focusing unit includes a television camera for observing alignment marks formed on the surface of the work piece so as to be able to measure the focal length of a projection lens. A main-scanning direction expansion/contraction ratio Ex of the work piece to its design value and a sub-scanning direction expansion/contraction ratio Ey of the work piece to its design value are obtained. The imaging magnification M of the projection lens is corrected to compensate the expansion/contraction ratio Ex. The moving speed of a mask and/or the moving speed of the work piece are corrected in consideration of the imaging magnification M of the projection lens so as to compensate the expansion/contraction ratio Ey.

Abstract: A parallel glass which is a prism having a parallelogram-shaped cross section in an x-y direction, and parallel glasses which are prisms having a parallelogram-shaped cross section in the x-y direction and each include grooves formed in one surface in a z direction perpendicular to the x-y direction, are stacked in direct contact with each other such that the grooves are located on the inside, and light trying to enter the grooves is subjected is total reflection, thereby changing incident parallel beams with a pitch of 13 mm into emergent parallel beams with a pitch of 1 mm.

Abstract: The present invention is related to an optical communication module for transmitting high frequency signals (e.g., 10 Gbit/s and higher data rates) between an optical element and an external circuit. In an illustrative embodiment, the optical communication module includes signal transmission lines and ground lines formed on a ceramic substrate, a flexible wiring board, and a printed circuit board. The widths of the signal lines and the ground lines vary, as well as the spacing between the signal and ground lines. This facilitates characteristic impedance matching among the signal lines to within about 50?.

Abstract: A maskless exposure method and a maskless exposure apparatus in which maskless exposure can be performed efficiently with high-directivity illumination light, while the exposure efficiency of solder resist can be improved. Blue-violet semiconductor lasers 12A emitting laser beams 1a with a wavelength of 405 nm and ultraviolet semiconductor lasers 12B emitting laser beams 1b with a wavelength of 375 nm are provided to irradiate a substrate 8 with the laser beams 1a and 1b whose optical axes are made coaxial. In this event, one and the same place on the substrate 8 is irradiated with the laser beams 1a and 1b a plurality of times. Thus, the variation in intensity of the laser beams 1a and 1b is averaged.

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: The present invention provides a light exposure apparatus, and its method, comprising: an illumination optical system including: a light source array formed of a plural separate light sources arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally; condensing optical system for condensing light emitted from each light source of the light source array; a light integrator for spatially decomposing the light condensed by the condensing optics, and thus generating a multitude of pseudo-secondary light sources; and a condenser lens for overlapping the light rays emitted from the multitude of pseudo-secondary light sources generated by the light integrator, and thus illuminating an illumination target region having a pattern to be exposed; and a projection optical system for projecting transmitted or reflected light onto an exposure target region of an exposure target object in order to expose the pattern to be exposed that is illuminated by the illumination optical system.

Abstract: A ceramic substrate is provided through a stem of a can-package, the desired number of wirings including the high speed signal wirings are formed on this ceramic substrate and the necessary electronic components other than a light-emitting/photosensitive element such as driver LSI and amplifying LSI or the like are also accommodated within the can-package.

Abstract: A method for repairing a liquid crystal display provided with a light transmitting member having an image display section. The method includes filling a filler, which has a refractive index substantially equal to that of the light transmitting member, into a scratch or scratches formed on inside and outside surfaces of the light transmitting member so as to repair the scratch or scratches.

Abstract: An image display device for repairing a scratch or scratches on a surface or surfaces of a light transmitting member having an image display section such an extent that the presence of the scratch or scratches cannot be visually perceived at at least in a bright view distance in all directions, and in which device a liquid filler having a refractive index equivalent to or on the same order of that of the light transmitting member is locally filled only into an area of the scratch or scratches, and the filler is cured. By controlling an amount of the filler so that a difference in level between a surface of the light transmitting member and a surface of the filler is at least ±5.0 &mgr;m or less and that an angle defined between a surface of the filler and a surface of the light transmitting member is at least 45 degrees or less or preferably at least 10 degrees or less, it is possible to exhibit display quality to such a degree that the presence of the scratch or scratches cannot be recognized.

Abstract: A method for repairing a liquid crystal display provided with a light transmitting member having an image display section. The method includes filling a filler, which has a refractive index substantially equal to that of the light transmitting member, into a scratch or scratches formed on inside and outside surfaces of the light transmitting member so as to repair the scratch or scratches.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting wirings of an electronic circuit substrate to detect a defect in the wiring and for enabling correction thereof. The inspection method and apparatus include electrostatically coupling at least one electrode to a wiring pattern, applying a time varying voltage between the electrode and wiring pattern at different locations so as to detect a current flow and determine a defect by a variation in the detected current flow at the different locations and a portion of the defect. A defect in the form of a disconnected or half-disconnected point of the wiring may be corrected by supplying a solution of a metal complex to the disconnected or half-disconnected point, heating the solution and end point areas of the disconnected or half-disconnected point by laser light and precipitating a metal thin film establishing a connection of the wiring.