Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements and soft magnetic bodies. Each of the magnetoresistance effect elements is formed by stacking a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer on a substrate so as to exhibit a magnetoresistance effect. The magnetoresistance effect element is configured such that element portions and electrode layers are alternately disposed. A soft magnetic body is disposed on one and the other sides of each of the element portions in the Y direction, and the soft magnetic bodies are displaced from each other in the X direction. With this arrangement, an external magnetic field applied in the X1 direction is changed into an external magnetic field in the Y direction when passing through the soft magnetic bodies, and the changed external magnetic field flows into the element portions.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor having no sensitivity differences between sensitivity axes, and an easy manufacturing method therefor are provided. The method includes a process of forming first stacked films for a magnetoresistive element on a substrate. This element has a sensitivity axis in a certain direction and includes a self-pinned ferromagnetic pinned layer in which first and second ferromagnetic films are antiferromagnetically coupled through an antiparallel coupling layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a soft magnetic free layer. The method further includes a process of removing a region of the first stacked films from the substrate. The remaining region of the films includes at least a region to be left to form the element. The method furthermore includes a process of forming second stacked films for a magnetoresistive element, which has a sensitivity axis in a direction different from the certain direction and has the same structure, on the exposed substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes magnetoresistive elements and a soft magnetic body. The magnetoresistive elements have multi layers including a magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer on a substrate, and exert a magnetoresistance effect. The soft magnetic body is electrically disconnected with the magnetoresistive elements, and converts a vertical magnetic field component from the outside into a magnetic field component in a horizontal direction so as to provide the magnetoresistive elements with the horizontally converted magnetic field component. The magnetoresistive elements have a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed magnetization direction and a free magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction. The free magnetic layer is stacked on the pinned magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic layer interposed between the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer. The magnetization directions of the pinned magnetic layers of the magnetoresistive elements are the same direction.

Abstract: A magnetic detecting device includes a first and a second magnetoresistive element, and a first and a second fixed resistor connected in series to the first and the second magnetoresistive element, respectively. The first and the second magnetoresistive element each include a pinned magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic conductive layer in between. The first and the second magnetoresistive element have the same layer structure except that the nonmagnetic conductive layers have different thicknesses. The thicknesses of the nonmagnetic conductive layers are set so that a positive interlayer coupling magnetic field acts between the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer of the first magnetoresistive element and a negative interlayer coupling magnetic field acts between the free magnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer of the second magnetoresistive element. The first and the second fixed resistor have the same layer structure.

Abstract: An ECU determines whether condensed water is present at a rotor and vanes based on an electric current, which flows in an electric motor that drives the rotor. When the condensed water is determined to be present, the ECU drives the motor for a predetermined time period. When the condensed water is determined to be absent, the ECU stores a pressure, which is sensed through a pressure sensor, as a first pressure. The ECU is adapted to sense an abnormality in a pump characteristic based on a value of the first pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for correcting an inspection reference pattern image in order to properly inspect a pattern image of a specimen. The pattern image correcting apparatus is characterized by including: a first pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing an assist pattern image and a pattern image to be inspected, thereby generating a pattern image to be inspected with an assist pattern; an assist pattern shift processor; a second pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing the shifted assist pattern image and the inspection reference pattern image, thereby generating an inspection reference pattern image with an assist pattern; a model generating unit for generating a position shift model by using the pattern image to be inspected with the assist pattern and the inspection reference pattern image with the assist pattern; and a correction pattern image computing unit for correcting the inspection reference pattern image.

Abstract: In an automatic focus adjusting mechanism, a test sample having a patterned surface is mounted on a mount table, and an light beam passing through a slit formed in a field stop is applied to the patterned surface of the test sample. The light beam reflected from the test sample is split into two segment light beams. Focus adjusting aperture stops having respective apertures formed rhomboid are provided across the optical paths of the segment light beams. The amounts of the segment light beams passing through the rhomboid apertures are detected by light receiving units. Based on the difference between the detected light amounts, the position of the mount table is controlled by the focus adjusting unit.

Abstract: A vane pump has an upper casing, a lower casing, a rotor and a motor. First to fourth points are defined on an outer peripheral end of a lower flat surface of the lower casing. The first point is farthest from an intersection between an axis of a shaft of the motor and the lower flat surface. A suction passage passing through the third point and a discharge passage passing through the second point are formed between the upper casing and the lower casing. The fourth point is defined in a range from the third point to the first point. The lower flat surface is provided to incline with respect to the axis of the shaft of the motor such that the fourth point is farthest from a motor case of the motor among points on the outer peripheral end.

Abstract: An upper casing and a lower casing cooperate together to define a pump chamber, in which a rotor is rotatably received. A surface of the lower casing, which is opposed to one end surface of the rotor in an axial direction of the rotor, has a recess that is recessed for a predetermined amount away from the rotor in the axial direction of the rotor. A surface of a plate portion of the upper casing, which is opposed to the other end surface of the rotor in the axial direction of the rotor, has a recess that is recessed for a predetermined amount away from the rotor in the axial direction of the rotor. An outer peripheral edge of each of the recesses is placed radially inward of an outer peripheral edge of the rotor in an axial view of the rotor.

Abstract: A magnetic detection device includes a sensor unit including a sensor pattern having a plurality of magnetoresistance effect films whose ends in the length direction thereof are coupled via return portions, and electrode units formed at both ends of the sensor pattern in the longitudinal direction thereof. A non-magnetic conductor is electrically connected across a top surface of one of a pair of magnetoresistance effect films that are coupled via the corresponding one of the return portions and that face each other and a top surface of the other magnetoresistance effect film. Therefore, the resistance value between the electrode units can be adjusted without increasing the dimensions of the sensor unit, and deterioration or variation in magnetic characteristics can be reduced.

Abstract: In an automatic focus adjusting mechanism, a test sample having a patterned surface is mounted on a mount table, and an light beam passing through a slit formed in a field stop is applied to the patterned surface of the test sample. The light beam reflected from the test sample is split into two segment light beams. Focus adjusting aperture stops having respective apertures formed rhomboid are provided across the optical paths of the segment light beams. The amounts of the segment light beams passing through the rhomboid apertures are detected by light receiving units. Based on the difference between the detected light amounts, the position of the mount table is controlled by the focus adjusting unit.

Abstract: An image correction device for use in a pattern inspection apparatus is disclosed, which has automatic adaptability to variations in density of a pattern image of a workpiece being tested. The device is operable to identify a two-dimensional (2D) linear predictive model parameters from the pattern image of interest and determine the value of a total sum of these identified parameters. This value is then used to switch between a corrected pattern image due to the 2D linear prediction modeling and a corrected image that is interpolated by bicubic interpolation techniques. A pattern inspection method using the image correction technique is also disclosed.

Abstract: A mask-defect inspection apparatus including a plurality of illumination optical systems (2) for illuminating different areas (14a, 14b) on a mask (4) on which a pattern (6) is formed, an objective lens (OL) disposed to face the mask, and at least a pair of detection optical systems (15, 16) each having a detection sensor (17, 19) to form an image of the pattern and for receiving illumination light from each of the different areas through the objective lens, each of the detection optical systems having a mechanism (18a, 20a) for adjusting an angle of an aperture.

Abstract: A magnetic detection device includes a sensor unit including a sensor pattern having a plurality of magnetoresistance effect films whose ends in the length direction thereof are coupled via return portions, and electrode units formed at both ends of the sensor pattern in the longitudinal direction thereof. A non-magnetic conductor is electrically connected across a top surface of one of a pair of magnetoresistance effect films that are coupled via the corresponding one of the return portions and that face each other and a top surface of the other magnetoresistance effect film. Therefore, the resistance value between the electrode units can be adjusted without increasing the dimensions of the sensor unit, and deterioration or variation in magnetic characteristics can be reduced.

Abstract: An image correction device for use in pattern inspection apparatus is disclosed. This device includes a pattern extraction unit for extracting a pattern, as a cut-and-paste pattern, from a pattern existence region of an inspection reference pattern image and a pattern image of a workpiece being tested. The device also includes a pattern pasting unit for pasting the cut-and-paste pattern in blank regions of the reference and under-test pattern images to thereby create a pasted reference pattern image and a pasted test pattern image. The device further includes an equation generator for generating by linear predictive modeling a set of simultaneous equations relative to the pasted reference and test pattern images, a parameter generator for solving these equations to obtain a model parameter(s), and a unit for creating a corrected pattern image by the linear predictive modeling using the model parameter(s).

Abstract: An image correction device for use in a pattern inspection apparatus is disclosed, which has automatic adaptability to variations in density of a pattern image of a workpiece being tested. The device is operable to identify a two-dimensional (2D) linear predictive model parameters from the pattern image of interest and determine the value of a total sum of these identified parameters. This value is then used to switch between a corrected pattern image due to the 2D linear prediction modeling and a corrected image that is interpolated by bicubic interpolation techniques. A pattern inspection method using the image correction technique is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is to allow rapid detection of such a defect as buried in a pixel positional deviation, expansion/contraction noise or sensing noise on an image. A relationship between an inspection reference pattern image and a pattern image to be inspected is identified during inspection to construct a mathematical model obtained by absorbing (applying fitting on) a pixel positional deviation, expansion/contraction noise or sensing noise on an image, and a defect is detected by comparing a new inspection reference pattern image (model image) obtained by simulating the mathematical model and a pattern image to be inspected.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for correcting an inspection reference pattern image in order to properly inspect a pattern image of a specimen. The pattern image correcting apparatus is characterized by including: a first pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing an assist pattern image and a pattern image to be inspected, thereby generating a pattern image to be inspected with an assist pattern; an assist pattern shift processor; a second pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing the shifted assist pattern image and the inspection reference pattern image, thereby generating an inspection reference pattern image with an assist pattern; a model generating unit for generating a position shift model by using the pattern image to be inspected with the assist pattern and the inspection reference pattern image with the assist pattern; and a correction pattern image computing unit for correcting the inspection reference pattern image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stimuli-responsive composition that comprises a polymer, a solvent and a substance having a predetermined function. One embodiment of the present invention is a composition comprising a block polymer, a solvent and a substance having a predetermined function. The present invention also relates to an ink composition containing the composition, an image-forming method and an image-forming apparatus using the composition, and a recording medium applying the composition. Further, the present invention relates to an ABC type block polymer compound wherein the polymer is an ABC type triblock polymer, and wherein at least one of the blocks in the triblock polymer changes in nature from solvophilic to solvophobic or from solvophobic to solvophilic in response to stimuli, and more preferably, the A component, then the B component, and finally the C component respond to the stimuli.

Abstract: An image correction device for use in a pattern inspection apparatus is disclosed, which has automatic adaptability to variations in density of a pattern image of a workpiece being tested. The device is operable to identify a two-dimensional (2D) linear predictive model parameters from the pattern image of interest and determine the value of a total sum of these identified parameters. This value is then used to switch between a corrected pattern image due to the 2D linear prediction modeling and a corrected image that is interpolated by bicubic interpolation techniques. A pattern inspection method using the image correction technique is also disclosed.