Abstract: The object of the present invention is to establish a technology for directly evaluating polishing pad surface conditions, to allow high-precision CMP process management, and to improve process throughput. The pad surface is illuminated with light. The intensity of reflected light or fluorescence from the illuminated area or an intensity distribution image is used directly evaluate the pad surface condition. Based on the results of this evaluation, conditioning conditions for a conditioner are optimized, thus allowing high-precision CMP processing while maintaining good pad surface conditions.

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 electronic appliance displaying apparatus that, by implementing the following views, makes it possible to identify a wire, a component, or the like that generates an electromagnetic field. At first, the displaying apparatus derives electric-current distribution, electric-voltage distribution, electric-power distribution, and impedance distribution from magnetic-field distribution or electric-field distribution existing in vicinities of an electronic appliance, i.e., a target to be measured. Next, the displaying apparatus superposition-displays at least one of the above-described distributions on an image of the electronic appliance, CAD data thereon, layout data thereon, or circuit diagram thereof. Otherwise, the displaying apparatus displays, on plural views, at least one of the distributions and the latter data.

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: At a time of cleaning a plate-like part such as a wafer or the like while rotating, for the purpose of reducing a contamination, a damage and an unevenness of process of the plate-like part which are caused by an amount of charged electricity of the plate-like part, chuck pins (chuck members) 201 which chuck the plate-like part 1 such as the wafer or the like and upper and lower cleaning plates 101 and 121 which oppose to the plate-like part 1 are constituted by a resin material containing carbon powders, and a desired potential difference is applied to a portion between the plate-like part and the cleaning plates by a voltage control unit 601 which is provided in an outer portion.

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: The object of the present invention is to establish a technology for directly evaluating polishing pad surface conditions, to allow high-precision CMP process management, and to improve process throughput. The pad surface is illuminated with light. The intensity of reflected light or fluorescence from the illuminated area or an intensity distribution image is used directly evaluate the pad surface condition. Based on the results of this evaluation, conditioning conditions for a conditioner are optimized, thus allowing high precision CMP processing while maintaining good pad surface conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for correcting defects of an X-ray mask which includes a focused ion beam used to irradiate at least a region having a defective portion of an X-ray mask having a protective film and eliminating the protective film; exposing a circuit pattern having a defective portion located under the region or setting this circuit pattern to the state near the exposure; detecting one of the secondary electrons, secondary ions, reflected electrons, or absorbing current generated from that region and detecting a true defective position. Then positioning the focused ion beam to the true defective position and irradiating the focused ion beam to the defective portion thereby correcting the defect.

Abstract: A method of correcting a circuit pattern such as an X-ray mask, carried out by first preparing a circuit pattern structure where a circuit pattern on a conductive film is coated with a protective film, then forming a hole or a slit by irradiating a high-intensity focused ion beam to a dropout defective portion in the circuit pattern of the circuit pattern structure, and plating such hole or slit while utilizing the conductive film as a plating electrode, thereby forming a metal frame to correct the dropout defective portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring dry etching pits formed in a semiconductor device during the manufacture thereof by employing optical means. Wiring on semiconductor devices increasingly become fine or minute, i.e., the size of wiring of some devices is less than 1 .mu.m. A technical matter to be solved is to effect highly accurate dimensional measurement in such submicron region. The apparatus has a .theta. stage which is additionally provided on an XY stage, and a mechanism which provides excellent selectivity in detection of interference intensity of diffracted beam. In addition, a short wavelength laser, such as a He-Ne, He-Cd, N.sub.2 or Ar laser, is employed as a laser source. As a practical advantage, it is possible to monitor etching of a pit with a depth on the order of 10 .mu.m with respect to a pattern with a planar dimension of 0.3 .mu.m to 1.0 .mu.m.

Abstract: A plasma processing method and an apparatus for carrying out the method in which a processing gas is introduced into a processing chamber, and periodically an amplitude modulated or frequency-modulated high-frequency voltage is applied to plasma generating means, to generate a discharge plasma and to carry out predetermined processing by the plasma.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a difference in level in a sample comprises a light source section which provides illumination light of a variable-wavelength. The illumination light is irradiated onto the sample. A group of filters is provided for shielding diffraction light rays of O-order or other than O-order of the light reflected from the sample. The intensity of interference light of the light rays not shielded by the filter group is detected by a light detector which in turn converts it into an electric signal. An arithmetic operation unit receives the electric signal while the wavelength of the illumination light from the light source section is continuously varied. In the arithmetic unit, wavelengths at which the electric signal or detected light intensity takes extreme values are determined, and the level difference in the sample is determined on the basis of those wavelengths.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatuses of several types for forming a film at an increased rate that is necessary for putting the microwave assisting sputtering into practice on an industrial scale. The feature resides in that a plasma is maintained uniformly on the whole surface of target composed of a material to be sputtered. This makes it possible to avoid the target from being thermally destroyed by the increased energy of sputtering. Further, in order to prevent damage on a substrate on which the film is to be sputtered by plasma for sputtering, consideration is given to the arrangement of magnetic devices in order to form the film by positively introducing the plasma onto the substrate on which the film is to be formed and, at the same time, effecting the sputtering.

Abstract: A continuous sputtering apparatus comprising a main vacuum chamber, one loading station and a plurality of process stations capable of having their pressures controlled separately. The process station includes a sub vacuum chamber capable of being in communication with the main vacuum chamber through an opening and an evacuation port. The loading station and the process stations are arranged to be spaced with equal angles. Substrate holders are provided to face the stations and are rotated by said equal angle in a time. The substrate holder opens and closes the opening of the sub vacuum chamber to serve as a gate valve.

Abstract: A pattern checking apparatus carries out the detection of candidate defects through a primary selection with a sensitivity high enough to detect any existing defect, and then carries out a detailed analysis by a controlling processor for a pattern including the periphery of the detected candidate defect through a secondary selection in which a candidate defect which is not a defect in a practical sense is removed from candidates, so that only real defects are detected.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring in a non-contact manner the depth of pits and grooves formed by etching in periodic patterns on the surface of a substrate. The measurement is based on the detection of the intensity of a diffraction ray excluding that of the 0th order through the irradiation of a light beam with variable wave length to the sample. Whereas, the conventional measuring system is sensitive to a diffraction ray of the 0th order, i.e., the major component of the reflected light, that hampers the detection of a higher order diffraction ray carrying information of the depth.

Abstract: A pair of magnets for producing a mirror magnetic field are disposed outside of an electrode structure carrying a target. Microwaves from a microwave source are introduced toward and into a space defined by the mirror magnetic field for generating high-density plasma. While maintaining this high-density plasma over a wide area of the surface of the target, an electric field substantially perpendicular to the surface of the target is applied for sputtering of the target material. The optimized conditions for plasma generation can be selected when the high-density plasma formed outside of a processing chamber is guided to migrate toward an area above the target in the processing chamber. Capability of sputtering of the material from the entire surface of the target increases the rate of film deposition on a substrate and improves the target utilization rate (the quantity of the material deposited on the substrate/the usable area of the target).

Abstract: Method for forming thin films on a substrate by using a mask through dry process wherein the substrate and the mask are moved relative to each other at least once for the formation of a thin film before the thickness of the thin film being formed on the substrate reaches a predetermined value, so that the formed thin film has an outer edge partly or entirely contoured stepwise.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a dry-etching apparatus used for etching an aluminum wiring film formed on a wafer, and more particularly to a dry-etching apparatus which can remove chlorides deposited on the surface of the wafer during the dry etching thereof, as well as an etching resist film, without having to take the wafer out. This dry-etching apparatus is provided with an etching chamber, a vacuum antechamber attached to the etching chamber by a gate valve, and a post-treatment chamber attached to the vacuum antechamber. The apparatus is so formed that etched wafers removed to the vacuum antechamber can be sent therefrom to the post-treatment chamber, and then the post-treated wafers can be removed to the vacuum antechamber again, and then removed therefrom to the atmosphere.

Abstract: An apparatus .Iadd.and method .Iaddend.for measuring in a non-contact manner the depth of pits and grooves formed by etching in periodic patterns on the surface of a substrate. The measurement is based on the detection of the intensity of a diffraction ray excluding that of the 0th order through the irradiation of a light beam with variable wave length to the sample. Whereas, the conventional measuring system is sensitive to a diffraction ray of the 0th order, i.e., the major component of the reflected light, that hampers the detection of a higher order diffraction ray carrying information of the depth.