Abstract: In a thermal processing unit, a substrate is held by a local transport hand to be transported between a transfer section and a heating unit, and subjected to a heat processing by the heating unit. Also, the local transport hand is cooled by a cooling plate in the transfer section.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus that can reduce power consumption, while maintaining throughput. In addition to a normal mode in which all units are activated, the apparatus is provided with an energy saving mode that is selectable. When the energy saving mode is selected, only essential units that are requisites for a substrate processing are activated and used in the substrate processing. If it is necessary to increase process efficiency, any additional unit may be activated and used in the processing. During standby, only an essential unit can be activated and the rest is halted, or alternatively, all units may be halted. The transition to the energy saving mode can occur when the standby state continues for a predetermined period of time after the normal mode is selected.

Abstract: In a thermal processing unit according to the present invention, a substrate is held by a local transport hand to be transported between a transfer section and a heating unit, and subjected to a heat processing by the heating unit. Also, the local transport hand is cooled by a cooling plate in the transfer section.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus that can reduce power consumption, while maintaining throughput. In addition to a normal mode in which all units are activated, the apparatus is provided with an energy saving mode that is selectable. When the energy saving mode is selected, only essential units that are requisites for a substrate processing are activated and used in the substrate processing. If it is necessary to increase process efficiency, any additional unit may be activated and used in the processing. During standby, only an essential unit can be activated and the rest is halted, or alternatively, all units may be halted. The transition to the energy saving mode can occur when the standby state continues for a predetermined period of time after the normal mode is selected.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a pattern consisting of light and dark areas formed on a planar test specimen according to design information, comprising: an imaging device for viewing the pattern to generate image information; a detector for generating a first signal upon detection that, in response to the image information, a boundary line between the light and dark areas of the pattern is bent in a determined stepping form in the direction of the plane; a memory for generating and storing a second signal, upon detection that the boundary line of the pattern has a bend of stepping form according to the design information, corresponding to the position in the imaging area of the bend in the design information; and an inspecting device for discriminating, upon generation of the first signal, the presence or absence of the second signal in the memory corresponding to the position of the first signal in the image area.

Abstract: Two-dimensional pattern detecting apparatus provided with register for serially receiving binary signals obtained from analog signals of a two-dimensional pattern and adapted to divide the pattern into pixels and to represent the density of bright and dark for pixels by the binary signals. The apparatus further includes a processing circuit adapted to compare with predetermined patterns a pattern composed of 8 peripheral pixels of a partial area of 3.times.3 pixels within the two-dimensional pattern, on the basis of the binary signals stored in the register. The processing circuit outputs a binary signal of a logic value stored in said register corresponding to a central pixel of the partial area when the pattern of the 8 pixels coincides with one of said predetermined patterns, and to outputs a binary signal of a logic value prevailing in 8 binary signals stored in the register corresponding to the 8 pixels when the pattern of the 8 pixels does not coincide with any of the predetermined patterns.

Abstract: A pattern examining in which a pattern on an examined object such as reticle or mask is scanned to produce image binary signals of picture elements; binary information corresponding to a local area on the examined object is serially extracted from the image binary signals; and shape detection is effected for detecting by means of the binary information whether or not the pattern in the local area possesses a determined geometric shape or characteristics. The result of the shape detection is compared with the information on design relating to the geometric shape or characteristics which the pattern on the examined object should possess.

Abstract: A pattern defect testing apparatus comprises a first detection circuit which defines a first detection area on a two-dimensional pattern and produces a first detection signal when all digital signals representative of densities of picture cells in the first detection area have the same logical value, a second detection circuit which defines a second detection area on the two-dimensional pattern and produces a second detection signal when at least one of digital signals representative of densities of picture cells in the second detection area has a logical value different from that of the digital signals to the first detection circuit, and a discriminating circuit for discriminating the presence of a defect in the second detection area when the first and second detection signals are produced.