Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting a defect of a surface of a sample in which a laser beam is irradiated on a sample surface so that at least a part of an illumination field of the laser beam illuminates a first area of the sample surface, a plurality of scattered light rays from the first area caused by the irradiation in the irradiating is detected, errors of inclination of an illumination apparatus and a sensor for the plurality of scattered light rays detected are corrected, the plurality of scattered light rays corrected is at least one of added and averaged, a defect on the sample surface based on the plurality of scattered light rays in accordance with the correcting of errors of inclination of the illumination apparatus and the sensor is determined.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus is capable of inspecting an extremely small defect present on the top and edge surfaces of a sample such as a semiconductor substrate or a thin film substrate with high sensitivity and at high speed. The defect inspection apparatus has an illumination optical system, a plurality of detection optical units and a signal processor. One or more of the detection optical units receives either light diffracted from an edge portion of the sample or light diffracted from an edge grip holding the sample. The one or more of the detection optical units shields the diffracted light received by the detection optical unit based on a signal obtained by monitoring an intensity of the diffracted light received by the detection optical unit in order to inspect a sample portion located near the edge portion and a sample portion located near the edge grip.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a defect of a surface of a sample, includes irradiating a laser beam on the sample surface a plurality of times so that at least part of an illumination field of the laser beam on the sample surface illuminates a first area of the sample surface each of the plurality of times, detecting a plurality of scattered light rays from the first area caused by the plurality of times of irradiation, correcting errors of detection timings for the plurality of scattered light rays detected in the detection step, and determining a defect on the sample surface based on the plurality of scattered light rays in accordance with the correcting errors of detection timings.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus is capable of inspecting an extremely small defect present on the top and edge surfaces of a sample such as a semiconductor substrate or a thin film substrate with high sensitivity and at high speed. The defect inspection apparatus has an illumination optical system, a plurality of detection optical units and a signal processor. One or more of the detection optical units receives either light diffracted from an edge portion of the sample or light diffracted from an edge grip holding the sample. The one or more of the detection optical units shields the diffracted light received by the detection optical unit based on a signal obtained by monitoring an intensity of the diffracted light received by the detection optical unit in order to inspect a sample portion located near the edge portion and a sample portion located near the edge grip.

Abstract: A surface defect inspection apparatus and method for irradiating a beam multiple times to a same region on a surface of an inspection sample, detecting each scattered light from the same region by detection optical systems individually to produce plural signals, and wherein irradiating the beam includes performing a line illumination of the beam on a line illumination region of the sample surface. The line illumination region is moved in a longitudinal direction at a pitch shorter than a length of the line illumination region in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A defect inspection tool includes an illumination optical system for irradiating light to a surface of an object, and a detection optical system for detecting light scattered from the surface of the object which is irradiated. The detection optical system include an analyzer, a photoelectric converting device for receiving the scattering light passed through the analyzer, a member for saving a database prepared through an actual measurement or a calculation in correspondence with a condition of the illumination optical system, that of the detection optical system, a kind of an object to be inspected, and a rotation angle of the analyzer, and a member for adjusting an angle of the analyzer by selecting an angle of the analyzer from a database saved in the member for saving on a basis of an inspection recipe after receiving the inspection recipe to the defect inspection tool.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a defect of a surface of a sample, includes irradiating a laser beam on the sample surface a plurality of times so that at least part of an illumination field of the laser beam on the sample surface illuminates a first area of the sample surface each of the plurality of times, detecting a plurality of scattered light rays from the first area caused by the plurality of times of irradiation, correcting errors of detection timings for the plurality of scattered light rays detected in the detection step, and determining a defect on the sample surface based on the plurality of scattered light rays in accordance with the correcting errors of detection timings.

Abstract: In a defect inspection for a semiconductor substrate, inspection objects include, in addition to a bare Si wafer, a wafer with various films formed on the surface thereof. For a sample formed with a metal film in particular, scattering light generated by surface roughness thereof is large, thus making it difficult to detect a minute defect and a minute foreign substance. It is desirable that a minute defect and a minute foreign substance be detected regardless of scattering light generated by the roughness of the sample surface. Insertion of an analyzer in an optical path of a detection optical system at such an angle that the scattering light generated by the roughness becomes minimum permits suppressing the scattering light generated by the roughness.

Abstract: A surface defect inspection apparatus is structured to add detection signals of multi-directionally detected scattered lights to detect a tiny defect and to individually process the respective detection signals to prevent an error failing to detect an anisotropic defect.

Abstract: Scattered light that originates from the surface roughness of silicon or other metallic films is distributed more strongly at positions closer to the starting position of the scattering. Of all scattered-light detection signals obtained during multi-directional detection, therefore, only a detection signal of forward scattered light can be used to detect micro-defects, and only a detection signal of backward scattered light can be used to detect the surface roughness very accurately.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a defect of a surface of a sample includes irradiating a laser beam on the sample surface a plurality of times so that at least part of an illumination field of the laser beam on the sample surface illuminates a first area of the sample surface each of the plurality of times, detecting a plurality of scattered light rays from the first area caused by the plurality of times of irradiations, correcting errors of detection timings for the plurality of detected scattered light rays, correcting at least one of adding and averaging the plurality of scattered light rays, determining a defect on the sample surface based on a calculation result in accordance with the at least one of the adding and averaging.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a sample includes a stage for holding the sample, an illumination optical system that irradiates a laser beam to form a linear illuminated area on the surface of the sample, a detection optical system, and a signal processing system. The detection optical system includes a detector device having a plurality of pixels for detecting light scattered from the linear illuminated area of the surface of the sample, and that outputs in parallel a plurality of detection signals having mutually different sensitivities acquired from the plurality of pixels of the detector device. The signal processing system selects an unsaturated detection signal from the plurality of detection signals and detects a defect in accordance with the selected detection signal.

Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus is capable of inspecting an extremely small defect present on the top and edge surfaces of a sample such as a semiconductor substrate or a thin film substrate with high sensitivity and at high speed. The defect inspection apparatus has an illumination optical system, a plurality of detection optical units and a signal processor. One or more of the detection optical units receives either light diffracted from an edge portion of the sample or light diffracted from an edge grip holding the sample. The one or more of the detection optical units shields the diffracted light received by the detection optical unit based on a signal obtained by monitoring an intensity of the diffracted light received by the detection optical unit in order to inspect a sample portion located near the edge portion and a sample portion located near the edge grip.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a defect of a surface of a sample includes irradiating a laser beam on the sample surface a plurality of times so that at least part of an illumination field of the laser beam on the sample surface illuminates a first area of the sample surface each of the plurality of times, detecting a plurality of scattered light rays from the first area caused by the plurality of times of irradiations, correcting errors of detection timings for the plurality of detected scattered light rays, correcting at least one of adding and averaging the plurality of scattered light rays, determining a defect on the sample surface based on a calculation result in accordance with the at least one of the adding and averaging.

Abstract: A surface defect inspection apparatus is structured to add detection signals of multi-directionally detected scattered lights to detect a tiny defect and to individually process the respective detection signals to prevent an error failing to detect an anisotropic defect.

Abstract: In a defect inspection for a semiconductor substrate, inspection objects include, in addition to a bear Si wafer, a wafer with various films formed on the surface thereof. For a sample formed with a metal film in particular, scattering light generated by surface roughness thereof is large, thus making it difficult to detect a minute defect and a minute foreign substance. It is desirable that a minute defect and a minute foreign substance be detected regardless of scattering light generated by the roughness of the sample surface. Insertion of an analyzer in an optical path of a detection optical system at such an angle that the scattering light generated by the roughness becomes minimum permits suppressing the scattering light generated by the roughness.

Abstract: A process controlling unit included in a multifunction-device controller sends an acquired ID number and a request for identifying the user corresponding to the ID number, to a controller server. The controller server searches a user management file for user information corresponding to the ID number. The controller server sends, to the multifunction-device controller, information representing that user verification is successfully made when user information is acquired. Upon reception of such information, the process controlling unit permits the verified user to operate a copier making copies of documents. Upon completion of the copying operation, the process controlling unit acquires information representing the number of copies made by the user. Then, the process controlling unit creates usage information of the copier, and sends the created usage information to the controller server. The controller server stores the received usage information into a usage-information management file.

Abstract: A shift operating apparatus for a vehicle includes plural operating members, on which toothed portions are respectively formed, tooth phases of the respective toothed portions which is mutually matched in a shift direction when the operating members are positioned at a neutral position; an engagement gear included in a switching engagement body and engageable with the respective toothed portions of the respective operating members. When one of the operating members has moved in the shift direction from the neutral position, the tooth phase of the toothed portion of the one of the operating members is matched with the tooth phases of the toothed portions of the other operating members.

Abstract: A process controlling unit included in a multifunction-device controller sends an acquired ID number and a request for identifying the user corresponding to the ID number, to a controller server. The controller server searches a user management file for user information corresponding to the ID number. The controller server sends, to the multifunction-device controller, information representing that user verification is successfully made when user information is acquired. Upon reception of such information, the process controlling unit permits the verified user to operate a copier making copies of documents. Upon completion of the copying operation, the process controlling unit acquires information representing the number of copies made by the user. Then, the process controlling unit creates usage information of the copier, and sends the created usage information to the controller server. The controller server stores the received usage information into a usage-information management file.

Abstract: A process controlling unit included in a multifunction-device controller sends an acquired ID number and a request for identifying the user corresponding to the ID number, to a controller server. The controller server searches a user management file for user information corresponding to the ID number. The controller server sends, to the multifunction-device controller, information representing that user verification is successfully made when user information is acquired. Upon reception of such information, the process controlling unit permits the verified user to operate a copier making copies of documents. Upon completion of the copying operation, the process controlling unit acquires information representing the number of copies made by the user. Then, the process controlling unit creates usage information of the copier, and sends the created usage information to the controller server. The controller server stores the received usage information into a usage-information management file.