Abstract: In a defect inspection apparatus, a first lighting part applies polarized light to an inspection region on a substrate, reflected light reflected on the inspection region is received by a first spectrometer in a first light receiving part, and a phase difference spectrum representing a reflection property of the reflected light is transmitted to an inspection part of a control part. In the control part, an inspection wavelength and a threshold value determined based on theoretical calculation according to a type of defects to be detected are stored in a memory in advance, and a group of defects in a plurality of recessed portions formed in the inspection region are detected based on the threshold value and a phase difference in an inspection wavelength obtained from the phase difference spectrum. Thus, it is possible to detect a defect in a small recessed portion on the substrate with high accuracy.

Abstract: A small-sized flatbed scanning type image reading apparatus for reading a wide-range image at high resolution is provided. An optical reading system (LU) is movable also in a main scanning direction (X) for high-resolution wide-range image reading. The optical reading system (LU) scans the image with the width of a section (SS1) to be read of elongated rectangular configuration in a subscanning direction (Y), and then is shifted in the main scanning direction to scan the image with the width of the next section (SS2) to be read. The remaining section (SS3) to be read is similarly scanned. The images of these three sections are combined together in consideration for the influences of overlap parts (OL1, OL2) of the sections.

Abstract: An original holder of the present invention can be inserted in a plurality of different directions into a flat bed scanning-type image reading apparatus. This structure allows both a laterally long image and a vertically long image to be promptly displayed as an erecting image without any specific operations. An original holder (10) embodying the invention includes a lower frame (12) and an upper frame (14), which are joined with each other to allow free opening and closing. The lower frame (12) and the upper frame (14) respectively have inner openings (12W,14W). The original holder (10) holds an original P in such a manner that the periphery of the original P is clamped between the lower frame (12) and the upper frame (14) and that the original P is observable through the openings (12W,14W). The original holder 10 has a substantially square shape.