Abstract: A system including an index assigning section estimating the thickness of a thin film based on the intensity of light reflected on a substrate and a theoretical formula expressing a relationship between the thickness of the thin film and the intensity of an interference light when the spectrum is obtained for the first time, and assigning indexes for each candidate value for the layer thickness; a layer thickness wide-range estimating section estimating the layer thickness within the range of the value of a layer thickness wide-range estimation width including the previously estimated value of the layer thickness based on the theoretical formula; a selecting section selecting an index from the indexes; a determining section determining a layer thickness wide-range estimation result; and a layer thickness determining section determining the thickness of the thin film based on the theoretical formula after calculating the layer thickness wide-range estimation result.

Abstract: A thickness monitoring device capable of performing thickness measurement of an object of measurement in real time even when using a relatively narrow band light source. This etching monitoring device (thickness monitoring device) includes a light source which produces measurement light having a predetermined wavelength bandwidth; an array detector which detects, for each wavelength, interference light of measurement light reflected from mask, whereof the thickness changes over time; and data processing unit which computes the thickness of the mask based on change over time of a plurality of single-wavelength components of the interference light detected by the array detector.

Abstract: A measurement light having a predetermined wavelength bandwidth from a light source is radiated onto the structure to be measured in a specimen 50, light reflected from a first plane and second plane of the structure to be measured is made to interfere in an optical fiber, and a spectrum of the interference light is generated. This interference light spectrum is acquired by a spectrometric unit at two time points separated in time, and in data processing unit, absolute difference area computation unit determines the absolute difference area of the difference spectrum. This absolute difference area changes periodically each time the dimension of the structure to be measured changes by ?/4, making it possible to determine the dimension of the structure to be measured based on that change.

Abstract: An etching monitor device capable of high precision measurement in the presence of a mask region capable of producing interference. The device including an interference optical system which acquires reflected interference light containing three interference component signals, which are due respectively to optical path differences of reflected light between three sets of surfaces. The three interference component signals include a first interference based on an optical path between light reflected off of a mask surface and light reflected off of a top surface of the substrate, a second interference based on an optical path between the light reflected off of the top surface of the substrate and light reflected off of a surface to be etched, and a third interference based on an optical path between the light reflected off of the surface to be etched and the light reflected off of the mask surface.

Abstract: A system including an index assigning section estimating the thickness of a thin film based on the intensity of light reflected on a substrate and a theoretical formula expressing a relationship between the thickness of the thin film and the intensity of an interference light when the spectrum is obtained for the first time, and assigning indexes for each candidate value for the layer thickness; a layer thickness wide-range estimating section estimating the layer thickness within the range of the value of a layer thickness wide-range estimation width including the previously estimated value of the layer thickness based on the theoretical formula; a selecting section selecting an index from the indexes; a determining section determining a layer thickness wide-range estimation result; and a layer thickness determining section determining the thickness of the thin film based on the theoretical formula after calculating the layer thickness wide-range estimation result.

Abstract: A thickness monitoring device capable of performing thickness measurement of an object of measurement in real time even when using a relatively narrow band light source. This etching monitoring device (thickness monitoring device) includes a light source which produces measurement light having a predetermined wavelength bandwidth; an array detector which detects, for each wavelength, interference light of measurement light reflected from mask, whereof the thickness changes over time; and data processing unit which computes the thickness of the mask based on change over time of a plurality of single-wavelength components of the interference light detected by the array detector.

Abstract: A measurement light having a predetermined wavelength bandwidth from a light source is radiated onto the structure to be measured in a specimen 50, light reflected from a first plane and second plane of the structure to be measured is made to interfere in an optical fiber, and a spectrum of the interference light is generated. This interference light spectrum is acquired by a spectrometric unit at two time points separated in time, and in data processing unit, absolute difference area computation unit determines the absolute difference area of the difference spectrum. This absolute difference area changes periodically each time the dimension of the structure to be measured changes by ?/4, making it possible to determine the dimension of the structure to be measured based on that change.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical measuring device which includes container for storing a sample, and an electrode pair for generating an electric field distribution upon impression of a voltage by an electrical power supply, thereby generating or extinguishing diffraction grating formed by a density modulation of particles within the sample. The particles within the sample are evaluated based upon a temporal change of an intensity of a diffracted light beam obtained by irradiating a light beam upon the diffraction grating formed by the density modulation of the particles. The electrodes constituting the electrode pair are configured to have a comb-like electrode teeth that are parallel with each other and are arranged such that the electrode teeth of one electrode are inserted between the electrode teeth of the other electrode. From such configuration, an optical measuring device of a high sensitivity and excellent S/N ratio can be obtained.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical measuring device capable of performing measuring using a transient diffraction grating by only adjusting probe light, and a nanoparticle measuring device using the same principle as the optical measuring device.

Abstract: Within a container 1 which is storing a sample is generated a regularly arranged electric field distribution by an impression of a voltage upon an electrode pair 2 provided within the container 1, thereby generating diffraction grating formed by a density modulation of particles within the sample within the container 1, there is obtained information upon a diffusion of the particles based upon a temporal change in an extinction process of an intensity of a diffracted light beam obtained by irradiating a light beam upon the diffraction grating formed by the density modulation of the particles, the electrodes 21, 22 constituting the electrode pair 2 are configured to have multiple linear electrode teeth 21a, 22a parallel with each other, the electrodes 21, 22 are arranged such that the electrode teeth 21a of one electrode 21 are inserted between the electrode teeth 22a of the other electrode 22, thereby increasing the width of the diffraction grating formed by the density modulation of the particles, and a rati

Abstract: The invention provides an optical measuring device capable of performing measuring using a transient diffraction grating by only adjusting probe light, and a nanoparticle measuring device using the same principle as the optical measuring device.