Abstract: A substrate for device manufacture, such as a photomask or a reticle, for example, is disclosed, wherein information related to the substrate is record on an end face thereof in the form of a bar code, for example.

Abstract: A bar code reader particularly useful in a photographic film scanner of the type employing a light source and CCD array for sensing the bar code elements. Lateral location of the bar code pattern is established by analyzing the output of the CCD array within a bar code detection window to determine the location of a longitudinal edge transition of the line of clock elements in the bar code pattern and then to use clock and data element detection windows at spaced locations from the line of clock edge transition to read the encoded values of the bar code. In one embodiment, the line of transition between the clock and data elements is used as the line of longitudinal edge transition of the line of clock elements. In another embodiment, the longitudinal clock edge transition remote from the data elements and adjacent the central image frame region is used.

Abstract: An invisible symbol reading apparatus includes a heating unit for heating an invisible symbol formed on a sample and containing a material which emits infrared light when heated, a detecting unit for detecting infrared light emitted from the invisible symbol, and an arithmetic operation unit for binarizing a detection signal from the detecting unit. The arithmetic operation unit calculates a differential coefficient of the detection signal, that corresponds to a position on the sample. On the basis of upper and lower threshold values set for the differential coefficient, the arithmetic operation unit determines a maximum value of the differential coefficient in a region exceeding the upper threshold value and a minimum value of the differential coefficient in a region smaller than the lower threshold value. The arithmetic operation unit binarizes the detection signal by using the maximum or minimum value as a leading or trailing edge of a binary function.