Foreign particle inspection apparatus

U.S. Patent Number: 5365330

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a foreign particle on an object to be inspected comprises a radiating device for radiating a light beam toward a surface to be inspected, which is at least one of a surface of a protection film supported by a frame member and a surface of a substrate provided with the protection film, a light receiving device for receiving light from the surface to be inspected to output a photoelectric signal, a detecting device for detecting the foreign particle based on the signal of the light receiving device, and an inspection area determining device for determining an inspection area on the surface to be inspected in accordance with an optical property of at least one of the frame member and the protection film.

Inventors: Hagiwara; Tsuneyuki (Kawasaki, JP)

Assignee: Nikon Corporation (Tokyo, JP)

Application Number: 07/979,276

Issued: 1994-11-15

Expired: 2006-11-15

Classes: 356/237.3 ; 250/559.41

Field of search: 356/237,239,338,339,343,445,446,73,429-431,394 250/562,563,559,571,572

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