Patent · US Expired

Foreign particle detecting method and apparatus

USRE33991E · kind E · reissue

9Cited by
6References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 2, 1989
Grant dateJul 14, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 2, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC —)General

Abstract

The foreign particle detecting method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a polarized laser beam emitted by a laser beam irradiating system from a direction inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the surface of a substrate is used by a scanning means to linearly scan the substrate surface from a direction approximately 90.degree. with respect to the laser light irradiating direction; and the laser light reflected from a foreign particle on the substrate surface is detected by a polarized light analyzer and a photoelectric conversion device from a direction set approximately equal to said scanning direction and inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.