Observation device, ultraviolet microscope and observation method

• US 6,842,281 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Jiro, Tsurumune, Atsushi, Ito, Shinichi, Ema, Tatsuhiko, Takahashi, Riichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong Q
• Application Number:
  US10/133,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 359350-361, 359368-390, 359507-512, 355 43- 73, 156/643, 250/492.1
• US Class Current: 359/368
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/16 adapted for ultraviolet illumination ; Fluorescence microscopes G02B21/0076 takes precedence

Abstract

An ultraviolet microscope comprises an observation device which observes a specimen with ultraviolet light; a gas supply device which, during the observation with ultraviolet light, supplies an inert gas to surroundings of the specimen; and a timing control device which controls supply timing of the inert gas by the gas supply device, and the timing control device controls the gas supply device so as to cause preliminary supply of the inert gas before the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light, and also so as to cause regular supply of the inert gas at least during the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet light observation device which observes a specimen with ultraviolet light, comprising:

an objective lens for ultraviolet light observation that observes the specimen with ultraviolet light;

an objective lens for visible light observation that observes the specimen with visible light;

a gas supply device which, during the observation with ultraviolet light, supplies an inert gas to surroundings of the specimen; and

a timing control device which controls supply timing of the inert gas by the gas supply device,

wherein the timing control device controls the gas supply device so as to supply the inert gas when there is a changeover from the observation of the specimen with visible light to the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light.

2. An ultraviolet light observation device as described in claim 1,

wherein the timing control device controls the gas supply device so as, along with performing preliminary supply of the inert gas before the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light, to supply the inert gas regularly during the observation with ultraviolet light.

3. An ultraviolet microscope, comprising:

an objective lens for ultraviolet light observation that observes a specimen with ultraviolet light;

an objective lens for visible light observation that observes the specimen with visible light;

a gas supply device which, during the observation with ultraviolet light, supplies an inert gas to surroundings of the specimen; and

a timing control device which controls supply timing of the inert gas by the gas supply device,

wherein the timing control device controls the gas supply device so as to supply the inert gas when there is a changeover from the observation of the specimen with visible light to the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light.

4. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 3,

wherein the timing control device controls the gas supply device so as to cause preliminary supply of the inert gas before the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light, and also so as to cause regular supply of the inert gas during the observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light.

5. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 4, wherein:

the timing control device causes the preliminary supply of the inert gas during preparation for the observation by ultraviolet light.

6. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 5, wherein:

the timing control device causes a start of the regular supply of the inert gas according to a completion of the preparation for the observation by ultraviolet light.

7. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 4, wherein:

the timing control device causes stopping of the regular supply of the inert gas according to a completion of the observation by ultraviolet light.

8. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 4,

wherein the timing control device causes the preliminary supply of the inert gas from a completion of the observation with visible light until a start of the observation with ultraviolet light.

9. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 4, wherein:

the gas supply device comprises a flow amount control device which controls a flow amount of the inert gas which is being supplied from the gas supply device, and

the flow amount control device increases the flow amount of the inert gas according to a timing of starting of the regular supply of the inert gas by the gas supply device.

10. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 9, further comprising:

a storage device which stores in advance a set value related to the flow amount of the inert gas which is being supplied from the gas supply device, and wherein;

the flow amount control device controls the flow amount of the inert gas based upon the set value stored in the storage device.

11. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 10, wherein:

the gas supply device comprises a detection device which detects the flow amount of the inert gas being supplied by the gas supply device, and

the flow amount control device adjusts the flow amount of the inert gas so that a value detected by the detection device and the set value stored in the storage device agree with one another.

12. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 11, further comprising:

a warning device which emits an external warning when the value detected by the detection device becomes less than a predetermined threshold value.

13. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 12, wherein:

the warning device stops the observation of the specimen by ultraviolet light, when the detected value becomes less than the threshold value during the regular supply of the inert gas by the gas supply device.

14. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 3, wherein:

the inert gas is nitrogen gas.

15. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 3, wherein:

the inert gas is one which inhibits a resist coated upon a surface of the specimen from converting into low molecular weight.

16. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 3, wherein:

the gas supply device supplies the inert gas between the specimen and the objective lens for ultraviolet light observation.

17. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 3, further comprising:

a shutter device which cuts off the ultraviolet light mechanically, and

wherein the shutter device cuts off irradiation of the ultraviolet light upon the specimen, at times other than during the observation with ultraviolet light.

18. An ultraviolet microscope as described in claim 3, further comprising:

an auto focus device which automatically performs focus adjustment of the objective lens for ultraviolet light observation, and wherein

before the observation with ultraviolet light, the auto focus device performs auto focus by using light for auto focusing which is different from the ultraviolet light.

19. A specimen observation method, comprising:

supplying an inert gas to surroundings of a specimen when there is a changeover from microscopic observation of the specimen with visible light to microscopic observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light, and

subjecting the specimen to microscopic observation under ultraviolet light.

20. A specimen observation method as described in claim 19, further comprising:

performing preliminary supply of the inert gas to the surroundings of the specimen before the microscopic observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light; and

performing regular supply of the inert gas to the surroundings of the specimen during the microscopic observation of the specimen with ultraviolet light.