Abstract: A holographic interferometer, comprising: at least one imaging device capturing an interference pattern created by at least two light beams; and at least one aperture located in an optical path of at least one light beam of the at least two light beams; wherein the at least one aperture is located away from an axis of the at least one light beam, thus transmitting a subset of the at least one light beam collected at an angle range.

Abstract: A holographic interferometer, comprising: an imaging device capturing an interference pattern created by at least two polarized light beams; a structured phase retardation element located in an optical path of at least one polarized light beam of the at least two polarized light beams; and a polarizer located between the imaging device and the structured phase retardation element, the polarizer projects each polarization of each of the at least two polarized light beams on a single axis to create the interference pattern on the imaging device.

Abstract: A holographic interferometer, comprising: an imaging device capturing an interference pattern created by at least two polarized light beams; a structured phase retardation element located in an optical path of at least one polarized light beam of the at least two polarized light beams; and a polarizer located between the imaging device and the structured phase retardation element, the polarizer projects each polarization of each of the at least two polarized light beams on a single axis to create the interference pattern on the imaging device.

Abstract: A holographic interferometer, comprising: at least one imaging device capturing an interference pattern created by at least two light beams; and at least one aperture located in an optical path of at least one light beam of the at least two light beams; wherein the at least one aperture is located away from an axis of the at least one light beam, thus transmitting a subset of the at least one light beam collected at an angle range.

Abstract: A holographic interferometer, comprising: at least one imaging device capturing an interference pattern created by at least two light beams; and at least one aperture located in an optical path of at least one light beam of the at least two light beams; wherein the at least one aperture is located away from an axis of the at least one light beam, thus transmitting a subset of the at least one light beam collected at an angle range.

Abstract: A holographic interferometer, comprising: at least one imaging device capturing an interference pattern created by at least two light beams; and at least one aperture located in an optical path of at least one light beam of the at least two light beams; wherein the at least one aperture is located away from an axis of the at least one light beam, thus transmitting a subset of the at least one light beam collected at an angle range.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of non-destructive testing and more particularly, the present disclosure is in the technical field of tube and pipe inspection. Disclosing a hand-held probe (HHP) for inspecting a tube, comprising: a transducer cylinder having a shape of a cylinder with a near end and a far end and comprises one or more rings of transducers (TRs), wherein each TR comprises two or more mechanical wave transducers where the diameter of the transducer cylinder is less than the internal diameter of the tube; and a housing having an opening for receiving a near end of the transducer cylinder, the end opposite from the tube end that is inserted into the tube. The transducer cylinder comprises an adjustable centering mechanism (ACM) that is configured to join substantially a central axis of the transducer cylinder with a central axis of the inspected tube when the transducer cylinder is inside one end of the inspected tube.

Abstract: Tube inspections are performed by combining the use of APR technology with GW technology. The reflections measured by both technologies are compared to each other and used to more specifically identify the type and location of a flaw or anomaly that appears in the interior of the tube. Further, embodiments of novel probes to be used in GW technique for inspecting tubes with mechanical waves having bandwidth that is equal to 150 KHz or more are disclosed.

Abstract: A hand held portable device used for conducting inspections of tubes. The hand held portable device interfaces to a tube through an adjustable centering mechanism to ensure that the central axis of the hand held portable device is proximate to the central axis of the tube to be inspected. This can be accomplished by using a conical shaped insertion element or, movable guides that can be pressed against an interior surface of a tube to be inspected.

Abstract: A tube inspection system that includes a guided-wave-transducer mechanism (GWTM) that is associated with a tube that is being inspected. The GWTM can have one ring with ‘N’ guided-wave transducers (GWTs) distributed thereon, and another ring with ‘M’ guided-wave transducers (GWTs) distributed thereon. A controller excites mechanical waves by the GWTs of the first ring that propagate in the wall of the tube being inspected and along its axis. The ‘M’ GWTs of the second ring obtain received mechanical waves and convert them to electronic signals. The ‘M’ electronic signals are processed to provide a measured signal in which a wanted mode is enhanced.

Abstract: Tube inspections are performed by combining the use of APR technology with GW technology. The reflections measured by both technologies are compared to each other and used to more specifically identify the type and location of a flaw or anomaly that appears in the interior of the tube. Further, embodiments of novel probes to be used in GW technique for inspecting tubes with mechanical waves having bandwidth that is equal to 150 KHz or more are disclosed.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a handheld probe (HHP) of an Acoustic pulse reflectometry (APR) system are disclosed. Embodiments of the HHP can comprise a loudspeaker and microphone that are vibration isolated from each other and from the tube under test. In some embodiments the microphone can be isolated from the housing of the HHP. In other embodiments the housing of the HHP can be isolated from the loudspeaker. In another embodiment the housing of the probe can be isolated from the tube under test. Yet, some embodiments combine all of this isolation options. In such embodiment the loudspeaker is isolated from the housing, the housing is isolated from the tube under test, and the microphone is isolated from the housing, and so on. Isolation can be achieved by using materials that absorb vibration, material such as but not limited to rubber, foam, silicone, etc.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a handheld probe (HHP) of an Acoustic pulse reflectometry (APR) system are disclosed. Embodiments of the HHP can comprise a loudspeaker and microphone that are vibration isolated from each other and from the tube under test. In some embodiments the microphone can be isolated from the housing of the HHP. In other embodiments the housing of the HHP can be isolated from the loudspeaker. In another embodiment the housing of the probe can be isolated from the tube under test. Yet, some embodiments combine all of this isolation options. In such embodiment the loudspeaker is isolated from the housing, the housing is isolated from the tube under test, and the microphone is isolated from the housing, and so on. Isolation can be achieved by using materials that absorb vibration, material such as but not limited to rubber, foam, silicone, etc.

Abstract: Fast on-line electro-optical detection of wafer defects by illuminating with a short light pulse from a repetitively pulsed laser, a section of the wafer while it is moved across the field of view of an imaging system, and imaging the moving wafer onto a focal plane assembly, optically forming a continuous surface of photo-detectors at the focal plane of the optical imaging system. The continuously moving wafer is illuminated by a laser pulse of duration significantly shorter than the pixel dwell time, such that there is effectively no image smear during the wafer motion. The laser pulse has sufficient energy and brightness to impart the necessary illumination to each sequentially inspected field of view required for creating an image of the inspected wafer die. A novel fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence is described.

Abstract: Fast on-line electro-optical detection of wafer defects by illuminating with a short light pulse from a repetitively pulsed laser, a section of the wafer while it is moved across the field of view of an imaging system, and imaging the moving wafer onto a focal plane assembly, optically forming a continuous surface of photo-detectors at the focal plane of the optical imaging system. The continuously moving wafer is illuminated by a laser pulse of duration significantly shorter than the pixel dwell time, such that there is effectively no image smear during the wafer motion. The laser pulse has sufficient energy and brightness to impart the necessary illumination to each sequentially inspected field of view required for creating an image of the inspected wafer die. A novel fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence is described.

Abstract: An optical inspection system or tool can be configured to adjust the distribution of light by using one or more diffusers. The diffusers can be variable in some embodiments. For example, the angular or spatial distribution of the illumination can be adjusted to minimize intensity of illumination outside of an imaged area to thereby reduce illumination loss. The angular or spatial distribution may additionally or alternatively be adjusted so that the illumination across an illuminated area is substantially uniform. The use of one or more diffusers may aid in the inspection of semiconductor objects including, but not limited to, semiconductor wafers and the like.

Abstract: An inspection system can support operation in multiple states. For instance, when inspecting an article, such as a semiconductor wafer, the tool can switch between imaging multiple locations using respective detectors to another operating state wherein multiple detectors operating in multiple imaging modes inspect a single location. An inspection system may combine the use of multiple detectors for multiple locations and the use of multiple viewing angles or modes for the same locations and thereby achieve high throughput. The different imaging modes can comprise, for example, different collection angles, polarizations, different spectral bands, different attenuations, different focal positions relative to the wafer, and other different types of imaging.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a wafer including a multiplicity of dies, the method including dividing an image of at least a portion of the wafer into a plurality of sub-images each representing a sub-portion of the wafer and selecting at least one defect candidate within each sub-image by comparing each sub-image to a corresponding sub-image of a reference including a representation, which is assumed to be faultless, of the portion of the wafer.

Abstract: An inspection system for inspecting an object, the system comprising an illuminator including at least one pulsed light source, a detector assembly, and a relative motion provider operative to provide motion of the object relative to the detector assembly, along an axis of motion, the detector assembly comprising a plurality of 2-dimensional detector units whose active areas are arranged at intervals.

Abstract: In an optical inspection tool, an image of an object under inspection, such as a semiconductor wafer, may be obtained using imaging optics defining a focal plane. Light comprising the image can be detected using multiple detectors which each register a portion of the image. The image of the object at the focal plane can be split into two, three, or more parts by mirrors or other suitable reflecting elements positioned tangent to the focal plane and/or with at least some portion at the focal plane with additional portions past the focal plane so that the focal plane lies between the imaging optics and the splitting apparatus. In some embodiments, reflective planes may be arranged to direct different portions to different detectors. Some reflective planes may be separated by a gap so that some portions of the light are directed while some portions pass through the gap.