Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for determining information about one or more defects on or in a test object. The system includes a light source configured to illuminate a test object with spatially coherent light; a multi-element detector positioned to detect an interference pattern of light associated with one or more defects on or in the illuminated test object; and an electronic control module in communication with the multi-element detector and configured to process the interference pattern to determine information about the one or more defects on or in the test object.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. Certain of these components, most notably the beam source subsystem, the beam scanning subsystem and the optical collection and detection subsystem are modular for ready field replacement and/or maintenance. The optical collection and detection system features wing collectors in the front quartersphere and back collectors in the back quartersphere for collected light scattered from the surface of the workpiece. This can greatly improve the measurement capabilities of the system. Also included is a method for detecting asymmetric defects using the wing collectors and back collectors.

Abstract: A surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The optical collection and detection system features back collectors disposed in the back quartersphere, outside the incident plane, for collecting light scattered from the surface of the workpiece. The back collectors are disposed at a relative minimum in the portion of scattered light attributable to haze relative to the portion of scattered light attributable to defect scatter portion, or, alternatively, at a relative minimum in the Rayleigh scatter.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The system features a variable polarization a polarizing relay assembly arranged to selectively permit the scattered light having a selected polarization orientation to pass along a detector optical axis to a light detection unit in the detection subsystem. The system also features a collector output width varying subsystem for varying the width of an output slit in response to changes in the location of the location scanned on the workpiece.

Abstract: A surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The optical collection and detection system features back collectors disposed in the back quartersphere, outside the incident plane, for collecting light scattered from the surface of the workpiece. The back collectors are disposed at a relative minimum in the portion of scattered light attributable to haze relative to the portion of scattered light attributable to defect scatter portion, or, alternatively, at a relative minimum in the Rayleigh scatter.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The system features a variable scan speed beam scanning subsystem, preferably using an acousto-optic deflector, with beam compensation, so that variable scanning speeds can be achieved. Also included are methods and systems for improving the signal to noise ratio by use of scatter reducing complements, and a system and method for selectively and repeatedly scanning a region of interest on the surface in order to provide additional observations of the region of interest.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The optical collection and detection system features, in the front quartersphere, a light channel assembly for collecting light reflected from the surface of the workpiece, and a front collector and wing collectors for collecting light scattered from the surface, to greatly improve the measurement capabilities of the system. The light channel assembly has a switchable edge exclusion mask and a reflected light detection system for improved detection of the reflected light.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The system features a variable polarization a polarizing relay assembly arranged to selectively permit the scattered light having a selected polarization orientation to pass along a detector optical axis to a light detection unit in the detection subsystem. They system also features a collector output width varying subsystem for varying the width of an output slit in response to changes in the location of the location scanned on the workpiece.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface analyzer system comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target a radiation beam onto a surface; and a scattered radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation scattered from the surface. The radiation targeting assembly generates primary and secondary beams. Data collected from the reflections of the primary and secondary beams may be used in a dynamic range extension routine, alone or in combination with a power attenuation routine.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The system features a variable polarization a polarizing relay assembly arranged to selectively permit the scattered light having a selected polarization orientation to pass along a detector optical axis to a light detection unit in the detection subsystem. They system also features a collector output width varying subsystem for varying the width of an output slit in response to changes in the location of the location scanned on the workpiece.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The optical collection and detection system features, in the front quartersphere, a light channel assembly for collecting light reflected from the surface of the workpiece, and a front collector and wing collectors for collecting light scattered from the surface, to greatly improve the measurement capabilities of the system. The light channel assembly has a switchable edge exclusion mask and a reflected light detection system for improved detection of the reflected light.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The system features a variable scan speed beam scanning subsystem, preferably using an acousto-optic deflector, with beam compensation, so that variable scanning speeds can be achieved. Also included are methods and systems for improving the signal to noise ratio by use of scatter reducing complements, and a system and method for selectively and repeatedly scanning a region of interest on the surface in order to provide additional observations of the region of interest.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface analyzer system comprises a radiation targeting assembly to target a radiation beam onto a surface; and a scattered radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation scattered from the surface. The radiation targeting assembly generates primary and secondary beams. Data collected from the reflections of the primary and secondary beams may be used in a dynamic range extension routine, alone or in combination with a power attenuation routine.

Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. The system features masking positioned in the collection and detection subsystem arranged to selectively prevent a portion of scattered light from passing through. Also included is a scatter absorbing system having a series of scatter absorbing elements for minimizing unrelated to the scatter associated with a desired location on the surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and methods for scanning a workpiece for defects with increased resolution and sensitivity relative to conventional workpiece inspection systems. Specifically, the apparatus and methods of the present invention repeatedly scan different portions of the workpiece with an optical beam that forms a scan region on the surface of the workpiece having in-scan and cross-scan dimensions. The in-scan dimension of the scan region is parallel to the direction with which the optical beam is scanned, and the cross-scan dimension is in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the direction in which the optical beam is scanned. The apparatus and methods of the present invention filter the signal reflected from the surface of the workpiece in the cross-scan direction using a cross-scan filter. As such, the method and apparatus of the present invention effectively remove a significant portion of the noise in the reflected signals used for detecting for defects in the workpiece.