Abstract: A device and method for verifying correct performance of an optical clinical assay system is provided.

Abstract: A calibration artifact and a method of calibrating a machine vision measurement system. The calibration artifact includes a substrate and a number of concentric rings on one surface of the substrate. Each ring is of a different pre-defined size. The change in the size of any two adjacent rings is different than the change in size of any other two adjacent rings.

Abstract: A calibration standard which may be used to calibrate lateral dimensional measurement systems is provided. The calibration standard may include a first substrate spaced from a second substrate. In addition, the calibration standard may include at least one layer disposed between the first and second substrates. The layer may have a traceably measured thickness. For example, a thickness of the layer may be traceably measured using any measurement technique in which a measurement system may be calibrated with a standard reference material traceable to a national testing authority. The calibration standard may be cross-sectioned in a direction substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the first substrate. The cross-sectioned portion of the calibration standard may form a viewing surface of the calibration standard. In this manner, a lateral dimensional artifact of the calibration standard may include the traceably measured thickness of at least the one layer.

Abstract: Equipment for detecting impurities in transparent material comprising a light source to illuminate the material, a camera to detect light transmitted through the material and signal-processing apparatus for processing and analysing signals from the camera representing the light transmission through the material. This type of equipment is calibrated by dark areas being displayed on a film of transparent material (22, 24, 26) and the actual sizes (30) of the areas being determined. The sizes of the dark areas are then determined using the detecting equipment (34) and in this way determined sizes are compared with actual sizes (36) for calibration of the detecting equipment (38).

Abstract: A calibration standard which may be used to calibrate lateral dimensional measurement systems is provided. The calibration standard may include a first substrate spaced from a second substrate. In addition, the calibration standard may include at least one layer disposed between the first and second substrates. The layer may have a traceably measured thickness. For example, a thickness of the layer may be traceably measured using any measurement technique in which a measurement system may be calibrated with a standard reference material traceable to a national testing authority. The calibration standard may be cross-sectioned in a direction substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the first substrate. The cross-sectioned portion of the calibration standard may form a viewing surface of the calibration standard. In this manner, a lateral dimensional artifact of the calibration standard may include the traceably measured thickness of at least the one layer.

Abstract: A method of calibrating an interferometer system and a multilayer thin film used for calibrating the interferometer system. The method including measuring the step height of a gold step with the interferometer system, the multilayer thin film comprising a gold layer that defines the gold step. The multilayer thin film having an optical flat, a first layer on the surface of the optical flat, a second layer on the first layer, a test layer on a part of the second layer, and a gold layer on the test layer and on a part of the second layer uncovered by the test layer. The test layer having a test layer step, and the gold layer having a gold step over the test layer step. Also, a reference standard and a method of making the reference standard for a thin film sample with one or more component thin film layers, the reference standard having a gold layer over the surface of the thin film sample.

Abstract: An optical certifying head flies above a disc surface within an evanescent decay length of the disc surface. A light beam is focused through an objective lens, and further focused through a SIL. The SIL-focused light is coupled to the disc surface through near-field coupling. The light is reflected from the disc surface depending on a surface condition of the disc such that the surface condition can be determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reproducible standard for calibrating and checking the bright-field channel of a surface inspection device used for examining the flat surface of a sample and to a method for producing said standard whereby a microstructure is produced on a surface of a substrate provided as a standard, characterized in that the microstructure is smoothed out.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing calibration wafers by forming a first layer of a material on a layer of a substrate material. In a first embodiment, calibration spheres are deposited on the first layer of material followed by an etch process that removes exposed portions of the first layer of a material. The calibration spheres are removed leaving pillars of the first layer of a material formed on the layer of a substrate material. The calibration spheres can be of various sizes forming pillars of various sizes. The calibration wafer with the various size pillars is scanned in a scan tool to determine the scan tool sensitivity. In a second embodiment, a layer of a second material is deposited on and around the various size pillars forming bumps over the various size pillars.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a calibration layer comprising an optically transparent polymer containing an amount of photobleachable luminscent material present in such a way that the final polymer film contains less than 10 wt. % of luminophore and has an optical attenuation of less than 0.3 absorption units in the wavelength region of interest. The invention further is concerned with a method of calibration of an optical image device, preferably an optical or Raman microscope, by using the decrease in luminescence as the result of photobleaching between two consecutive images for calibration.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for calibrating a downward viewing image acquisition system. The apparatus comprises a calibration panel with calibrative material of known reflectivity. The calibrative material coats the panel surface or is pulled across its surface or pulled across its frame so as to maintain a consistent reflectivity and/or emissivity. A housing is provided which protects the calibration panel from the deteriorative effects of natural elements. The housing alternately exposes the calibration panel to the downward viewing image acquisition system as a calibration exposure and covers the calibration panel after the calibration exposure.

Abstract: A method of reviewing classification data and image data for defects detected in a series of semiconductor manufacturing processes. An inspection wafer is selected from a production lot of wafers and is inspected after the completion of each of the series of semiconductor manufacturing processes. The classification data for each defect is sent to a defect management system and an image for selected defects is sent to an image storage system. Identification data is sent to the defect management system and the image storage system. The image storage system sends a cookie to the defect management system allowing the defect management system to identify defects having an image. A operator controlled review station allows an operator to select defects for review that have an image available for review.