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: A fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence. The system preferably utilizes either a single bundle of optical fibers, or serial bundles of optical fibers. In the single bundle embodiment, the differences in optical lengths between different fibers of the bundle is preferably made to be equal to even less than the coherence length of the source illumination. In the serial bundle embodiment, the fibers in the other bundle are arranged as groups of fibers of the same length, and it is the difference in lengths of these groups which is made equal to, or even more preferably, less than the overall difference in length between the shortest and the longest fibers in the other bundle. Both of these fiber systems enable construction of illumination systems delivering a higher level of illumination, but without greatly affecting the coherence breaking abilities of the system, thus enabling a generally more applicable system to be constructed.

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, alone an axis of motion, the detector assembly comprising a plurality of 2-dimensional detector units whose active areas are arranged at intervals.

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 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: A fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence. The system preferably utilizes either a single bundle of optical fibers, or serial bundles of optical fibers. In the single bundle embodiment, the differences in optical lengths between different fibers of the bundle is preferably made to be equal to even less than the coherence length of the source illumination. In the serial bundle embodiment, the fibers in the other bundle are arranged as groups of fibers of the same length, and it is the difference in lengths of these groups which is made equal to, or even more preferably, less than the overall difference in length between the shortest and the longest fibers in the other bundle. Both of these fiber systems enable construction of illumination systems delivering a higher level of illumination, but without greatly affecting the coherence breaking abilities of the system, thus enabling a generally more applicable system to be constructed.

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: 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: 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: A fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence. The system preferably utilizes either a single bundle of optical fibers, or serial bundles of optical fibers. In the single bundle embodiment, the differences in optical lengths between different fibers of the bundle is preferably made to be equal to even less than the coherence length of the source illumination. In the serial bundle embodiment, the fibers in the other bundle are arranged as groups of fibers of the same length, and it is the difference in lengths of these groups which is made equal to, or even more preferably, less than the overall difference in length between the shortest and the longest fibers in the other bundle. Both of these fiber systems enable construction of illumination systems delivering a higher level of illumination, but without greatly affecting the coherence breaking abilities of the system, thus enabling a generally more applicable system to be constructed.

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: A fiber optical illumination delivery system, which is effective in reducing the effects of source coherence. The system preferably utilizes either a single bundle of optical fibers, or serial bundles of optical fibers. In the single bundle embodiment, the differences in optical lengths between different fibers of the bundle is preferably made to be equal to even less than the coherence length of the source illumination. In the serial bundle embodiment, the fibers in the other bundle are arranged as groups of fibers of the same length, and it is the difference in lengths of these groups which is made equal to, or even more preferably, less than the overall difference in length between the shortest and the longest fibers in the other bundle. Both of these fiber systems enable construction of illumination systems delivering a higher level of illumination, but without greatly affecting the coherence breaking abilities of the system, thus enabling a generally more applicable system to be constructed.