Abstract: An inspection system includes a CMOS integrated circuit having integrally formed thereon an at least two dimensional array of photosensors and providing an inspection output representing an object to be inspected. A defect analyzer is operative to receive the inspection output and to provide a defect report.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a CMOS integrated circuit having integrally formed thereon an at least two dimensional array of photosensors and providing an inspection output representing an object to be inspected. A defect analyzer is operative to receive the inspection output and to provide a defect report.

Abstract: An image of an article to be inspected is divided into image portions, and a search engine makes a comparison with the image portion and a library of reference images. The reference images have predetermined labels that indicate whether each indicates a defect or no defect. The one of the reference images that most closely matches the image portion is determined, and the label associated with the reference image is taken as indicating whether the image portion corresponds to a location with a defect or no defect. Locations indicated as being defective are considered candidate defects and may subsequently be inspected in more detail.

Abstract: A system for delivering energy to a substrate includes a laser energy source providing at least two laser beams, wherein each of the beams is steered to an independently selectable location on a target, and is independently focused onto the target.

Abstract: Apparatus far transmitting information at a data rate, such as for recording an image on a photosensitive surface, including a pulsed light source that produces pulsed light having a pulsed repetition rate and a modulator that asynchronously modulates the pulsed light at the data rate, wherein the data rate is higher than pulse repetition rate.

Abstract: A system for delivering energy to a substrate includes a laser energy source providing at least two laser beams, wherein each of the beams is steered to an independently selectable location on a target, and is independently focused onto the target.

Abstract: A system for micromachining a substrate, including at least one source of pulsed radiant energy providing at least one pulsed beam of radiation along an optical axis, the at least one pulsed beam including multiple pulses separated by a temporal pulse separation; and a changeable output beam propagator disposed between the at least one source of radiant energy and the substrate and being operative to output a plurality of output beams each output beam being output at a selected angle relative to the optical axis, the angle being changeable in an amount of time that is less than the temporal pulse separation.

Abstract: A two-dimensional, pixellated, monolithic semiconductor radiation detector, in which each detector pixel is essentially a perpendicular mode detector. This is achieved by an arrangement of anode spots, one for each pixel located on the flux-exposed front surface of the detector substrate, surrounding by a cathode array preferably in the form of a network of lines, such that the field between the anodes and cathodes on this front surface has a major component in the direction parallel to the surface, and hence perpendicular to the incident photon flux. The conductivity of the substrate is high near this front surface, since this is where the highest level of absorption of photons takes place, and a significant photoconductive current is thus generated between cathodes and anodes. The conductivity is proportional to the incoming photon flux, and decays exponentially with depth into the detector.

Abstract: A method for aligning an image to be recorded by a direct image scanner on an upper layer of a printed circuit board with an image recorded on a lower layer thereof, the method comprising visually imaging a portion of the image on the lower layer and recording a pattern on the upper layer, referenced to coordinates of the visual image of the portion.

Abstract: A method for aligning an image to be recorded by a direct image scanner on an upper layer of a printed circuit board with an image recorded on a lower layer thereof, the method comprising: visually imaging a portion of the image on the lower layer; and recording a pattern on the upper layer, referenced to coordinates of the visual image of the portion.

Abstract: Apparatus for transmitting information at a data rate, such as for recording an image on a photosensitive surface, including a pulsed light source that produces pulsed light having a pulsed repetition rate and a modulator that asynchronously modulates the pulsed light at the date rate, wherein the data rate is higher than pulse repetition rate.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a CMOS integrated circuit having integrally formed thereon an at least two dimensional array of photosensors and providing an inspection output representing an object to be inspected. A defect analyzer is operative to receive the inspection output and to provide a defect report.

Abstract: A first inspection functionality is provided to obtain information about a first attribute at a conductor location on an electrical circuit. A second inspection functionality is provided to obtain information about a second attribute at the conductor location. A combination of first attribute information and second attribute information is analyzed to determine an inspection attribute of the conductor at the conductor location. Attribute information may relate to one or more of: reflectance, fluorescence or height.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for printed circuit board (PCB) inspection, including providing a multiplicity of PCBs placed on an inspection panel, defining each non-identical PCB in terms of geometry and features which are to be inspected, grouping the PCBs into at least one cluster, the at least one cluster being defined in terms of an amount, location and orientation of the PCBs in the at least one cluster, creating a reference image for the panel defined by a location and orientation of the at least one cluster on the panel and inspecting the panel by comparing sensed information with the reference image.

Abstract: Apparatus for electrical testing of electrical circuits includes an array of probes arranged for selective engagement with portions of electrical circuits to be tested, testing circuitry associated with the array of probes for sensing electrical characteristics of the electrical circuits engaged by the array of probes, and control circuitry associated with the array of probes for causing engagement between selected ones of the array of probes with selected ones of the portions of electrical circuits to be tested. The array of probes includes at least two static probe assemblies arranged in a fixed array, and the static probe assemblies include a selectively positionable probe element and a probe element positioner. The apparatus is employed to test electrical circuits during fabrication.

Abstract: A system for unveiling embedded targets in printed circuit board substrates includes a micro-machining device, a sensor, and a controller. The micro-machining device removes portions of an opaque layer overlaying an alignment target in a general region in which the target should be located, and the sensor senses whether the alignment target is located at selected locations where portions of the opaque layer have been removed. In response to sensing the presence or absence of an alignment target at the selected locations, the controller directs the micro-machining device to remove additional portions of the opaque layer.

Abstract: A first inspection functionality is provided to obtain information about a first attribute at a conductor location on an electrical circuit. A second inspection functionality is provided to obtain information about a second attribute at the conductor location. A combination of first attribute information and second attribute information is analyzed to determine an inspection attribute of the conductor at the conductor location. Attribute information may relate to one or more of: reflectance, fluorescence or height.

Abstract: A scanner system acquires images of articles using a sensor acquiring an image of a portion of an article and defining a field of view, a displacer operative to provide mutual relative displacement between the article and the sensor at a generally uniform rate of displacement, and a field of view freezer operative to provide a generally motionless image during image acquisition. The scanner system is particularly useful in the field of automated optical inspection.

Abstract: Illuminator apparatus for illuminating a workpiece during visual testing thereof, the illuminator comprising: a source of illumination that illuminates a portion of the workpiece with on-axis illumination centered at a first angular direction and having a first intensity and with off-axis illumination having a second intensity; and an optical viewing system, that views said portion of the workpiece and accepts light reflected from the workpiece over a range of angular directions, centered at a second angular direction, said range of angular directions defining said on-axis illumination, wherein said first intensity and second intensity art separately adjustable and wherein the first angular direction is different from the second angular direction.

Abstract: A binary map of an object having edges is produced by first producing a digital grey scale image of the object with a given resolution, and processing the grey scale image to produce a binary map of the object at a resolution greater than said given resolution. Processing of the grey scale image includes the step of convolving the 2-dimensional digital grey scale image with a filter function related to the second derivative of a Gaussian function forming a 2-dimensional convolved image having signed values. The location of an edge in the object is achieved by finding zero crossings between adjacent oppositely signed values. Preferably, the zero crossings are achieved by an interpolation process that produces a binary bit map of the object at a resolution greater than the resolution of the grey scale image.