Abstract: A modular split-axis stage is used to inspect and/or repair large flat glass media suitable for LCD/TFT applications. Low-precision air table sections are detachably mounted to a centrally located, high-precision granite inspection/repair section. Glass media held by a vacuum contact is transported on air cushions from the up-web air table to the central inspection/repair section. Vacuum nozzles integrated with porous medium pads precisely control the height of the flexible media above the central section during inspection or repair. Embodiments includes structures in which the media is either stationary or moving during inspection/repair. A first media can be loaded/unloaded while a second media is undergoing inspection or repair in a pipelined operational mode.

Abstract: In an inspection system for planar objects having periodic structures, programmable optical Fourier filtering in the focal plane of a telecentric lens system is used to directly identify physical phenomena indicative of non-periodic defects. Lens assemblies and a coherent optical source are used to generate and observe a spatial Fourier transform of a periodic structure in the Fourier plane. Optical Fourier filtering (OFF) is performed in the focal plane using an electrically programmable and electrically alignable spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator with high signal to noise ratio is electrically reconfigurable according to a feedback-driven, filter construction and alignment algorithm. The OFF enhances any non-periodic components present in the Fourier plane and final image plane of the object. A system having a plurality of inspection channels provides high-throughput inspection of objects with small non-periodic defects while maintaining high detection sensitivity.

Abstract: In an inspection system for electrical and electro-optical inspection of TFT-LCD panels, a fine resolution area imaging camera with a pulse illumination source disposed to scan the region and operative capture images of the region illuminated with pulses of short illumination and automatically maintained in focus while continuously scanning in order to resolve points of defects.

Abstract: In order to allow application of any coating under a vacuum over a volatile gelatinous layer, such as polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) on an optical glass substrate with a transparent electrode, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) on its surface, a layer of an intermediate stress absorbing polymeric material is first applied to cover the volatile gelatinous layer to prevent evaporation and escape of volatiles, thereafter the coating is applied under a very high vacuum using for example a technique called Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) or sputtering.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are presented for positioning a sensing head relative to a workpiece, involving a control unit operative to provide a plurality of control signals to iteratively control positioning of the sensing head relative to the workpiece, a plurality of air injectors disposed and fixedly connected on a periphery of the sensing head, each of the air injectors capable of being independently controlled to eject a gas between the sensing head and the workpiece to create an air bearing and affect positioning of the sensing head relative to the workpiece in response to at least one of the control signals, and a plurality of sensors providing a plurality of feedback signals to the control unit, the feedback signals containing information relating to positioning of an optical imaging sensing head relative to the workpiece.

Abstract: In an electro-optic light modulator requiring an electro-optical sensor material such as polymer dispersed liquid crystal, or PDLC is directly coated on an optical glass substrate with a transparent electrode, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and an optional layer of passivation coating such as silicon dioxide (SiO2) on its surface. A thin layer of polymeric adhesive is coated on top of PDLC layer and then this two-layer coating is laminated with a dielectric mirror on a polyester film (Mylar™) preferably with the assistance of a vacuum.

Abstract: In order to allow application of any coating under a vacuum over a volatile gelatinous layer, such as polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) on an optical glass substrate with a transparent electrode, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) on its surface, a layer of an intermediate stress absorbing polymeric material is first applied to cover the volatile gelatinous layer to prevent evaporation and escape of volatiles, thereafter the coating is applied under a very high vacuum using for example a technique called Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) or sputtering.

Abstract: Electro-optic structures are constructed by spin coating water based emulsions or solvent based sensor materials, preferably a solvent-based polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), onto a substrate under conditions of controlled solvent evaporation. In a particular process, the uniformity of the PDLC coating is achieved by 1) spin coating in a semi-sealed chamber, 2) “converting” a square substrate into round substrate by using a fixture; 3) providing a controllable distance between the substrate and a spin coater top cover; and 4) providing a controllable solvent evaporation rate.

Abstract: A modular split-axis stage is used to inspect and/or repair large flat glass media suitable for LCD/TFT applications. Low-precision air table sections are detachably mounted to a centrally located, high-precision granite inspection/repair section. Glass media held by a vacuum contact is transported on air cushions from the up-web air table to the central inspection/repair section. Vacuum nozzles integrated with porous medium pads precisely control the height of the flexible media above the central section during inspection or repair. Embodiments includes structures in which the media is either stationary or moving during inspection/repair. A first media can be loaded/unloaded while a second media is undergoing inspection or repair in a pipelined operational mode.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an object and detecting defects is taught (BGA and Flip-Chip solder joints on a PCB particularly). The method comprises injecting a thermal stimulation on the object; capturing a sequence of consecutive infrared images of the object to record heat diffusion resulting from the heat pulse; comparing the heat diffusion on said object to a reference; and determining whether the object comprises any defects. Also described is a system comprising a mounting for mounting the object; a thermal stimulation module for applying a thermal stimulation to the bottom surface of the object; an infrared camera for capturing infrared images of the object on the top surface of the object to record a change in infrared radiation from the top surface resulting from the thermal stimulation; and a computer for comparing the change in infrared radiation within a region on the top surface to a reference and determining whether the object comprises any defects.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically inspecting a display employs sub-pixel accuracy for each primary color to take into account angle of rotation. The method includes capturing images of a display with R×S sensors; determining sets of sensor coordinates mapping to a pixel, determining multiple misalignment angles between the pixel on the display and the R×S sensors, determining multiple x scaling ratios, determining multiple weighting factors associated with R×S sensors in response to the corresponding multiple misalignment angle and the corresponding multiple x and y scaling ratios, determining multiple luminance values for R×S sensors, determining multiple total luminance values in response to the weighting factors and the luminance values, forming scaled images including first and second luminance values, and inspecting the scaled image to identify potential defects of the pixel on the display.

Abstract: In an inspection system for planar objects having periodic structures, programmable optical Fourier filtering in the focal plane of a telecentric lens system is used to directly identify physical phenomena indicative of non-periodic defects. Lens assemblies and a coherent optical source are used to generate and observe a spatial Fourier transform of a periodic structure in the Fourier plane. Optical Fourier filtering (OFF) is performed in the focal plane using an electrically programmable and electrically alignable spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator with high signal to noise ratio is electrically reconfigurable according to a feedback-driven, filter construction and alignment algorithm. The OFF enhances any non-periodic components present in the Fourier plane and final image plane of the object. A system having a plurality of inspection channels provides high-throughput inspection of objects with small non-periodic defects while maintaining high detection sensitivity.

Abstract: A concurrent low resolution/high resolution parallel scanning system and method are provided as an improvement in the scanning process of an inspection system for planar objects, such as large flat plates employed in panel displays, whereby lower resolution defect detection efficiently overlaps and parallels higher resolution defect review and classification stages in which defects are automatically defined and resolved. Although the invention is a valid solution for the more general problem of optically inspecting the surface of a flat article for defects, the invention is particularly useful for detecting pattern defects on large glass plates deposited with integrated-circuits for forming LCD flat panel displays.

Abstract: A mechanical system for handling large and thin glass plates of dimensions as much as 2 m by 2 m by 0.5 mm, such as used to manufacture LCD panels in LCD panel testers, provides for positioning of the repair and inspection equipment by using lightweight hollow chucklets in air-bearing and vacuum contact with the glass plate under test, balanced on a rail along the center of mass for translation without warping. The elimination of a heavy rigid platform results in significantly reduced hardware costs, flexibility in processing and improved positioning performance.

Abstract: A concurrent low resolution/high resolution parallel scanning system is provided as an improvement in the scanning process of an inspection system for planar objects, such as large flat plates employed in panel displays, whereby lower resolution defect detection efficiently overlaps and parallels higher resolution defect review and classification stages in which defects are automatically defined and resolved. Although the invention is a valid solution for the more general problem of optically inspecting the surface of a flat article for defects, the invention is particularly useful for detecting pattern defects on large glass plates deposited with integrated-circuits for forming LCD flat panel displays.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an object and detecting defects is taught (BGA and Flip-Chip solder joints on a PCB particularly). The method comprises injecting a thermal stimulation on the object; capturing a sequence of consecutive infrared images of the object to record heat diffusion resulting from the heat pulse; comparing the heat diffusion on said object to a reference; and determining whether the object comprises any defects. Also described is a system comprising a mounting for mounting the object; a thermal stimulation module for applying a thermal stimulation to the bottom surface of the object; an infrared camera for capturing infrared images of the object on the top surface of the object to record a change in infrared radiation from the top surface resulting from the thermal stimulation; and a computer for comparing the change in infrared radiation within a region on the top surface to a reference and determining whether the object comprises any defects.

Abstract: There is described an infrared (IR) verification system comprising an IR imaging system for capturing thermal signatures, an IR image comparison engine to determine whether a fault exists, a database for thermal failure patterns of printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) and their proposed diagnosis, and a correlation module to correlate the failure pattern to the database. There is also described a method for using the described system.

Abstract: There is described an inspection system for inspecting an object, the system comprising: a structural inspection module for inspecting the object structurally; a functional test module for testing the object functionally; a support device for supporting the object to be inspected structurally and tested functionally; and a common controller for the structural inspection module and the functional test module. A method for use with the system is also described.

Abstract: A color optical inspection system extracts only such luma and chroma spatial features as are necessary for detection of defects related to the physical characteristics of devices populating the surface of a board. During the training phase, the features of each device present on each of a number of golden boards is extracted and compared against a set of established criteria, thereby to select one or more spatial features to be extracted for the associated devices during the inspection phase. A match region whose boundaries are defined by the selected features of the devices on the golden boards is established during the training phase. During the inspection phase, the selected features of each associated device are extracted to determine whether they fall inside the match region. If the extracted features falls outside the corresponding match region, then a defect is reported.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a display panel includes capturing images of a portion of a plurality of display panels having display elements with an image acquisition device having sensor elements, each image comprising an image of approximately a first number of display elements captured with approximately a second number of sensor elements, the first number different from the second number, each image including a Moiré artifact pattern, combining the images of the portion of the plurality of display panels to form a reference image including a Moiré artifact pattern reference, capturing a sample image of a portion of a sample display panel having display elements with the image acquisition device, the sample image comprising an image of approximately the first number of display elements on the sample display captured with approximately the second number of sensor elements, the sample image including a sample Moiré artifact pattern, combining the sample image with the reference image to inhib