Abstract: A system and method are used to increase alignment accuracy of feature patterns through detection of alignment patterns on both a surface layer and at least one below surface layers of an object. Visible light is used to detect alignment patterns on the surface layer and infrared light is used to detect patterns one layers below the surface. For example, reflected visible light and transmitted infrared light are co-focused onto detector after impinging on respective alignment patterns. The co-focused light is then used to determine proper alignment of the object for subsequent pattern features. This substantially increases accuracy of alignment of pattern features between layers, as compared to conventional systems.

Abstract: An optical spectrum analyzer measures to-be-measured light while carrying out calibration processing for correcting wavelength information of spectrum data of the to-be-measured light by a wavelength information correction device through a storage device based on the spectrum data of reference light that is obtained by causing the reference light whose wavelength is known to be incident on a tunable wavelength filter from light incident devices at all times together with the to-be-measured light. Since the optical spectrum analyzer can continuously measure the to-be-measured light in a wide wavelength range at high speed while maintaining high wavelength accuracy, it can continuously obtain the spectrum data of the to-be-measured light with high wavelength accuracy even if it is installed in a place in which an environment intensely changes.

Abstract: To further isolate the scattered light 112 of a specific particle from the scattered light of a different particle, a pin hole device 116 can be used. The pin hole device 116 prevents unfocused light from other particles from entering the second plane 118, thus isolating a desired, focused image of one particle 110 of the sample 106. In one embodiment, the pin hole 116 has a size of several microns. At the second plane 118, a traditional imaging detection device 120 detects the defocused light. The position of the second image plane 118 is chosen for good angular resolution of the scattered light 112, and at the same time gives enough light for the imaging detection device 120 to obtain a sufficient reading.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vision inspection apparatus and method using total reflection mirrors. The present invention provides a vision inspection apparatus using the total reflection mirrors comprising; a board position control module for fixing a printed circuit board; an independent lighting unit for primarily illuminating the printed circuit board; a photographing position control module for changing a reflection angle to required location coordinates of the printed circuit board; a camera for obtaining an image of the printed circuit board; a control unit including a motion controller, a lighting controller, and an to image processor to control the components; and a vision processing unit for reading the image obtained through the camera and judging whether the image is good or bad.

Abstract: The present invention measures a structure including multiple narrow metallic regions, each being disposed between neighboring regions comprising a second, non-metallic material. One step of the method is exciting the structure by irradiating it with a spatially periodic excitation field made up of excitation stripes in order to generate a thermal grating. Other steps are diffracting a probe laser beam off the thermal grating to form a signal beam; detecting the signal beam as a function of time to generate a signal waveform; and determining at least one property of the structure based on a thermal component of the signal waveform.

Abstract: Two or more triangular apertures are employed to pass radiation from a source to a detector to reduce the amount of stray radiation received by the detector. Preferably, the two apertures are equilateral triangles oriented at 60 rotated relative to each other and have dimensions proportional to their distances from the detector. A Bessel filter is employed to reduce the effect of flicker and other rapid changes in intensity in the radiance from the source. The output of the sensor is integrated and sampled at sampling time intervals that are powers of two of time, and a reading is provided when the output of the integrator exceeds the same threshold under all radiation source intensity conditions so that the meter has a substantially constant resolution at different signal levels. Where the radiation from the source is transmitted or reflected by the sample before such radiation is detected by the detector, the instrument becomes a transmissometer or reflectometer.

Abstract: A spectral photometer intended for integration purposes includes a measurement head equipped with illumination arrangement including at least one light source for the illumination at an angle of incidence of 45° of a measured object and located in a measurement plane, a pickup arrangement for capturing the measurement light remitted by the measured object at an angle of reflection of essentially 0° relative to the perpendicular to the measurement plane, a spectrometer arrangement including an entry aperture for the spectral splitting of the measurement light captured and fed through the entry aperture, and a photoelectric receiver arrangement exposed to the split measurement light for conversion of the individual spectral components of the measurement light into corresponding electrical signals. It further includes an electronic circuit for control of the light source and forming digital measurement values from the electrical signals produced by the photoelectric receiver arrangement.

Abstract: A modulated reflectance measurement system includes lasers for generating an intensity modulated pump beam and a UV probe beam. The pump and probe beams are focused on a measurement site within a sample. The pump beam periodically excites the measurement site and the modulation is imparted to the probe beam. For one embodiment, the wavelength of the probe beam is selected to correspond to a local maxima of the temperature reflectance coefficient of the sample. For a second embodiment, the probe laser is tuned to either minimize the thermal wave contribution to the probe beam modulation or to equalize the thermal and plasma wave contributions to the probe beam modulation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for expanding the dynamic range of a system are provided. One method includes splitting fluorescent light emitted by a particle into multiple light paths having different intensities, detecting the fluorescent light in the multiple light paths with different channels to generate multiple signals, and determining which of the channels is operating in a linear range based on the multiple signals. The method also includes altering the signal generated by the channel operating in the linear range to compensate for the different intensities. Another method includes illuminating a particle in multiple illumination zones with light having different intensities and separately detecting fluorescent light emitted by the particle while located in the multiple illumination zones to generate multiple signals. The method also includes determining which of the signals is located in a linear range and altering the signal located in the linear range to compensate for the different intensities.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting low frequency specular surface flaws on coated substrates is disclosed. A method for detecting low frequency specular surface flaws may comprise: impinging visible electromagnetic radiation or light from an electromagnetic radiation source onto the coated substrate at an oblique angle, reflecting the visible electromagnetic radiation off the coated substrate onto a screen material to form a specular surface flaw reflected image, and recording the reflected image off the screen material with a photosensitive device to form a recorded reflected image.

Abstract: A far-field optical microscope capable of reaching nanometer-scale resolution using the in-plane image magnification by surface plasmon polaritons is presented. The microscope utilizes a microscopy technique based on the optical properties of a metal-dielectric interface that may, in principle, provide extremely large values of the effective refractive index neff up to 102-103 as seen by the surface plasmons. Thus, the theoretical diffraction limit on resolution becomes ?/2neff, and falls into the nanometer-scale range. The experimental realization of the microscope has demonstrated the optical resolution better than 50 nm for 502 nm illumination wavelength.

Abstract: A method for measuring the thickness of a thin film disk overcoat layer includes radiating x-rays on a thin film disk comprising at least one base layer and an overcoat layer, collecting fluorescence data on electromagnetic radiation fluoresced from the thin film disk, reflecting polarized light from a surface of the thin film disk corresponding to the overcoat layer, collecting ellipsometry data from the polarized light, and estimating the thickness of the overcoat layer using both the fluorescence data and the ellipsometry data. The method may further include providing a statistical model to determine optimal deposition and manufacturing parameters. A system to conduct the described method may include a data analyzer, an ellipsometry measurement device, and an x-ray fluorescence measurement device.

Abstract: A highly sensitive defect detection method is disclosed. A medium with a refractive index greater than 1 is formed on a sample. As a result, incident light projected by a defect detecting system attenuates less when reaching the bottom defects. The detection sensitivity of the defect detecting system is enhanced accordingly.

Abstract: A light source device for a spectrophotometer includes a light source chamber, a light source retained in the light source chamber and having an electrode therein for generating light, an electrode support part connected to the electrode and extending outside the light source chamber, and a cover disposed around the electrode support part for covering a portion of the electrode support part situated outside the light source chamber. A cooling mechanism is installed for cooling the light source chamber from an outside thereof so that the light source is not directly cooled by means of the cover. The spectrophotometer includes the light source device.

Abstract: A compact, triple pass hyperspectral imager (spectrometer). The hyperspectral imager (imaging system) of this invention includes an optical sub-system, a reflective slit element, a reflective dispersive element located substantially at a front plane, the front plane being located on the source side of the optical sub-system, and, a detecting element located substantially at an image surface.

Abstract: A method of inspecting pattern defects can detect target defects in various processes stably by reducing erroneous detection of grains and morphology and decreasing the influence of an intensity nonuniformity in interference light. For this purpose, lights emitted from two sources of illumination capable of outputting a plurality of wavelengths are reflected by a beam splitter and irradiated onto a wafer. Diffracted light from the wafer is converged by an objective lens, is made to pass through light modulation units and imaged on an image sensor in a light detection unit. Then, defects are detected in a signal processing unit. Further, the optical modulation unit is made to have a structure that uses a plurality of optical components selectively and which can be optimized according to target defects.

Abstract: An array of optical elements for processing a spatially dispersed optical beam including monitoring optical elements for determining the position of the optical beam in the array is disclosed. The monitoring optical elements have a width that varies in ay direction normal to the array axis, enabling the determination of the beam position across the monitoring elements in both x and y directions. The monitoring optical elements are preferably disposed in the end portions of the array for the beam tilt determination. The optical elements can be e.g. liquid crystal pixels or micro-mirrors.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a grating biochip comprises the steps of irradiating a grating biochip using a light beam, measuring a diffracted light using a photodetector, selecting a plurality of parameters of the grating biochip, and optimizing the parameters to enhance the detection sensitivity, wherein the diffracted light is generated by the light beam passing the grating biochip. The grating biochip comprises a grating structure including a semiconductor substrate, a grating positioned on the semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer covering the grating and the semiconductor substrate. The sample of the biochip is positioned on the grating structure.

Abstract: The defect confirmation screen of a pattern inspection apparatus that allows the user to create a recipe and check defects easily and quickly includes a “map display part” where a wafer map is displayed, an “image display part” where a list of defect images is displayed, a “list display part” where detailed information on defects is displayed and set, and a “graph display part” where a graph is displayed for selected defect items. Those display parts cooperate with each other and change the defect images, defect information list, and defect graph according to selected map information. A classification code, a clustering condition, and a display filter entered using the information described above are registered in a recipe.

Abstract: An optical system that includes a molded optical element having a non-uniform refractive index distribution due to molding and a method of manufacturing the optical system is disclosed. Data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution associated with molding of the molded optical element is acquired and used in order to determine the form of an aspheric surface of the molded optical element for correcting aberrations caused by the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. This data may be acquired by measuring the refractive index distribution of an optical element molded based on initial design values that are based on assuming uniformity in the refractive index distribution of the molded optical element or it may be computed based on the form of the molded optical element. The optical element may include a concave optical surface and may be a lens element that includes an aspheric surface.