Patents by Inventor Christof Krampe-Zadler

Christof Krampe-Zadler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8451440
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for the optical inspection of wafers is disclosed, which comprises an assembly unit (10) which carries optical elements (30, 31, 32, 33) of at least one illumination path (3) for a bright field illumination and optical elements (50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82) of at least one illumination path (5, 6, 7, 8) for a dark field illumination. The assembly unit (10) furthermore carries plural optical elements (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100) of at least one detection path (91, 92). An imaging optical element (32) of the at least one illumination path (3) for the bright field illumination (30), imaging optical elements (51, 61, 71, 81) of the at least one illumination path for the dark field illumination, and imaging optical elements (91, 95, 96) of the at least one detection path (9) are designed in such a way that all illumination paths (3, 5, 6, 7, 8) and all detection paths (91, 92) are telecentric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Kla-Tencor Mie GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Hahn, Roland Hedrich, Gerhard Hoppen, Lambert Danner, Albert Kreh, Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Büttner, Christof Krampe-Zadler, Henning Backhauss, Hermann Bittner
  • Patent number: 8087799
    Abstract: An illumination mean for the inspection of flat substrates is disclosed. The flat substrate includes an upper edge area, a lower edge area and a front area. The illumination means is formed as an annular segment and comprises an opening into which at least the edge area of the flat substrate extends. A plurality of light sources are arranged on an annular segment in a housing. Inside the housing, a reflective element is provided so that the light from the light sources does not impinge perpendicularly on the upper edge area, the lower edge area and the front area of the flat substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Hahn, Michael Hofmann, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20100295938
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for the optical inspection of wafers is disclosed, which comprises an assembly unit (10) which carries optical elements (30, 31, 32, 33) of at least one illumination path (3) for a bright field illumination and optical elements (50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82) of at least one illumination path (5, 6, 7, 8) for a dark field illumination. The assembly unit (10) furthermore carries plural optical elements (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100) of at least one detection path (91, 92). An imaging optical element (32) of the at least one illumination path (3) for the bright field illumination (30), imaging optical elements (51, 61, 71, 81) of the at least one illumination path for the dark field illumination, and imaging optical elements (91, 95, 96) of the at least one detection path (9) are designed in such a way that all illumination paths (3, 5, 6, 7, 8) and all detection paths (91, 92) are telecentric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR MIE GMBH
    Inventors: Kurt Hahn, Roland Hedrich, Gerhard Hoppen, Lambert Danner, Albert Kreh, Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Büttner, Christof Krampe-Zadler, Henning Backhauss, Hermann Bittner
  • Publication number: 20090279080
    Abstract: A method, a device and the application for the inspection of defects on the edge region of a wafer (6) is disclosed. At least one illumination device (41) illuminates the edge region (6a) of the wafer (6). At least one optical unit (40) is provided, said optical unit (40) being positionable subject to the position of the defect (88) relative to a top surface (30) of the edge of the wafer (6a) or a bottom surface (31) of the edge of the wafer (6a) or a face (32) of the edge of the wafer (6a) for capturing an image of said defect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: VISTEC SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Lambert Danner, Michael Heiden, Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Buttner, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20090086483
    Abstract: An illumination mean for the inspection of flat substrates is disclosed. The flat substrate includes an upper edge area, a lower edge area and a front area. The illumination means is formed as an annular segment and comprises an opening into which at least the edge area of the flat substrate extends. A plurality of light sources are arranged on an annular segment in a housing. Inside the housing, a reflective element is provided so that the light from the light sources does not impinge perpendicularly on the upper edge area, the lower edge area and the front area of the flat substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: Vistec Semiconductor System GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Hahn, Michael Hofmann, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20090034832
    Abstract: A device and a method for scanning the whole surface of a wafer are disclosed. The wafer is deposited on a table movable in the X-coordinate direction and in the Y-coordinate direction. A camera and at least one illumination source are arranged opposite the wafer. The camera is a line camera with a detector row, wherein the length of the detector row is less than the diameter of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: VISTEC Semiconductor Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Buettner, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20080144014
    Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a wafer, comprising a first illuminator for radiating an illumination beam in a first illumination beam path onto a surface of the wafer and being configured as continuous light source; a second illuminator for radiating an illumination light beam in a second illumination beam path onto a surface of the wafer and being configured as continuous light source; a first detector means defining a first detection beam path; a second detector means defining a second detection beam path, wherein the first and the second detector means have a predetermined spectral sensitivity and detect data of at least an illuminated area moveable in a scanning direction on the surface of the wafer in a plurality of different spectral ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Buettner, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20080144025
    Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a wafer, comprising at least one illuminator each arranged in an illumination beam path, wherein the at least one illuminator radiates an illumination spot onto a surface of the wafer and being a continuous light source; a detector arranged in a detection beam path has a predetermined spectral sensitivity and records data from the at least one illumination spot from the surface of the wafer; an imager generating a relative movement between the surface of the wafer and the detector, whereby in a meandering movement the illumination spot is passed across the entire surface of the wafer in the scanning direction; and the at least one illumination spot being detected in a plurality of different spectral ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Buettner, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20070013902
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically inspecting a wafer, having a light source and an illumination optics for illuminating the wafer for inspection, wherein the illumination optics comprises a variable gray filter for adjusting the illumination power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: VISTEC SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Henning Backhauss, Albert Kreh, Christof Krampe-Zadler
  • Publication number: 20060286811
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of optically imaging a wafer with a photoresist layer, wherein an imaging area on the surface of the wafer is illuminated with light and a fluorescence image is taken in the imaging area based on the fluorescent light irradiated due to the illumination by the excitation light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Applicant: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Heiden, Erwin Thiel, Christof Krampe-Zadler