Patents by Inventor Lambert Danner
Lambert Danner 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).
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Patent number: 9091525Abstract: A method for focusing an object plane (42) through an objective (30) and an optical assembly (10), with which the method can be carried out, are disclosed. A geometric reference structure (21) is positioned in a plane (36) conjugate to a field plane (34) of the objective (30) and is imaged onto the object plane (42). The geometric reference structure (21) is illuminated with a light beam (24), which encloses a non-zero angle (?) with a normal direction (38) of the conjugate plane (36). Therefore a position (Y) of an image (22) of the geometric reference structure (21) in the object plane (42) depends on the signed distance (37) between the object plane (42) and the field plane (34), and correspondingly is evaluated for the determination of the focus position. The optical assembly (10) preferentially may be a metrology tool (100) for measuring structures (120) on masks (100), wherein the objective (30) is the measurement objective of the metrology tool (100).Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: KLA-Tencor MIE GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Sulik, Lambert Danner, Alexander Buettner
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Patent number: 8451440Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 3, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Kla-Tencor Mie GmbHInventors: Kurt Hahn, Roland Hedrich, Gerhard Hoppen, Lambert Danner, Albert Kreh, Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Büttner, Christof Krampe-Zadler, Henning Backhauss, Hermann Bittner
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Patent number: 8154718Abstract: Previously used examination devices and methods mostly operate with reflected visible or UV light to analyze microstructured samples of a wafer (38), for example. The aim of the invention is to increase the possible uses of said devices, i.e. particularly in order to represent structural details, e.g. of wafers that are structured on both sides, which are not visible in VIS or UV because coatings or intermediate materials are not transparent. Said aim is achieved by using IR light as reflected light while creating transillumination (52) which significantly improves contrast in the IR image, among other things, thus allowing the sample to be simultaneously represented in reflected or transmitted IR light and in reflected visible light.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2005Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbHInventors: Uwe Graf, Lambert Danner
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Publication number: 20110205553Abstract: A method for focusing an object plane (42) through an objective (30) and an optical assembly (10), with which the method can be carried out, are disclosed. A geometric reference structure (21) is positioned in a plane (36) conjugate to a field plane (34) of the objective (30) and is imaged onto the object plane (42). The geometric reference structure (21) is illuminated with a light beam (24), which encloses a non-zero angle (?) with a normal direction (38) of the conjugate plane (36). Therefore a position (Y) of an image (22) of the geometric reference structure (21) in the object plane (42) depends on the signed distance (37) between the object plane (42) and the field plane (34), and correspondingly is evaluated for the determination of the focus position. The optical assembly (10) preferentially may be a metrology tool (100) for measuring structures (120) on masks (100), wherein the objective (30) is the measurement objective of the metrology tool (100).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: KLA-Tencor MIE GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Sulik, Lambert Danner, Alexander Buettner
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Publication number: 20100295938Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2010Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: KLA-TENCOR MIE GMBHInventors: Kurt Hahn, Roland Hedrich, Gerhard Hoppen, Lambert Danner, Albert Kreh, Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Büttner, Christof Krampe-Zadler, Henning Backhauss, Hermann Bittner
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Publication number: 20090279080Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Applicant: VISTEC SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEMS GMBHInventors: Lambert Danner, Michael Heiden, Wolfgang Vollrath, Alexander Buttner, Christof Krampe-Zadler
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Patent number: 7561263Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for illuminating and inspecting a specular surface, comprising a light source, a collector optics for collecting the light from the light source, a homogenizing optics for transmitting the light from the collector optics having a first micro-lens array downstream of the collector optics, and a second micro-lens array downstream of the first micro-lens array, a Fourier optics for transmitting the light from the homogenizing optics onto the specular surface, an objective optics, and a detector for receiving an image, wherein the collector optics and the first micro-lens array project the light source onto the second micro-lens array and wherein the second micro-lens array and the Fourier optics project the first micro-lens array onto the specular surface, and wherein the objective optics projects the specular surface onto the detector.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2006Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbHInventors: Lambert Danner, Michael Heiden, Alexander Buettner
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Patent number: 7420670Abstract: A measuring instrument for optical inspection of an object includes a light source for illuminating an object; a detector; an illuminating beam path extending from the light source to the object; a detection beam path extending from the object to the detector; an illuminating optics disposed in the illuminating beam path and/or an imaging optics disposed in the detection beam path for imaging the object onto the detector; a position evaluation device for determining a distance between two points of the object; and an optical device for imposing a profile of a continuously monotonic function on an intensity of light from the light source. The optical device is disposed in at least one of a pupil plane of the imaging optics, a pupil plane of the illuminating optics, and a plane in the illuminating or imaging beam path conjugate with the pupil plane of the imaging optics or the pupil plane of the illuminating optics.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2005Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbHInventors: Klaus Rinn, Lambert Danner
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Publication number: 20070247618Abstract: Previously used examination devices and methods mostly operate with reflected visible or UV light to analyze microstructured samples of a wafer (38), for example. The aim of the invention is to increase the possible uses of said devices, i.e. particularly in order to represent structural details, e.g. of wafers that are structured on both sides, which are not visible in VIS or UV because coatings or intermediate materials are not transparent. Said aim is achieved by using IR light as reflected light while creating transillumination (52) which significantly improves contrast in the IR image, among other things, thus allowing the sample to be simultaneously represented in reflected or transmitted IR light and in reflected visible light.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2005Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: VISTEC SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEMS GMBHInventors: Uwe Graf, Lambert Danner
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Patent number: 7271889Abstract: A device and method for inspecting an object (2) uses a bright field illumination beam path (4) of a bright field light source (5), said beam path being formed so that it passes through the projection optics (3), and a dark field illumination beam path (6) of a dark field light source (7), this beam path being formed so that it also passes through the projection optics (3). The object (2) can be projected by the projection optics (3) onto the least one detector (8), and the object (2) is simultaneously illuminated by both light sources (5, 7). In order to simultaneously detect bright field images and dark field images without involving complicated filtering operations, the light used for the dark field illumination is pulsed and the pulse intensity of the light used for the dark field illumination is greater by at least one order of magnitude than the intensity of the continuous light, which is used for the bright field illumination, during a pulsed interval.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2003Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbHInventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Uwe Graf, Robert Mainberger, Dirk Sönksen, Volker Knorz
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Patent number: 7268940Abstract: An illuminating device, as for a microscope, includes a light source and a reflecting filter system. The beam of light of the light source undergoes a plurality of reflections in the reflecting filter system. The entering beam of the reflecting filter system has an optical beam offset and/or a change in direction relative to the exiting beam.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbHInventors: Michael Veith, Lambert Danner
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Patent number: 7209243Abstract: A coordinate measuring instrument includes a horizontally X-Y displaceable measurement stage for receiving a substrate with a feature that is to be measured, an illumination system, and a detector device. The illumination system includes a light source, an optical fiber bundle, a coupling-in optical system before the optical fiber bundle, a coupling-out optical system after the optical fiber bundle, an illuminating optical system for illuminating an image field, and a homogenizing optical system which is arranged between said coupling-out optical system and said illuminating optical system. The homogenizing optical system homogenizes the non-uniform intensity distribution in the image field of the light emerging from the optical fiber bundle. The light of said light source is picked off via said coupling-in optical system with a large numerical entrance aperture, and is coupled into said optical fiber bundle.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2004Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Leica Microsystems Semiconductor GmbHInventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Gerhard Hoppen
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Publication number: 20070035850Abstract: In the production of semiconductor or other components, the structures are normally manufactured in different planes. In the orientation of these planes relative to each other a displacement or alignment is examined, among other things, and detected as an overlay defect. To reduce a systematic measuring defect a measuring device (10) is provided for measuring the overlay defect. This device has an illuminating device (12), a lens or objective (14) for focusing radiation from the illuminating device (12) onto the object (16) and a tube lens (18) for imaging the radiation onto a sensor unit (20). A compensator (22), in which the wave fronts of the incident radiation are tilted with spectral variation such that the axial transverse chromatic aberration is compensated for, is provided in the path of rays of the measuring device (10).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2006Publication date: February 15, 2007Inventors: Lambert Danner, Michael Heiden
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Patent number: 6975409Abstract: An illumination device according to the present invention comprises a light source (1), an optical fiber bundle (4), a coupling-in optical system (3) before and a coupling-out optical system (5) after the fiber bundle (4), and an illuminating optical system (17; 20). A homogenizing optical system (6) between the coupling-out optical system (5) and illuminating optical system (17; 20) brings about a homogenization of the intensity distribution in the image field. The homogenizing optical system (6) advantageously comprises a micro-honeycomb condenser (7) and a lens member (8) which superimpose the exit opening of the fiber bundle (4) in an intermediate image plane (10) to form a homogeneous intermediate image.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2001Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Leica Microsystems Semiconductor GmbHInventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Gerhard Hoppen
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Publication number: 20050259245Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for inspecting an object (2) involving the use of a bright field illumination beam path (4) of a bright field light source (5), said beam path being formed so that it passes through the projection optics (3), and involving the use or a dark field illumination beam path (6) of a dark field light source (7), this beam path being formed so that it also passes through the projection optics (3). The object (2) can be projected by the projection optics (3) onto the least one detector (8), and the object (2) is simultaneously illuminated by both light sources (5, 7).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2003Publication date: November 24, 2005Inventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Uwe Graf, Robert Mainberger, Dirk Sonksen, Volker Knorz
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Publication number: 20050254068Abstract: A measuring instrument for optical inspection of an object includes a light source for illuminating an object; a detector; an illuminating beam path extending from the light source to the object; a detection beam path extending from the object to the detector; an illuminating optics disposed in the illuminating beam path and/or an imaging optics disposed in the detection beam path for imaging the object onto the detector; a position evaluation device for determining a distance between two points of the object; and an optical device for imposing a profile of a continuously monotonic function on an intensity of light from the light source. The optical device is disposed in at least one of a pupil plane of the imaging optics, a pupil plane of the illuminating optics, and a plane in the illuminating or imaging beam path conjugate with the pupil plane of the imaging optics or the pupil plane of the illuminating optics.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2005Publication date: November 17, 2005Applicant: Leica Microsystems Semiconductor GmbHInventors: Klaus Rinn, Lambert Danner
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Patent number: 6943901Abstract: A critical dimension measuring instrument includes a light source, a beam-shaping optical system, a condenser having a condenser pupil, a first microlens array arrangement, a first auxiliary optical element having positive refractive power, a second auxiliary optical element having positive refractive power, and a second microlens array arrangement. The first microlens array arrangement, the first auxiliary optical element, the second auxiliary optical element and the second microlens array arrangement are arranged in successive fashion between the beam-shaping optical system and the condenser.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2003Date of Patent: September 13, 2005Assignee: Leica Microsystems Semiconductor GmbHInventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner
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Patent number: 6879440Abstract: An autofocus module for a microscope-based system includes at least two light sources, each of which generates a light beam for focusing. An optical directing device is provided that directs a respective portion of each light beam onto an incoupling means, which couples each of the light beams into the illuminating light beam of the microscope-based system and directs the light beams onto a specimen. A first and a second detector receive the light beams of the first and second light source reflected from the surface of the specimen, and ascertain the intensities on the first and second detector in time-multiplexed fashion.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2003Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Leica Microsystems Semiconductor GmbHInventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Robert Mainberger, Michael Veith, Martin Osterfeld, Uwe Graf
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Publication number: 20040160777Abstract: An illumination device according to the present invention comprises a light source (1), an optical fiber bundle (4), a coupling-in optical system (3) before and a coupling-out optical system (5) after the fiber bundle (4), and an illuminating optical system (17; 20). A homogenizing optical system (6) between the coupling-out optical system (5) and illuminating optical system (17; 20) brings about a homogenization of the intensity distribution in the image field. The homogenizing optical system (6) advantageously comprises a micro-honeycomb condenser (7) and a lens member (8) which superimpose the exit opening of the fiber bundle (4) in an intermediate image plane (10) to form a homogeneous intermediate image.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Applicant: Leica-Microsystems Wetzlar GmbHInventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Gerhard Hoppen
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Publication number: 20040136057Abstract: The invention relates to an illuminating device (1), preferably for a microscope, particularly for a UV microscope (2), comprising a light source (3) and a reflecting filter system (4, 14). The beam of light from the light source (3) passes through a number of reflections in the reflecting filter system (4, 14). In order to minimize the spatial dimensions of the inventive illuminating device (1), the entering beam (11) of the reflecting filter system (4, 14) has an optical beam offset (13) and/or a different direction with regard to the exit beam (12) of said filter system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Inventors: Michael Veith, Lambert Danner