Surface Condition Patents (Class 356/237.2)
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Patent number: 8526705Abstract: Methods and systems for accurately determining dimensional accuracy of a complex three dimensional shape are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes determining at least a non-critical feature and at least a critical feature of the 3-D component, determining a first datum using at least the non-critical feature, aligning the first datum to at least a portion of a reference shape, determining a second datum corresponding to the critical feature subsequent to the aligning, and determining the dimensional accuracy of the 3-D component by comparing the second datum to another portion of the reference shape.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2009Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Simon Lancaster, Andrew Davidson
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Patent number: 8525984Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes a wafer stage for carrying a wafer, an illumination module which irradiates an inspection beam on the wafer carried on the wafer stage, a detection module which detects scattering rays or reflection rays from the wafer on the wafer stage and outputs an image signal, a coordinates control module which stores information about the arrangement of individual inspection areas on the wafer, and an imperfect area recognition module which recognizes, on the basis of the inspection area arrangement information stored in the coordinates control module, an imperfect inspection area interfering with a wafer edge.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Yamashita, Yukihisa Mohara, Eiji Imai
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Patent number: 8520200Abstract: An illumination module that may include a LED driver; a strip cable comprising multiple conductors that have a high ratio form factor and a low impedance and a low inductance factor; the forms factor is a ratio between a width of the strip cable and a thickness of the strip cable; a group of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that comprises at least one LED; the group of LED is coupled to the LED driver via the strip cable; wherein the LED driver is arranged to activate the group of LEDs by driving a high current short duration driving signal via the strip cable; and wherein the group of LEDs is arranged to emit at least one light pulse in response to the high current short duration driving signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2011Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Camtek Ltd.Inventors: Amnon Menachem, Yossi Cherbis, Arnon Ben Natan
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Patent number: 8520208Abstract: A polarizing device may be used with sample inspection system having one or more collection systems that receive scattered radiation from a region on a sample surface and direct it to a detector. The polarizing device disposed between the collection system(s) and the detector. The polarizing device may include a plurality of polarizing sections. The sections may be characterized by different polarization characteristics. The polarizing device is configured to transmit scattered radiation from defects to the detector and to block noise from background sources that do not share characteristics with scattered radiation from the defects from reaching the detector while maximizing a capture rate for the defects the detector at a less than optimal signal-to-noise ratio.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2012Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Stephen Biellak, Daniel Kavaldjiev
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Patent number: 8521445Abstract: Methods and apparatus relate to measuring corrosion rate. Flowing corrosive fluid contacts a metal coupon or object and results in an effluent stream. The effluent stream contains metal from the object due to reaction of constituents in the fluid with the metal. Analysis of the effluent stream measures concentration of the metal therein. Since the concentration of the metal in the effluent stream is indicative of mass loss from the object, calculations provide the corrosion rate utilizing weight of the metal that is eluted, surface area of the object and exposure time of the object with the corrosive fluid.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Ricky Eugene Snelling, Donald Ray Engelbert, Omar Jesus Yepez
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Publication number: 20130215419Abstract: An optical inspection device comprises a first set of rollers, wherein each roller comprises a wheel, and the wheels of the first set of rollers are spaced apart by a first distance in a first direction; a second set of rollers, wherein each roller comprises a wheel, and the wheels of the second set of rollers are spaced apart by the first distance in the first direction; a scanning unit disposed between the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers; and a first image sensor configured to capture optical lights in a first region, wherein the first region is on a side of the first set of rollers opposite the scanning unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2012Publication date: August 22, 2013Inventors: Cooper S. K. Kuo, Ron Tsai
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Patent number: 8514390Abstract: An optical equipment for inspecting and addressing a specimen is disclosed. The optical equipment comprises an optical device and a processing module. The optical device comprises a light source, a sample inspecting device and an address detecting device. The sample inspecting device comprises a first objective lens and a first detector. A beam is focused on a sample placed in an inspected site of a specimen by the first objective lens. The address detecting device comprises a second objective lens and a second detector. A beam is focused on the address coding site by the second objective lens. The processing module controls the beam to be focused on the sampling points of the inspected site to generate first optical signals, and simultaneously controls the beam of the light source to be focused on the corresponding address codes of the address coding site to generate second optical signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Kuo-Tung Tiao, Jau-Jiu Ju, Guo-Zua Wu, Tai-Ting Huang, Yuan-Chin Lee, Rung-Ywan Tsai
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Patent number: 8514389Abstract: An aspect of an inspecting apparatus includes a profile measuring part measuring a profile of an object surface and an image detecting part detecting a light intensity distribution of the object surface by illuminating the object surface from mutually different plurality of directions.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Hiroshi Aoki
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Patent number: 8514388Abstract: In order to maximize the effect of signal addition during inspection of foreign substances in wafers, a device structure including line sensors arranged in plural directions is effective. Low-angle detection optical systems that detect light beams in plural azimuth directions, the light beams being scattered in low angle directions among those scattered from a linear area on a sample illuminated by illuminating means, each include a combination of a first imaging lens group (330) and a diffraction grating (340) and a combination of a second imaging lens group (333) and an image detector (350) having a plurality of light receiving surfaces. A signal processing unit processes signals from the image detectors of the low-angle detection optical systems by adding the signals from the light receiving surfaces corresponding between the image detectors.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Shigenobu Maruyama, Toshifumi Honda, Toshiyuki Nakao, Yuta Urano
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Patent number: 8508727Abstract: An inspecting apparatus and method including first and second illuminating units for illuminating a surface of a specimen to be inspected with different incident angles and first and second detecting optical units arranged at different elevation angle directions to the surface of the specimen for detecting images of the specimen illuminated by the first and second illuminating units.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2012Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Sachio Uto, Minori Noguchi, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Akira Hamamatsu, Takahiro Jingu, Toshihiko Nakata, Masahiro Watanabe
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Patent number: 8502968Abstract: A surface scanning device for inspecting a product surface includes an illumination module and an image acquisition device. The illumination module is designed to illuminate the product surface with illumination of substantially uniform illuminance. The illumination module is also designed to configure a configurable range of angles of incidence of the illumination on the product surface. The image acquisition device images the illuminated area.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2009Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Ceramicam Ltd.Inventors: Yehuda Yavets-Chen, Dekel Tzidon
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Patent number: 8502967Abstract: An apparatus for optical inspection comprises a platform extending in a first direction, a transmitting unit for transporting at least one carrier in the first direction from an input port to an output port thereof, each of the at least one carrier to support one of at least one object to be inspected, a first detector disposed above the platform and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction for inspecting the at least one object on the at least one carrier, the first detector including a first scanner extending in the second direction between the input port and the output port, and a first roller set between the first scanner and the input port to apply force onto a surface of each of the at least one object.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Cooper S. K. KuoInventors: Cooper S. K. Kuo, Ron Tsai, Steven Lee
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Patent number: 8502966Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method which enable detecting a microscopic defect sensitively by efficiently collecting and detecting scattering light from a defect in a wider region without enlarging the apparatus. In the apparatus for inspecting a defect on a surface of a sample, including illumination means which irradiates a surface of a sample with laser, reflected light detection means which detects reflected light from the sample, and signal processing means which processes a detected signal and detecting a defect on the sample, the reflected light detection means is configured to include a scattering light detection unit which collects scattering light components of the reflected light from the sample by excluding specularly reflected light components by using an aspheric flannel lens and detecting the scattering light components.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Kenichi Shitara, Hiroshi Nakajima
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Patent number: 8497985Abstract: A method of inspection and inspection apparatus able to use a captured image to more precisely inspect the state of film, defect parts, etc. at a surface of an object under inspection are provided. A method of inspection and inspection apparatus illuminating a surface of an object under inspection 10 by white light from an illumination unit LO while scanning the surface of the object under inspection 10 by an image capturing unit 100 to acquire a captured image and using the captured image to inspect a state of the surface of the object under inspection 10, which changes a state of polarization of light LR striking the image capturing unit 100 from an illuminated location of the object under inspection 10 and obtains a plurality of captured images based on light of different polarization states LR striking the image capturing unit 100.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2008Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Shibaura Mechatronics CorporationInventors: Yoshinori Hayashi, Hiroshi Wakaba, Yoko Ono, Koichi Miyazono, Masao Kawamura, Hideki Mori
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Patent number: 8497986Abstract: A laser maintenance apparatus including a laser irradiation device which includes a first optical element for irradiating detection laser light on a test object to detect an ultrasonic wave; a second optical element for irradiating generation laser light on a test object so as to excite the ultrasonic wave; and an optical system container for containing the first and second optical element. The reflection direction of the first optical element and the reflection direction of the second optical element are arranged at an angle along the circumferential direction of the test object. The light reflected by the first optical element is irradiated at a position different than light reflected by the second optical element, and the laser irradiation positions of the light reflected by the first and second optical elements are different in the axial direction and the circumferential direction of the test object.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2010Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Makoto Ochiai, Takahiro Miura, Mitsuaki Shimamura, Hidehiko Kuroda, Fukashi Osakata, Kentaro Tsuchihashi, Masahiro Yoshida
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Patent number: 8497984Abstract: A surface inspection system, as well as related components and methods, are provided. The surface inspection system includes a beam source subsystem, a beam scanning subsystem, a workpiece movement subsystem, an optical collection and detection subsystem, and a processing subsystem. Certain of these components, most notably the beam source subsystem, the beam scanning subsystem and the optical collection and detection subsystem are modular for ready field replacement and/or maintenance. The optical collection and detection system features wing collectors in the front quartersphere and back collectors in the back quartersphere for collected light scattered from the surface of the workpiece. This can greatly improve the measurement capabilities of the system. Also included is a method for detecting asymmetric defects using the wing collectors and back collectors.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2005Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Richard Earl Bills, Neil Judell, Timothy R. Tiemeyer, James Peter McNiven
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Patent number: 8494802Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and systems for determining one or more characteristics of a wafer are provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2009Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Haiguang Chen, Daniel Kavaldjiev, Louis Vintro, George Kren
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Patent number: 8493558Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus includes an irradiating unit that has a plurality of light sources that respectively emit a plurality of illumination light beams having different wavelength ranges, and irradiates an inspection surface as a surface of a body to be inspected with the illumination light beams, in a condition where the light sources are located adjacent to each other and arranged in a given order along the inspection surface, an imaging unit that images reflected light when the illumination light beams are reflected by the inspection surface, so as to obtain a plurality of items of image data corresponding to the respective wavelength ranges, and a control unit that detects a detection object on the inspection surface, based on the items of image data corresponding to the respective wavelength ranges which are obtained by the imaging unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2009Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasunori Asada, Norio Miyazato, Eiji Yamazaki
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Patent number: 8488117Abstract: An inspection system includes a first focusing unit configured to perform fast focus changes to a first focusing function applied to an incident light beam. A traveling lens acousto-optic device is arranged to receive the light beam focused by the first focusing function and produce focused spots using a plurality of traveling lenses generated in response to radio frequency signals. The traveling lenses apply a second focusing function and the traveling lens acousto-optic device is arranged to alter the second focusing function at a fast rate. The inspection system also includes optics arranged to direct the focused spots onto an inspected object and to direct radiation from the inspected object to a sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2011Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials Israel, Ltd.Inventors: Haim Feldman, Boris Morgenstein, Roman Naidis, Adam Baer
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Patent number: 8488128Abstract: A test structure is presented test structure on a substrate for monitoring a LER and/or LWR effect, said test structure comprising an array of features manufactured with amplified LER and/or LWR effect.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2009Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.Inventor: Boaz Brill
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Patent number: 8488116Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method which enable detecting a microscopic defect sensitively by efficiently collecting and detecting scattering light from a defect in a wider region without enlarging the apparatus. In the apparatus for inspecting a defect on a surface of a sample, including illumination means which irradiates a surface of a sample with laser, reflected light detection means which detects reflected light from the sample, and signal processing means which processes a detected signal and detecting a defect on the sample, the reflected light detection means is configured to include a scattering light detection unit which collects scattering light components of the reflected light from the sample by excluding specularly reflected light components by using an aspheric flannel lens and detecting the scattering light components.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Kenichi Shitara, Hiroshi Nakajima
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Publication number: 20130176552Abstract: The present invention includes an interposer disposed on a surface of a substrate, a light sensing array sensor disposed on the interposer, the light sensing array sensor being back-thinned and configured for back illumination, the light sensing array sensor including columns of pixels, one or more amplification circuitry elements configured to amplify an output of the light sensing array sensor, the amplification circuits being operatively connected to the interposer, one or more analog-to-digital conversion circuitry elements configured to convert an output of the light sensing array sensor to a digital signal, the ADC circuitry elements being operatively connected to the interposer, one or more driver circuitry elements configured to drive a clock or control signal of the array sensor, the interposer configured to electrically couple at least two of the light sensing array sensor, the amplification circuits, the conversion circuits, the driver circuits, or one or more additional circuits.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventor: KLA-Tencor Corporation
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Patent number: 8482715Abstract: A system for determining at least two properties of a substrate, including a supporting plate configured to support the substrate, and a measurement device coupled to the supporting plate, including an illumination system configured to direct light toward a surface of the substrate, and a detection system coupled to the illumination system and configured to detect light propagating from the surface of the substrate, wherein the measurement device is configured to generate one or more output signals in response to the detected light, and a control unit coupled to the measurement device and configured to determine a first property and a second property of the substrate from the one or more output signals, wherein the first property comprises a presence of macro defects on the substrate, and wherein the second property comprises overlay misregistration in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.Inventors: Giora Dishon, Moshe Finarov, Zvi Nirel, Yoel Cohen
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Patent number: 8482727Abstract: A method and apparatus of inspecting a defect of a surface of a sample in which a laser beam is irradiated on a sample surface so that at least a part of an illumination field of the laser beam illuminates a first area of the sample surface, a plurality of scattered light rays from the first area caused by the irradiation is detected with a plurality of detectors, detection errors of inclination of an illumination apparatus and a sensor for the plurality of scattered light rays detected by the plurality of detectors are corrected, at least one of adding and averaging the corrected plurality of scattered light rays, and a defect on the sample surface is determined based on the plurality of scattered light rays in accordance with the correction of errors of inclination of the illumination apparatus and the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2012Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Toshiyuki Nakao, Yoshimasa Oshima, Yuta Urano
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Patent number: 8476611Abstract: This application relates to systems and methods for the detection of orientation features on a material web.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2009Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Texmag GmbH VertriebsgesellschaftInventor: Juergen Eisen
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Patent number: 8476581Abstract: An apparatus adapted for confocal imaging of a non-flat specimen comprising a coherent light source for producing a light beam, imaging optics adapted to focus the light beam into at least one spot on a surface of a specimen, and a detector adapted to receive and detect light reflected from the specimen surface. The imaging optics comprise at least one optical component located so that the light reflected from the specimen surface passes therethrough on its way to the detector. The optical component is movable so as to move the at least one spot, within a range of movement, to a number of distinct locations in a plane perpendicular to the apparatus' optical axis, within the detector's integration time.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Cadent Ltd.Inventors: Noam Babayoff, Yossef Atiya, Tzvi Philipp
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Patent number: 8477309Abstract: An inspection system and a method. The method may include: illuminating the object with impinging light of a first polarization; performing a polarization based filtering of (a) multiple-reflected light signals, each multiple-reflected light signal being reflected from at least two different bevel side surfaces of the object, and (b) additional light signals, each additional light signal being reflected from a single element of the object, such as to suppress the multiple-reflected light signals, and to provide polarization based filtered light signals; and detecting the polarization based filtered light signals.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2011Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Camtek Ltd.Inventor: Zehava Ben-Ezer
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Patent number: 8472016Abstract: A laser beam oscillated from a laser source is folded in its path by first and second plane mirrors and enters a beam expander. The surface of each plane mirror is deteriorated with illumination by the laser beam and the reflectance is reduced. To avoid a light quantity of the laser beam entering the beam expander from being reduced below a reference value, when the laser beam is illuminated over a certain time, a position on each of the first and second plane mirrors at which the laser beam is illuminated is changed by a structure for rotating and/or translating a reflecting surface of each plane mirror on a plane, which includes the plane mirror, while an optical axis is kept same. Thus, the useful life of each plane mirror can be prolonged without displacing the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2012Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Yuuichiro Iijima, Koichi Asami, Yusuke Miyazaki, Kazuhiro Zama, Rieko Hachiya
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Publication number: 20130155400Abstract: A defect inspecting method is provided which comprises a pre-scan defect inspecting process including a pre-scan irradiating step for casting irradiation light onto the surface of a sample, a pre-scan detecting step for detecting the scattered lights, and a pre-scan defect information collecting step for obtaining information on preselected defects present on the sample surface on the basis of the scattered lights; a near-field defect inspecting process including a near-field irradiating step in which the distance between the sample surface and a near-field head is adjusted so that the sample surface is irradiated, a near-field detecting step for detecting near-field light response, and a near-field defect information collecting step for obtaining information on the preselected defects on the basis of the near-field light response; and a merging process for inspecting defects present on the sample surface by merging the pieces of information on the preselected defects.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Toshiyuki Nakao, Junguo Xu, Yuki Shimizu, Toshihiko Nakata, Toshifumi Honda, Yukihiro Shibata, Yuta Urano
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Publication number: 20130155399Abstract: An optical system may include an objective having at least four mirrors including an outermost mirror with aspect ratio <20:1 and focusing optics including a refractive optical element. The objective provides imaging at numerical aperture >0.7, central obscuration <35% in pupil. An objective may have two or more mirrors, one with a refractive module that seals off an outermost mirror's central opening. A broad band imaging system may include one objective and two or more imaging paths that provide imaging at numerical aperture >0.7 and field of view >0.8 mm. An optical imaging system may comprise an objective and two or more imaging paths. The imaging paths may provide two or more simultaneous broadband images of a sample in two or more modes. The modes may have different illumination and/or collection pupil apertures or different pixel sizes at the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2010Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Shiow-Hwei Hwang, Gregory L. Kirk, Hwan J. Jeong, David Shafer, Russell Hudyma
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Patent number: 8467595Abstract: A system is provided that realizes both reduction in coordinate error and improvement in throughput and allows observation of a micro-defect. The system includes: a function of measuring an amount of displacement between preliminarily calculated coordinates and an actual specimen position; a function of optimizing a coordinate correction formula so as to minimize the amount of displacement from the measured amount of displacement; and a function of calculating variation of displacement between the preliminarily calculated coordinates and the actual specimen position by statistical processing. When a value of coordinate variation is sufficiently small with respect to the field of view of an image for observation, which is to be a defect observation image, the system acquires only the image for observation without performing acquisition of an image for search, which is to be a defect search image.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2009Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Noritsugu Takahashi, Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Naomasa Suzuki, Kenji Obara
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Patent number: 8467047Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes generating output for a wafer by scanning the wafer with an inspection system using first and second optical states of the inspection system. The first and second optical states are defined by different values for at least one optical parameter of the inspection system. The method also includes generating first image data for the wafer using the output generated using the first optical state and second image data for the wafer using the output generated using the second optical state. In addition, the method includes combining the first image data and the second image data corresponding to substantially the same locations on the wafer thereby creating additional image data for the wafer. The method further includes detecting defects on the wafer using the additional image data.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2012Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Lu Chen, Jason Kirkwood, Mohan Mahadevan, James A. Smith, Lisheng Gao, Junqing (Jenny) Huang, Tao Luo, Richard Wallingford
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Publication number: 20130148113Abstract: The light scattered from the sample surface and foreign matter is imaged on an image intensifier and detected by a lens-coupled multi-pixel sensor such as a TDI sensor or a CCD sensor. The light scattered by surface roughness is spatially eliminated to detect the light scattered from foreign matter with increased sensitivity. A mechanism for shifting the image intensifier is incorporated to prevent a signal intensity decrease, which may be caused by a decrease in the sensitivity of the image intensifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2010Publication date: June 13, 2013Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Mizuki Oku, Minori Noguchi, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Kazuo Takahashi, Kei Shimura
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Patent number: 8462330Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting defects are provided for detecting defects or foreign matter on an object to be inspected. The apparatus includes a movable stage for mounting a specimen, an illumination system for irradiating a circuit pattern with light from an inclined direction, and an image-forming optical system for forming an image of an irradiated detection area on a detector from the upward and oblique directions. With this arrangement, diffracted light and scattered light caused on the circuit pattern through the illumination by the illumination system is collected. A spatial filter is provided on a Fourier transform surface for blocking the diffracted light from a linear part of the circuit pattern. The scattered and reflected light received by the detector is converted into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal of one chip is compared with that of the other adjacent chip.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Nakano, Toshihiko Nakata, Sachio Uto, Akira Hamamatsu, Shunji Maeda, Yuta Urano
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Patent number: 8462328Abstract: A new architecture for machine vision system that uses area sensor (or line sensor), with telecentric imaging optics compound with telecentric illumination module is described. The illumination module may include a bright field illumination source and/or a dark field illumination source. The telecentric imaging optics includes an upper imaging module having an aperture stop and a lower imaging module positioned between the upper imaging module and object, such that the light source and the aperture stop are located in the back focal plane of the lower imaging module. The lower imaging module images the illumination source into a plane of an aperture stop of the upper imaging module. The optical axis of the upper imaging module is offset with respect to the lower imaging module. The optical axis of the telecentric illumination module is offset with respect to the axis of the lower imaging module in the opposite direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2009Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Orbotech Ltd.Inventors: David Fisch, Yigal Katzir
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Patent number: 8462329Abstract: Illumination subsystems for multi-spot wafer inspection are provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2011Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.Inventors: Guoheng Zhao, Azmi Kadkly
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Patent number: 8462327Abstract: An appearance inspection apparatus analyzes a difference in detection characteristics of detection signals obtained by detectors to flexibly meet various inspection purposes without changing a circuit or software. The apparatus includes a signal synthesizing section that synthesizes detection signals from the detectors in accordance with a set condition. An input operating section sets a synthesizing condition of the detection signal by the signal synthesizing section, and an information display section displays a synthesizing map structured based on a synthesized signal which is synthesized by the signal synthesizing section in accordance with a condition set by the input operating section.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Kenji Oka, Shigeru Matsui
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Publication number: 20130141715Abstract: Proposed is a defect inspection method whereby: illuminating light having a substantially uniform illumination intensity distribution in one direction of a sample surface irradiated on the sample surface; multiple scattered light components, which are output in multiple independent directions, are detected among the scattered light from the sample surface and multiple corresponding scattered light detection signals are obtained; at least one of the multiple scattered light detection signals is processed and the presence of defects is determined; at least one of the multiple scattered light detection signals that correspond to each of the points determined by the processing as a defect is processed and the dimensions of the defect are determined; and the position and dimensions of the defect on the sample surface, at each of the points determined as a defect, are displayed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2011Publication date: June 6, 2013Inventors: Yuta Urano, Shigenobu Maruyama, Toshiyuki Nakao, Toshifumi Honda, Yukihiro Shibata
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Patent number: 8456639Abstract: A spectroscopic instrument for conducting multi-wavelength, multi-azimuth, multi-angle-of-incidence readings on a substrate, the instrument having a broadband light source for producing an illumination beam, an objective for directing the illumination onto the substrate at multiple azimuth angles and multiple angels-of-incidence simultaneously, thereby producing a reflection beam, an aperture plate having an illumination aperture and a plurality of collection apertures formed therein for selectively passing portions of the reflection beam having desired discreet combinations of azimuth angle and angle-of-incident, a detector for receiving the discreet combinations of azimuth angle and angle-of-incident and producing readings, and a processor for interpreting the readings.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Shankar Krishnan, Haiming Wang
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Patent number: 8456624Abstract: There is disclosed an inspection device for inspecting a spatial light modulator having a plurality of optical elements arrayed two-dimensionally and controlled individually, said inspection device comprising, a conjugate optical system which is arranged optically downstream the spatial light modulator and which forms a conjugate plane optically conjugate with an array plane where the plurality of optical elements are arrayed, a photodetector having a detection surface arranged on or near the conjugate plane, and an inspection unit which inspects optical characteristics of the plurality of optical elements, based on a result of detection by the photodetector.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Osamu Tanitsu, Hirohisa Tanaka
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Patent number: 8451439Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting defects includes emitting an ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source, illuminating a specimen with the ultraviolet light in which a polarization condition of the ultraviolet light is controlled, controlling a polarization condition of light reflected from the specimen which is illuminated by the polarization condition controlled ultraviolet light, detecting the light reflected from the specimen, processing the detected light so as to detect defects, and outputting information about the defects. The ultraviolet light source is disposed in a clean environment supplied with clean gas and separated from outside.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2012Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Sachio Uto, Minoru Yoshida, Toshihiko Nakata, Shunzi Maeda, Atsushi Shimoda
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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: 8444821Abstract: Optical radiation sources functioning on different optical bands radiate on different optical bands and focus optical radiation on a region in a web surface as pulses in such a manner that illumination areas of the pulses overlap on the plane of the web. At most one optical radiation band is focused on the web from the direction of the normal. The spatial intensity distribution of at least one optical band differs from the uniform distribution and the intensity distributions of at least two different optical bands differ from one another in a predetermined manner. A camera forms still images of the web surface region on each optical radiation band. An image-processing unit determines the surface topography of the web on the basis of the images. In addition, a controller may control the paper manufacturing process on the basis of the determined surface topography.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2008Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Metso Automation OyInventors: Marko Avikainen, Petri Niemi, Heikki Kettunen, Markku Mäntylä, Heimo Keränen
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Patent number: 8446578Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus for inspecting a defect of a substrate as an object to be inspected comprises an illumination optical system for illuminating the substrate, a receiving optical system for receiving diffracted light from the substrate and a polarizing element provided in either one of the illumination optical system or the receiving optical system.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Mari Sugihara, Takeo Oomori, Kazuhiko Fukazawa
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Patent number: 8446579Abstract: An inspection device is for inspecting a spatial light modulator having a plurality of optical elements arrayed two-dimensionally and controlled individually. The inspection device includes a Fourier transform optical system which is arranged optically downstream the spatial light modulator and which forms a Fourier transform plane optically in a Fourier transform relation with an array plane where the plurality of optical elements are arrayed, a photodetector having a detection surface arranged on or near the Fourier transform plane, and an inspection unit which inspects optical characteristics of the plurality of optical elements, based on a result of detection by the photodetector.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Osamu Tanitsu, Hirohisa Tanaka
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Patent number: 8441627Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus and a surface inspection method aim to securely deal with finer repetition pitch without shortening the wavelength of illumination light. To this end, the apparatus includes a unit illuminating repetitive pattern(s) formed on the substrate surface to be inspected with linearly polarized light, a unit setting to an oblique angle an angle between the direction of an intersecting line of a vibration plane of the linearly polarized light on the substrate surface and the repetition direction of repetitive pattern(s), a unit extracting a polarized light component perpendicular to the vibration plane of the linearly polarized light, from light having been emitted from the repetitive pattern(s) in a specular direction, and a unit detecting a defect of the repetitive pattern(s) according to the light intensity of the polarized light component.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2010Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Kazuhiko Fukazawa, Koichiro Komatsu, Takeo Oomori
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Patent number: 8441647Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a foreign material within a pouch type battery by performing a light scattering method on a surface of a battery case are provided. The apparatus for detecting a foreign material within a pouch type battery includes: a light source irradiating linear light to a surface of a battery case at a pre-set incident angle; a sensor unit sensing light reflected from the battery case; and a foreign material detection unit detecting the presence or absence of a foreign material and the position of the foreign material within a battery through the reflected light sensed by the sensing unit. A foreign material within a battery can to be quickly and accurately detected.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.Inventors: Seung Yeob Park, Ho Sub Jung, Jin-Young Park, Young Joon Shin, Eun Ju Lee
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Patent number: 8441651Abstract: Disclosed herein is a defect inspection apparatus including: a light source for emitting laser light; a mirror group for splitting the wave surface of incident laser light emitted by the light source into a plurality of component wave surfaces, arranging the component wave surfaces to form an array oriented in one direction and aligning the component wave surfaces to form a single wave surface after propagating the laser light through a moving object of measurement; an interferometer for splitting the single wave surface into two partial wave surfaces to create an interference stripe; an imaging section for taking an image of the interference stripe created by the interferometer; and an analysis section for detecting a defect existing on the surface of the moving object of measurement on the basis of changes of the image, which has been taken as the image of the interference stripe, with the lapse of time.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2010Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Xiaodi Tan
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Patent number: 8437002Abstract: The invention relates to an imaging optical inspection setup for inspecting a sample (5). Said inspection setup comprises a source of light (3) illuminating a specified portion of the sample surface by non-collimated light (4) in a plane of illumination, at least one pinhole (7) arranged in a path of reflected light (4?) reflected from said portion and/or in a path of transmitted light (4?) travelling through the entire thickness of the sample (5) in said sample portion, said pinhole (7) extending at least in the plane of illumination, and at least one screen and/or at least one position-sensitive detector system (8) arranged in the path of light (4?, 4?) passing through said pinhole (7) and adapted to intercept said light (4?, 4?), said detector system (8) being susceptible of sensing light intensity distribution along at least a line.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignees: MTA TTK, MTA Wigner FKInventors: Zoltán György Horváth, György Juhász, Miklós Fried, Csaba Major, Péter Petrik
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Publication number: 20130094023Abstract: An optical collection system for use in a surface inspection system for inspecting a surface of a workpiece. The surface inspection system has an incident beam projected through a back quartersphere and toward a location on the surface of the workpiece to impinge on the surface. This forms a reflected beam that extends along a light channel axis in a front quartersphere, and forms scattered light having a haze scatter portion. The incident beam and the light channel axis form an incident plane. The optical collection system includes back collectors that are positioned in the back quartersphere for collecting the scattered light, where each of the back collectors is disposed in the back quartersphere outside the incident plane, and at a relative minimum in the Rayleigh scatter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2012Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATIONInventor: KLA-Tencor Corporation