Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Image splitting in optical inspection systems
- Patent Title (中): 光学检测系统中的图像分割
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Application No.: US11944684Application Date: 2007-11-26
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Publication No.: US07714998B2Publication Date: 2010-05-11
- Inventor: Dov Furman , Roy Kaner , Ori Gonen , Daniel Mandelik , Eran Tal , Shai Silberstein
- Applicant: Dov Furman , Roy Kaner , Ori Gonen , Daniel Mandelik , Eran Tal , Shai Silberstein
- Applicant Address: SG Singapore
- Assignee: Applied Materials South East Asia Pte. Ltd.
- Current Assignee: Applied Materials South East Asia Pte. Ltd.
- Current Assignee Address: SG Singapore
- Agency: Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
- Main IPC: G01N21/00
- IPC: G01N21/00

Abstract:
In an optical inspection tool, an image of an object under inspection, such as a semiconductor wafer, may be obtained using imaging optics defining a focal plane. Light comprising the image can be split into portions that are detected using multiple detectors which each register a portion of the image. The image of the object at the focal plane can be split into two, three, or more parts by polarization-based beam splitters and/or lenses positioned tangent to the focal plane. The splitting apparatus may comprise a pair of arrays of half-cylinder lenses comprising a convex side and a flat side. The arrays can be positioned with the cylinder axes perpendicular to one another and the flat sides facing each other. Thus, the pair of arrays can divide incoming light into a plurality of rectangular portions without introducing non-uniformities which would occur if several spherical lenses are configured for use in a rectangular array.
Public/Granted literature
- US20080137074A1 Image Splitting in Optical Inspection Systems Public/Granted day:2008-06-12
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