Solid inspection apparatus and method of use

US11442017B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Illumina, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John Earney · San Diego, US
• Joseph Pinto · Ithaca, US
• M. Shane Bowen · Encinitas, US
• Michael Graige · Encinitas, US
• Arthur J. Pitera · Cambridge, US
• Bala Murali Venkatesan · Champaign, US
• Dajun Yuan · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 4, 2020
• Grant date: Sep 13, 2022
• Expiry date: Nov 4, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2201/127
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.