Optical inspection using controlled illumination and collection polarization
US11796783B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 20, 2021 |
| Grant date | Oct 24, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 6, 2042 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2201/063
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical inspection system that may include an illumination optics configured to generate an illumination light beam and to illuminate a sample with the illumination light beam; at least one collection optics configured to collect light from the sample; at least one detector configured to detect at least one detected light beam outputted from the at least one collection optics; multiple polarizers that are configured to (a) set a polarization of the illumination light beam by selectively introducing, under a control of the control unit, at least one illumination optics polarization change, and (b) set a polarization of the at least one detected light beam by selectively introducing, under a control of the control unit, at least one collection optics polarization change. The multiple polarizers may include one or more illumination half-wave plates, one or more quarter-wave plates, and one or more inhomogeneous polarizers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.