Patent · US Expired

Rotational and focusing apparatus for turret mounted lenses

US4647764A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
4References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 22, 1984
Grant dateMar 3, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 22, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B21/241
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In an automatic wafer inspection system, the objective lenses used in micro inspection are mounted on a turret which is attached to an adjustable turret support member. Several lenses may be brought sequentially into position for inspection of the patterned wafer and it is necessary that the handoff be precise so as to maintain the same pattern in the viewing position. V-slots are mounted on the turret in such a location as to be correctly associated with the precise position for each lens. A detent ball spring is biased to drive into a V-slot so as to hold the associated lens in the precise viewing position. When hand-off to the next lens is to be accomplished, a counter force is applied which overcomes the spring bias and pulls the detent ball out of the V-slot. A drive motor is then enabled, which turns the turret a predetermined distance to bring the wide opening of the next adjacent V-slot into approximate alignment with the detent ball and the drive motor is disabled. The counter force is released which allows the spring bias to force the detent ball into the now partially aligned V-slot to precisely align the lens and hold the lens in alignment. The adjustable turret support…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.