Patent · US Expired

Method and system for optical inspection of a structure formed with a surface relief

US6720568B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
7References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 2001
Grant dateApr 13, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 7, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/956
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and system are presented for inspecting a structure containing a pattern in the form of a surface relief fabricated by a pattern-creating tool applied to the structure. Reference data is provided being indicative of photometric intensities of light components of different wavelengths returned from a structure having a pattern similar to the pattern of the structure under inspection. Spectrophotometric measurements are continuously applied to successive locations within the surface relief on the structure so as to form a measurement slice thereon. Measured data in the form of a spectrum indicative of photometric intensities of light components of different wavelengths returned from the successive locations within the slice is detected and analyzed to determine whether it correlates with the reference data in accordance with predetermined criteria results.

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