Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for dual spot inspection of repetitive patterns

US6943898B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
4References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 2003
Grant dateSep 13, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 6, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/95607
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus for optical assessment of a sample includes a radiation source, adapted to generate a beam of coherent radiation, and traveling lens optics, adapted to focus the beam so as to generate first and second spots on a surface of the sample and to scan the spots together over the surface. The distance between the first and second spots is responsive to a pitch of a repetitive pattern of the sample. Collection optics are positioned to collect the radiation scattered from the first and second spots and to focus the collected radiation so as to generate an interference pattern. A detector detects a change in the interference pattern.

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