Method and apparatus for identifying defects in a substrate surface by using dithering to reconstruct under-sampled images
US7227984B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 5, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 9, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30148
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A surface inspection apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention includes an optical system having a plurality of time delay integration (TDI) sensors. The plurality of TDI sensors are arranged to generate a plurality of images of an object so that the images are offset a sub-pixel distance from each other. A scanning element enables the TDI sensors to scan the object so successive images of the object can be generated. Image processing circuitry is used to process the plurality of successive images together to produce a reconstructed image of the object having increased pixel density. The embodiments of the invention also include methods for generating reconstructed images from a plurality of TDI images obtained from at least two offset TDI sensors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.