Optical scanner with improved scan time
US7830575B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 10, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B26/108
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for scanning an object, featuring scanning an incident beam in a substantially curved scan pattern; and moving an object at a predetermined rate along an axis substantially orthogonal to a plane of the curved scan pattern so that a two dimensional image can be formed by successive passes of a circularly scanned spot. In particular, a laser beam scans around an objective lens at a fixed radius RL with a fixed input angle θd. When scanned in this manner, the laser beam before the objective lens forms a “cone” of directions (so herein it is referred to as a “conical scan”). Scanning in this fashion produces the curved scan pattern at the object (substrate). By moving the object (substrate) at the predetermined rate along the axis orthogonal to the plane of the curved scan pattern, the two dimensional image can be formed by successive passes of the circularly scanned spot.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.