Patent · US Active

Inspection device and inspection method for the optical examination of object surfaces, particularly of wafer surfaces

US8289509B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
9References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 27, 2010
Grant dateOct 16, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/4735
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An inspection device and a method of inspection, for optical examination of object surfaces, particularly wafer surfaces, wherein the object surface is illuminated by a first illumination device and a second illumination device, wherewith the light reflected and/or scattered from irregularities on the object surface is detected by means of a “scattered light detector” operating in the dark field of the first and second illumination devices, and wherewith the object surface is illuminated by a first illumination device and a second illumination device, wherewith the first illumination device has a laser for illuminating a measurement point on the object surface. The second illumination device is disposed (and oriented) to illuminate the same measurement point on the object surface but with a larger image spot, with the use of light of lower coherence and/or with less anisotropy than that of the laser.

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