Patent · US Active

Grazing and normal incidence interferometer having common reference surface

US8786842B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
33References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 2007
Grant dateJul 22, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 9, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B2290/30
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a diffraction grating that widens and passes nth order (n>0) wave fronts to the specimen surface and a reflective surface for each channel of the light beam. Two channels and two reflective surfaces are preferably employed, and the wavefronts are combined using a second diffraction grating and passed to a camera system having a desired aspect ratio. The system preferably comprises a damping arrangement which filters unwanted acoustic and seismic vibration, including an optics arrangement which scans a first portion of the specimen and a translation or rotation arrangement for translating or rotating the specimen to a position where the optics arrangement can scan the remaining portion(s) of the specimen. The system further includes-means for stitching scans together, providing for smaller and less expensive optical elements.

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