Broadband light illuminators
US8841824B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 2, 2012 |
| Grant date | Sep 23, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 2, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J65/04
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A broadband light illuminator of an optical inspector for optically detecting defects of an inspection object may include an electrode-less chamber including a plasma area from which broadband light is generated; a first energy provider, exterior to the chamber, configured to provide first energy for ionizing high pressure gases to form ionized gases in the chamber; a second energy provider, exterior to the chamber, configured to provide second energy for transforming the ionized gases into a plasma state to form the plasma area at a central portion of the chamber; an elliptical reflector having a first focus at which the chamber is positioned and a second focus such that the broadband light is reflected from the elliptical reflector toward the second focus; and a lens unit focusing the reflected broadband light onto the inspection object to form an inspection light for detecting the defects of the inspection object.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.