Therma-wave, Inc.

Complete Genomics, Inc.

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Craig E Uhrich

Bryan P Staker

Jon Opsal

Jeffrey Thomas Fanton

Louis N Koppel

Jianhui Chen

An imaging system is provided wherein a positioning stage is translated with respect to an objective lens component and a scan mirror is repositioned while a two-dimensional image is made of a biochemical site on a substrate. In an example embodiment, an imaging system comprises a camera, an objective lens component, a positioning stage, and a scan mirror controllable by a servo system that synchronizes movement of the positioning stage and the tilting of the scan mirror so that the substrate image is maintained stable during imaging of the continuously moving positioning stage.

Imaging systems with movable scan mirrors

Imaging systems are provided for high speed, high resolution imaging of biochemical materials. In an example embodiment, an imaging system comprises an objective lens component, a line generator, a digital camera, a positioning stage, and a scan mirror. The line generator generates a line of light that is scanned across a portion of a substrate that is mounted on the positioning stage. The positioning stage moves the substrate in a particular direction that is substantially normal to an optical axis of the objective lens component. The camera collects an image of the portion of the substrate through the objective lens component. The scan mirror moves in coordination with the positioning stage, while the line of light is being scanned across the portion of the substrate and the substrate is being moved in the particular direction, in order to keep the image still with respect to the camera while the image is being collected by the camera.

Techniques for scanned illumination

A method and associated system for imaging high density biochemical arrays comprises one or more imaging channels that share a common objective lens and a corresponding one or more time delay integration-type imaging cameras with optical alignment mechanisms that permit independent inter-channel and intra-channel adjustment of each of four degrees: X, Y, rotation and scale. The imaging channels are configured to independently examine different spectra of the image of the biochemical arrays.

Method for imaging high density biochemical arrays with sub-pixel alignment

Method and system for imaging high density biochemical arrays with sub-pixel alignment

A system and associated method for imaging high density biochemical arrays comprises one or more imaging channels that share a common objective lens and a corresponding one or more time delay integration-type imaging cameras with optical alignment mechanisms that permit independent inter-channel and intra-channel adjustment of each of four degrees: X, Y, rotation and scale. The imaging channels are configured to independently examine different spectra of the image of the biochemical arrays.

In the calibration and alignment of an X-ray reflectometry ('XRR') system for measuring thin films, an approach is presented for accurately determining Cfor each sample placement and for finding the incident X-ray intensity corresponding to each pixel of a detector array and thus permitting an amplitude calibration of the reflectometer system. Another approach involves aligning an angle-resolved X-ray reflectometer using a focusing optic, such as a Johansson crystal. Another approach relates to validating the focusing optic. Another approach relates to the alignment of the focusing optic with the X-ray source. Another approach concerns the correction of measurements errors caused by the tilt or slope of the sample. Yet another approach concerns the calibration of the vertical position of the sample.

Calibration and alignment of X-ray reflectometric systems

A broadband ellipsometer is disclosed with an all-refractive optical system for focusing a probe beam on a sample. The ellipsometer includes a broadband light source emitting wavelengths in the UV and visible regions of the spectrum. The change in polarization state of the light reflected from the sample is arranged to evaluate characteristics of a sample. The probe beam is focused onto the sample using a composite lens system formed from materials transmissive in the UV and visible wavelengths and arranged to minimize chromatic aberrations. The spot size on the sample can be less than 3 mm and the aberration is such that the focal shift over the range of wavelengths is less than five percent of the mean focal length of the system.

Refractive focusing element for spectroscopic ellipsometry

An optical measurement system for evaluating a reference sample, having at least a partially known composition, includes a reference ellipsometer and at least one non-contact optical measurement device. The ellipsometer includes a light generator, an analyzer, and a detector. The light generator generates a beam of quasi-monochromatic light of known wavelength and polarization, which is directed at a non-normal angle of incidence relative to the reference sample. The analyzer creates interference between S and P polarized components in the beam after interaction with the sample. The detector then measures the intensity of the beam, which a processor uses to determine the polarization state of the beam and, subsequently, an optical property of the reference sample. The processor then can calibrate an optical measurement device by comparing a measured optical parameter from the optical measurement device to the determined optical property from the reference ellipsometer.

Thin film optical measurement system and method with calibrating ellipsometer

Systems and methods for operating an optical measurement system are disclosed which permit measurements to be made more uniformly in regions close the edge of a sample, such as a wafer. An optical measurement system can include a probe beam that is focused to an elliptically shaped spot on the surface of the sample. Improved measurements near the edge of the sample can be obtained by rotating the wafer with respect to the measurement spot to ensure that the short axis of the ellipse is perpendicular to the wafer edge.

Sample positioning system to improve edge measurements

A broadband ellipsometer is disclosed with an all-refractive optical system for focusing a probe beam on a sample. The ellipsometer includes a broadband light source emitting wavelengths in the UV and visible regions of the spectrum. The change in polarization state of the light reflected from the sample is arranged to evaluate characteristics of a sample. The probe beam is focused onto the sample using a composite lens system formed from materials transmissive in the UV and visible wavelengths and arranged to minimize chromatic aberrations. The spot size on the sample is preferably less than 3 mm and the aberration is such that the focal shift over the range of wavelengths is less than five percent of the mean focal length of the system.

Small spot spectroscopic ellipsometer with refractive focusing

The present invention relates to the calibration and alignment of an X-ray reflectometry (&ldquo;XRR&rdquo;) system for measuring thin films. An aspect of the present invention describes a method for accurately determining C for each sample placement and for finding the incident X-ray intensity corresponding to each pixel of a detector array and thus permitting an amplitude calibration of the reflectometer system. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for aligning an angle-resolved X-ray reflectometer that uses a focusing optic, which may preferably be a Johansson crystal. Another aspect of the present invention is to validate the focusing optic. Another aspect of the present invention relates to the alignment of the focusing optic with the X-ray source. Another aspect of the present invention concerns the correction of measurements errors caused by the tilt or slope of the sample. Yet another aspect of the present invention concerns the calibration of the vertical position of the sample.

An optical measurement system for evaluating a reference sample that has at least a partially known composition. The optical measurement system includes a reference ellipsometer and at least one non-contact optical measurement device. The reference ellipsometer includes a light generator, an analyzer and a detector. The light generator generates a beam of quasi-monochromatic light having a known wavelength and a known polarization for interacting with the reference sample. The beam is directed at a non-normal angle of incidence relative to the reference sample to interact with the reference sample. The analyzer creates interference between the S and P polarized components in the light beam after the light beam has interacted with reference sample. The detector measures the intensity of the light beam after it has passed through the analyzer. A processor determines the polarization state of the light beam entering the analyzer from the intensity measured by the detector, and determines an optical property of the reference sample based upon the determined polarization state, the known wavelength of light from the light generator and the composition of the reference sample. The processor also operates the optical measurement device to measure an optical parameter of the reference sample. The processor calibrates the optical measurement device by comparing the measured optical parameter from the optical measurement device to the determined optical property from the reference ellipsometer.

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Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Craig E Uhrich