Intel Corporation

Liang Zhang

Jianyong Mo

Robert F Wiedmaier

Changhua Liu

Zhihua Zou

Di Xu

Zhichao Zhang

Pooya Tadayon

Osborne A Martin, Iii

Fan Fan

Darren A Vance

Sheng C Li

Srikant Nekkanty

Gregory S Clemons

Tamil Selvy Selvamuniandy

Jacob Chesna

David Wasinger

Yiren Wu

V Wade Singleton

Alireza Ashari

Curt Carboni

Jason Jones

Wei Yan

An optical inspection tool may include at least a first image capture unit and a second image capture unit for inspecting specimens having a substantially V-shaped grooves. The first image capture unit may be arranged in a first orientation so as to be directable towards a first angular surface of the V-shaped groove of each specimen. The second image capture unit may be arranged in a second orientation so as to be directable towards a second angular surface of the V-shaped groove of each specimen. The first image capture unit may be configured to capture images of defects and/or contamination on the first angular surface and the second image capture unit may be configured to capture images of defects and/or contamination on the second angular surface.

Optical inspection tool and inspection method for inspecting multifaceted groove specimens

Techniques and mechanisms for facilitating horizontal communication with a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip, and a lens structure which is optically coupled thereto. In an embodiment, a PIC chip comprises integrated circuitry, photonic waveguides, and integrated edge-oriented couplers (IECs) which are coupled to the integrated circuitry via the photonic waveguides. The PIC chip forms respective first divergent lens surfaces of the IECs, which are each at a respective terminus of a corresponding one of the photonic waveguides. A lens structure, which is adjacent to the IECs, comprises a second divergent lens surface having an orientation which is substantially orthogonal to the respective orientations of the first divergent lens surfaces. In another embodiment, an edge of the PIC chip forms one or more recess structures, and the lens structure comprises one or more tenon portions which each extends into a respective recess structure of the one or more recess structures.

Device, method and system for optical communication with a photonic integrated circuit chip and a transverse oriented lens structure

An apparatus includes a light source configured to emit light to a translucent material and an embedded feature disposed in the translucent material, a first linear polarizer configured to linearly polarize the emitted light, based on a first orientation of an optical axis of the first linear polarizer, and a second linear polarizer configured to filter the light that is reflected from the translucent material, from the light that is reflected from the embedded feature and the translucent material, based on a second orientation of an optical axis of the second linear polarizer. The apparatus further includes a sensor configured to receive the light reflected from the embedded feature, from which the light reflected from the translucent material is filtered, and capture an image of the embedded feature and the translucent material, based on the received light.

Apparatuses and methods for inspecting embedded features

Techniques and mechanisms for optically coupling a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip to an optical fiber via a planar optical waveguide structure. In an embodiment, a PIC chip comprises integrated circuitry, photonic waveguides, and integrated edge-oriented couplers (IECs) which are coupled to the integrated circuitry via the photonic waveguides. The PIC chip forms respective divergent lens surfaces of the IECs, which are each at a respective terminus of a corresponding one of the photonic waveguides. A planar optical waveguide structure, which is adjacent to the IECs, comprises a core which is optically coupled between the PIC chip and an array of optical fibers. In another embodiment, an edge of the PIC forms a stepped structure, wherein an upper portion of the stepped structure comprises the plurality of coplanar IECs, and a lower portion of the stepped structure extends past the plurality of coplanar IECs.

Device, method and system for optical communication with a waveguide structure and an integrated optical coupler of a photonic integrated circuit chip

The present disclosure is directed to a metrology system having 3-dimensional sensors for thickness measurements of semiconductor elements, and methods for taking the thickness measurements. In an aspect, the 3-dimensional sensor may be a single or dual 3-dimensional profiler that may scan across the top and bottom surfaces of an element to obtain a thickness measurement. In another aspect, the method may be used to measure a gap between elements that have assembled together.

Non-destructive gap metrology

Embodiments disclosed herein include lithographic patterning systems for non-orthogonal patterning and devices formed with such patterning. In an embodiment, a lithographic patterning system comprises an actinic radiation source, where the actinic radiation source is configured to propagate light along an optical axis. In an embodiment, the lithographic patterning system further comprises a mask mount, where the mask mount is configurable to orient a surface of a mask at a first angle with respect to the optical axis. In an embodiment, the lithographic patterning system further comprises a lens module, and a substrate mount, where the substrate mount is configurable to orient a surface of a substrate at a second angle with respect to the optical axis.

Method to achieve tilted patterning with a through resist thickness using projection optics

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for an apparatus for package inspection. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a light source to selectively project a first light defined by a first wavelength range to a surface of a package under inspection; an optical filter to selectively transmit, within a second wavelength range, a second light emitted by the surface of the package in response to the projection of the first light to the surface; a camera to generate one or more images of the surface, defined by the second light; and a controller coupled with the light source, optical filter, and camera, to process the one or more images, to detect a presence of a material of interest on the surface of the package, based at least in part on the first and second wavelength ranges. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Apparatus for semiconductor package inspection

A method, apparatus and computer readable memory for solder paste inspection. A light source is configured to irradiate a sample solder joint comprising an organic material, an organic and metal material enclosed by an irregular boundary, and a metal material enclosed by a regular boundary. A first wavelength ultraviolet (UV) energy irradiates the sample to obtain first fluorescence energy, and a second wavelength UV energy irradiates the sample to obtain second fluorescence energy. A two-dimensional (2D) camera is configured to acquire a first image of the sample primarily from the first fluorescence energy and a second image of the sample primarily from the second fluorescence energy. Photo manipulation software is stored on at least one hardware processor, the photo manipulation software configured to overlay the first image and the second image to visually compare the boundary of the organic and metal material with the boundary of the metal material.

2D metrology technique for solder paste inspection

Embodiments herein relate to identifying whether a threshold amount of material is on a surface. In particular, an apparatus may have an inspection module to receive an image of a surface captured by a camera, where the surface is illuminated by a light source positioned at an angle to the surface. The apparatus may then analyze the received image to identify a measurement of light intensity of one or more portions of the surface; and determine, based on the analysis, whether each of the one or more portions of the surface includes a threshold amount of a material on the surface.

Reflectivity analysis to determine material on a surface

Inspection of microelectronic devices is described using near infrared light. In one example, a dielectric material layer on a substrate is illuminated with a near infrared light beam. The substrate has at least one contact land, the dielectric material layer overlies at least a portion of the contact land, and the substrate has at least one via defined in the dielectric material layer, the via exposing at least a portion of the contact land. Reflected near infrared light is reflected from the substrate at a camera. The position of the via is determined relative to the contact land from the reflected light beam using an image processing device.

Inspection of microelectronic devices using near-infrared light

The present disclosure relates to the field of microelectronic substrate fabrication and, more particularly, to alignment inspection for vias formed in the microelectronic substrates. The alignment inspection may be achieved by determining the relative positions of fluorescing and non-fluorescing elements in a microelectronic substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Liang Zhang