The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 03, 2025
Filed:
Sep. 07, 2022
Kla Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Nicholas Petrone, San Jose, CA (US);
Lawrence Muray, Moraga, CA (US);
Alan Brodie, Palo Alto, CA (US);
KLA Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
An array of localized auto-focus sensors provides direct measurement of the working distance between each microscope column in the array and the substrate being imaged below. The auto-focus sensors measure the working distance between each column and the imaging substrate as it passes over a point on the substrate to be imaged. The working distance measurement from the sensors is input into a control system, which in turn outputs the required working distance adjustment to the microscope column. The control system independently adjusts microscope working distance and/or physical distance of an individual microscope column in a multi-column microscope based on auto-focus sensor input. The individual microscope columns in the multi-column microscope can also be used as the auto-focus sensor itself.