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:
Aug. 01, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 01, 1999
Koichiro Komatsu, Tokyo, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image detection apparatus (10) having an illumination system (IS) irradiates light onto the surface (30S) of an object 30 to be inspected for defects. A detection optical system (34) condenses the light from the surface and forms an image of the surface on an image detector (48). The detection optical system includes a receiving mirror (38) having an optical axis (A.sub.38) that intersects the reference optical axis (A.sub.34) of the detection optical system. A processing apparatus (60) includes a processing system (62) that performs image processing based on an output from the detector corresponding to the image. The processing system includes an image distortion correction unit (62a) for eliminating the effects of distortion in the image of the surface generated by the inclination of the surface with respect to the reference optical axis and the receiving mirror.