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. 18, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 10, 2000
Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd., Rehovot, IL;
Abstract
An optical inspection system is presented, aimed at detecting defects on a substantially flat workpiece having an axis of symmetry. The workpiece is supported on a stage so as to be in an inspection plane, the stage being mounted for rotation in a plane parallel to the inspection plane. A scanning apparatus is accommodated above the workpiece, and comprises an illumination assembly, a plurality of optical assemblies, and a plurality of area sensors. The illumination assembly produces a plurality of incident radiation components for illuminating a strip on the workpiece extending parallel to the axis symmetry between two opposite sides thereof. The optical assemblies are aligned along the axis of symmetry in a spaced-apart parallel relationship, and are mounted for reciprocating movement within a plane parallel to an inspection area that covers substantially a half of the workpiece. The area sensors are arranged in a predetermined manner, each area sensor being associated with a corresponding one of the optical assemblies for receiving a component of returned radiation and generating data representative thereof. The half of the workpiece is strip-by-strip inspected, then the stage with the workpiece is rotated by 180° and the other half of the workpiece is strip-by-strip inspected.