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:
Dec. 09, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Giora Eytan, Rechovot, IL;
Sagie Tsadka, Yavne, IL;
Assignee:
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/100 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/100 ;
Abstract
A two dimensional sensor array is used to collect light diffracted from the inspected substrate. The signal generated by each individual sensor is passed through a threshold. Those signals which are below the threshold are amplified and are summed up. The summed signal is then passed through a second threshold. Summed signals which pass the second threshold are flagged as indicating suspect locations on the substrate. In the preferred embodiment, the entire circuitry is provided in the form of a CMOS camera which is placed in the Fourier plane of the diffracted light.