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:
Apr. 01, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2003
Steven R. Lange, Alamo, CA (US);
Steven R. Lange, Alamo, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A surface inspection apparatus and method are disclosed. In particular, the method and apparatus are capable of inspecting a surface in two (or more) optical regimes thereby enhancing the defect detection properties of such method and apparatus. A method involves illuminating the surface with light in a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range. The first wavelength range selected so that the surface is opaque to the light of the first wavelength range so that a resultant optical signal is produced that is predominated by diffractive and scattering properties of the surface. The second wavelength range is selected so that the surface is at least partially transmissive to light in the second wavelength range so that another resultant optical signal is produced that is predominated by thin film optical properties of the surface. The resultant optical signals are detected and processed to detect defects in the surface. Devices for implementing such methods are also disclosed.