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.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 17, 2009

Filed:

Jun. 27, 2006
Applicants:

Steven G. Hummel, Bend, OR (US);

Tom Walker, Portland, OR (US);

Inventors:

Steven G. Hummel, Bend, OR (US);

Tom Walker, Portland, OR (US);

Assignee:

Nanometrics Incorporated, Milpitas, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/64 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A method and apparatus uses photoluminescence to identify defects in one or more specified material layers of a sample. One or more filtering elements are used to filter out predetermined wavelengths of return light emitted from a sample. The predetermined wavelengths are selected such that only return light emitted from one or more specified material layers of the sample is detected. Additionally or alternatively, the wavelength of incident light directed into the sample may be selected to penetrate the sample to a given depth, or to excite only one or more selected material layers in the sample. Accordingly, defect data characteristic of primarily only the one or more specified material layers is generated.


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