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:
Mar. 17, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 18, 2004
Dieter Mueller, Cupertino, CA (US);
George Kren, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);
Cedric Affentauschegg, San Jose, CA (US);
Dieter Mueller, Cupertino, CA (US);
George Kren, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);
Cedric Affentauschegg, San Jose, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for in-line inspection of specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of sections of specimens having predetermined standardized characteristics using a diffraction grating that widens and passes nth order (n>0) wave fronts to the specimen surface and a reflective surface for the transmitted light beam. Light energy is transmitted in a narrow swath across the portion of the surface having the standardized features. The wavefronts are combined using a second diffraction grating and passed to a camera system having a desired aspect ratio.