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:
May. 19, 2009
Filed:
Aug. 15, 2006
Grace Hsiu-ling Chen, San Jose, CA (US);
Tao-yi Fu, Fremont, CA (US);
Jamie Sullivan, Eugene, OR (US);
Shing Lee, Fremont, CA (US);
Greg Kirk, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Grace Hsiu-Ling Chen, San Jose, CA (US);
Tao-Yi Fu, Fremont, CA (US);
Jamie Sullivan, Eugene, OR (US);
Shing Lee, Fremont, CA (US);
Greg Kirk, Pleasanton, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Systems configured to inspect a specimen are provided. One system includes an illumination subsystem configured to illuminate a two-dimensional field of view on the specimen. The system also includes a collection subsystem configured to collect light scattered from the specimen. In addition, the system includes an array of micro-mirrors configured to reflect a two-dimensional pattern of light diffracted from periodic structures on the specimen out of the optical path of the system without reflecting light across an entire dimension of the array out of the optical path. The system further includes a detection subsystem configured to generate output responsive to light reflected by the array into the optical path. The output can be used to detect defects on the specimen. In one embodiment, the system includes an optical element configured to increase the uniformity of the wavefront of the light reflected by the array into the optical path.