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:
Nov. 05, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2011
Richard W. Solarz, Danville, CA (US);
Stephane P. Durant, Mountain View, CA (US);
Shiow-hwei Hwang, San Ramon, CA (US);
Richard W. Solarz, Danville, CA (US);
Stephane P. Durant, Mountain View, CA (US);
Shiow-Hwei Hwang, San Ramon, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A wafer inspection system includes a laser droplet plasma (LDP) light source that generates light with sufficient radiance to enable bright field inspection at wavelengths down to 40 nanometers. Light generated by the LDP source is directed to the wafer and light from the illuminated wafer is collected by a high NA objective with all reflective elements. A detector detects the collected light for further image processing. The LDP source includes a droplet generator that dispenses droplets of a feed material. An excitation light generated by a laser is focused on a droplet of the feed material. The interaction of the excitation light with the droplet generates a plasma that emits illumination light with a radiance of at least 10 W/mm-sr within a spectral range from 40 nanometers to 200 nanometers.