Broadband light illuminators

Abstract

A broadband light illuminator of an optical inspector for optically detecting defects of an inspection object may include an electrode-less chamber including a plasma area from which broadband light is generated; a first energy provider, exterior to the chamber, configured to provide first energy for ionizing high pressure gases to form ionized gases in the chamber; a second energy provider, exterior to the chamber, configured to provide second energy for transforming the ionized gases into a plasma state to form the plasma area at a central portion of the chamber; an elliptical reflector having a first focus at which the chamber is positioned and a second focus such that the broadband light is reflected from the elliptical reflector toward the second focus; and a lens unit focusing the reflected broadband light onto the inspection object to form an inspection light for detecting the defects of the inspection object.