Optics: measuring and testing – Inspection of flaws or impurities – Surface condition
Reexamination Certificate
2005-08-02
2005-08-02
Toatley, Jr., Gregory J. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
Inspection of flaws or impurities
Surface condition
C356S237400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06924891
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for reducing speckle during inspection of articles used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, including wafers, masks, photomasks, and reticles. The coherence of a light beam output by a coherent light source, such as a pulsed laser, is reduced by disposing elements in a light path. Examples of such elements include optical fiber bundles; optical light guides; optical gratings; an integrating sphere; and an acousto-optic modulator. These various elements may be combined as desired, such that light beams output by the element combinations have optical path length differences that are greater than a coherence length of the light beam output by the coherent light source.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3778785 (1973-12-01), von Gutfeld
patent: 4070116 (1978-01-01), Frosch et al.
patent: 4508453 (1985-04-01), Hara et al.
patent: 4560235 (1985-12-01), Servaes et al.
patent: 4627731 (1986-12-01), Waters et al.
patent: 4681427 (1987-07-01), Plummer
patent: 4734923 (1988-03-01), Frankel et al.
patent: 4760265 (1988-07-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 4805123 (1989-02-01), Specht
patent: 4806774 (1989-02-01), Lin et al.
patent: 4819033 (1989-04-01), Yoshitake et al.
patent: 4926489 (1990-05-01), Danielson
patent: 4997259 (1991-03-01), Ichimura et al.
patent: 5016149 (1991-05-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5159455 (1992-10-01), Cox et al.
patent: 5264912 (1993-11-01), Vaught et al.
patent: 5355219 (1994-10-01), Araki et al.
patent: 5355425 (1994-10-01), Braiman et al.
patent: 5463497 (1995-10-01), Muraki et al.
patent: 5471066 (1995-11-01), Hagiwara
patent: 5479238 (1995-12-01), Whitney
patent: 5555087 (1996-09-01), Miyagawa et al.
patent: 5563702 (1996-10-01), Emery et al.
patent: 5619429 (1997-04-01), Aloni
patent: 5652665 (1997-07-01), Chen et al.
patent: 5661556 (1997-08-01), Schiff et al.
patent: 5671050 (1997-09-01), De Groot
patent: 5691541 (1997-11-01), Ceglio et al.
patent: 5699447 (1997-12-01), Alumot
patent: 5703691 (1997-12-01), Klaras et al.
patent: 5757474 (1998-05-01), Sopori et al.
patent: 5784098 (1998-07-01), Shoji et al.
patent: 5825482 (1998-10-01), Nikoonahad
patent: 5838709 (1998-11-01), Owa
patent: 5838843 (1998-11-01), Aose et al.
patent: 5859924 (1999-01-01), Liu et al.
patent: 5862285 (1999-01-01), Danielian et al.
patent: 5864394 (1999-01-01), Jordan, III
patent: 5892579 (1999-04-01), Elyasaf et al.
patent: 5929994 (1999-07-01), Lee et al.
patent: 6028664 (2000-02-01), Cheng et al.
patent: 6072581 (2000-06-01), Stephenson et al.
patent: 6104945 (2000-08-01), Modell et al.
patent: 6169603 (2001-01-01), Takayama
patent: 6184976 (2001-02-01), Park et al.
patent: 6238063 (2001-05-01), Tanitsu et al.
patent: 6369888 (2002-04-01), Karpol et al.
patent: 6377336 (2002-04-01), Shiraishi et al.
patent: 6381015 (2002-04-01), Sonehara et al.
patent: 6466315 (2002-10-01), Karpol et al.
patent: 6693664 (2004-02-01), Neumann
patent: 2002/0067478 (2002-06-01), Karpol et al.
patent: 0 867 772 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 363282640 (1988-11-01), None
patent: 05-190421 (1993-07-01), None
patent: 8-154210 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 8-292361 (1996-11-01), None
patent: 11-014357 (1999-01-01), None
patent: WO98/01858 (1997-07-01), None
patent: WO 00/70332 (2000-11-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan for JP 60 230629, Application date: Apr. 28, 1984.
Patent Abstracts of Japan for JP 60 247643, Application date: May 24, 1984.
T. S. McKechnie,Speckle Reduction, inTopics in Applied Physics, Laser Speckle and Related Phenomena, 123 (J.C. Dainty ed., 2d ed., 1984), pp. 123-170.
B. Dingel et al.,Speckle reduction with virtual incoherent laser illumination using a modified fiber array, Optik 94, at 132 (1993), pp. 132-136.
Elysaf Emanuel
Karpol Avner
Kenan Boaz
Reinhorn Silviu
Yalov Shimon
Applied Materials Inc.
Nguyen Sang H.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Toatley , Jr. Gregory J.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for article inspection including... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for article inspection including..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for article inspection including... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3463841