Method for three-dimensional inspection using patterned light projection

1. A method of inspecting at least one feature of an article having at least one three-dimensional specular element, said method comprising the acts of:

projecting at least one line of light onto said article having said at least one specular element;

detecting at least a first image of said at least one line of light reflected from said article at at least a first position;

processing said at least a first image to locate said at least one line of light projected on said article and to measure a lateral shift of said at least one line of light at a point on said at least one specular element, for calculating at least a height of said at least one three-dimensional specular element at said point of said lateral shift; and

wherein said article includes a plurality of specular elements spaced apart on said article, and wherein said act of projecting at least one line of light onto said article having said at least one specular element comprises projecting a plurality of lines of light onto said article, wherein a spacing of said plurality of lines of light projected onto said article is greater than said spacing of said plurality of specular elements such that one of said lines of light approaches a top of one of said plurality of specular elements while an adjacent one of said lines is on an opposite side of an adjacent one of said plurality of specular elements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said article includes a ball grid array (BGA) device having an array of solder balls disposed on a substrate, wherein said spacing of said plurality of lines is greater than a pitch of said array of solder balls.

3. A method of inspecting at least one feature of an article having at least one three-dimensional specular element, said method comprising the acts of:

projecting at least one line of light onto said article having said at least one specular element;

detecting at least a first image of said at least one line of light reflected from said article at at least a first position;

processing said at least a first image to locate said at least one line of light projected on said article and to measure a lateral shift of said at least one line of light at a point on said at least one specular element, for calculating at least a height of said at least one three-dimensional specular element at said point of said lateral shift; and

further comprising, after the act of detecting said at least a first image of said at least one line of light at said at least a first position, the acts of:

shifting said at least one line of light projected onto said article by a fraction of a width of said at least one line of light to a second position; and

detecting a second image of said at least one line of light reflected from said article at said second position; and

wherein locating said at least one line of light includes the acts of:

subtracting gray scale values in said second image of said at least one line of light from corresponding gray scale values in said first image of said at least one line of light to obtain a synthetic image of said at least one line of light, wherein said synthetic image extends through a zero crossing plane and includes positive pixel values above said zero crossing plane and negative pixel values below said zero crossing plane; and

locating points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane, wherein said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane are used to calculate said lateral shift of said at least one line of light.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said act of locating said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane includes fitting a plurality of best fit splines to a portion of said synthetic image proximate said zero crossing plane and determining where said best fit splines intersect said zero crossing plane.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said act of locating said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane includes fitting a best fit plane to a portion of said synthetic image proximate said zero crossing plane and determining where said best fit plane intersects said zero crossing plane.

6. A method of inspecting three-dimensional features of an article having an array of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height, said method comprising the acts of:

placing an article on an article support such that said article generally lies in a plane;

projecting lines of light onto said article having said array of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height, wherein a spacing of said lines of light is greater than a spacing of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height such that one of said lines of light approaches a bottom of one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height while a consecutive one of said lines is on an opposite side of a consecutive one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height;

detecting at least a first image of said lines of light reflected from said article at least a first position; and

processing said at least a first image to locate at least one of said lines of light projected on said article and to measure a lateral shift of said at least one of said lines of light at a point on one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height, for calculating a negative height of said one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height at said point of said lateral shift.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said article includes an array of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height disposed on a substrate, wherein said spacing of said lines is greater than a pitch of said array of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height.

8. The method of claim 6 further including, after the act of detecting said at least a first image at said at least a first position, the acts of:

shifting said lines of light projected onto said article by a fraction of a line width to a second position;

detecting a second image of said lines of light reflected from said article at said second position; and

wherein locating said at least one of said lines of light includes the acts of:

subtracting gray scale values in said second image of said at least one of said lines from corresponding gray scale values in said first image of said at least one of said lines to obtain a synthetic image of said at least one line, wherein said synthetic image extends through a zero crossing plane and includes positive pixel values above said zero crossing plane and negative pixel values below said zero crossing plane; and

locating points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane, wherein said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane are used to calculate said lateral shift of said at least one of said lines.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said act of locating said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane includes fitting a plurality of best fit splines to a portion of said synthetic image proximate said zero crossing plane and determining where said best fit splines intersect said zero crossing plane.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said act of locating said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane includes fitting a best fit plane to a portion of said synthetic image proximate said zero crossing plane and determining where said best fit plane intersects said zero crossing plane.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said lines are projected onto said article such that said lines are in focus in a plane generally parallel to said plane of said article.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein projecting said lines onto said article includes providing a lower f-number in a direction along a length of said lines of light projected onto said article and a higher f-number in a direction along a width of said lines of light projected onto said article.

13. A method of inspecting three-dimensional features of an article having an array of a combination of three-dimensional elements having a shape and positive and negative heights, said method comprising the acts of:

placing an article on an article support such that said article generally lies in a plane;

projecting lines of light onto said article having said array of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height, wherein a spacing of said lines of light is greater than a spacing of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height such that one of said lines of light approaches a bottom of one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height while a consecutive one of said lines is on an opposite side of a consecutive one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height;

detecting at least a first image of said lines of light reflected from said article at at least a first position; and

processing said at least a first image to locate at least one of said lines of light projected on said article and to measure a lateral shift of said at least one of said lines of light at a point on one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height, for calculating a negative height of said one of said three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative height at said point of said lateral shift.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said article includes an array of a combination of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative and positive heights disposed on a substrate, wherein said spacing of said lines is greater than a pitch of said array of a combination of three-dimensional elements having a shape and negative and positive heights.

15. The method of claim 13 further including, after the act of detecting said at least a first image at said at least a first position, the acts of:

shifting said lines of light projected onto said article by a fraction of a line width to a second position;

detecting a second image of said lines of light reflected from said article at said second position; and

wherein locating said at least one of said lines of light includes the acts of:

subtracting gray scale values in said second image of said at least one of said lines from corresponding gray scale values in said first image of said at least one of said lines to obtain a synthetic image of said at least one line, wherein said synthetic image extends through a zero crossing plane and includes positive pixel values above said zero crossing plane and negative pixel values below said zero crossing plane; and

locating points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane, wherein said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane are used to calculate said lateral shift of said at least one of said lines.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said act of locating said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane includes fitting a plurality of best fit splines to a portion of said synthetic image proximate said zero crossing plane and determining where said best fit splines intersect said zero crossing plane.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said act of locating said points at which said synthetic image intersects said zero crossing plane includes fitting a best fit plane to a portion of said synthetic image proximate said zero crossing plane and determining where said best fit plane said zero crossing plane.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said lines are projected onto said article such that said lines are in focus in a plane generally parallel to said plane of said article.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein projecting said lines onto said article includes providing a lower f-number in a direction along a length of said lines of light projected onto said article and a higher f-number in a direction along a width of said lines of light projected onto said article.