High-sensitivity optical scanning using memory integration

1. An inspection system comprising:

a light source providing non-continuous illumination;

a two dimensional array of photosensors operative to acquire at a frame rate a plurality of at least partially overlapping two dimensional image frames of an object to be inspected, wherein said non-continuous illumination and said frame rate are generally synchronized; and

a defect analyzer operative to receive said two dimensional image frames, to combine overlapping portions of said two dimensional image frames to generate a representation of said object to be inspected, and to provide a report of defects on said object to be inspected based on an inspection of said representation.

2. The inspection system claimed in claim 1 , wherein said two dimensional array of photosensors are disposed on a CMOS integrated circuit.

3. The inspection system claimed in claim 1 , wherein said two dimensional array of photosensors provides a plurality of digital images, each digital image being defined by pixels.

4. The inspection system claimed in claim 3 , wherein said representation of said object comprises a digital representation defined by pixels, said representation being formed by combining corresponding pixels from overlapping portions of different two dimensional image frames.

5. The inspection system image system claimed in claim 1 , wherein each two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames at least partially overlaps another two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames by at least a single row of pixels.

6. The inspection system claimed in claim 5 , wherein each two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames substantially overlaps another two dimensional image frame in said plurality of image frames.

7. The inspection system claimed in claim 6 , wherein each two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames substantially overlaps another two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames but wherein at least a single row of pixels does not overlap.

8. A method for inspecting an object, comprising:

illuminating an object to be inspected with non-continuous illumination;

acquiring at a frame rate a plurality of at least partially overlapping two dimensional image frames of said object to be inspected, wherein said non-continuous illuminating and said acquiring at a frame rate are generally synchronized; and

generating a representation of said object to be inspected by combining overlapping portions of said two dimensional image frames; and

reporting defects on said object to be inspected based on an inspection of said representation.

9. The method claimed in claim 8 , acquiring is performed using a two dimensional array of photosensors are disposed on a CMOS integrated circuit.

10. The method claimed in claim 8 , wherein said acquiring two dimensional image frames comprises acquiring a plurality of digital images, each digital image being defined by pixels.

11. The method claimed in claim 10 , wherein said generating a representation of said object comprises generating a digital representation defined by pixels, said representation being generated by combining corresponding pixels from overlapping portions of different two dimensional image frames.

12. The method claimed in claim 8 , wherein each two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames at least partially overlaps another two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames by at least a single row of pixels.

13. The method claimed in claim 12 , wherein each two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames substantially overlaps another two dimensional image frame in said plurality of image frames.

14. The method claimed in claim 13 , wherein each two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames substantially overlaps another two dimensional image frame in said plurality of two dimensional image frames but wherein at least a single row of pixels does not overlap.