Method for detecting defects in ultra-high resolution panels

1. A system for inspection of electrical circuits, which electrical circuits include a multiplicity of conductors which are mutually spaced from each other, the system comprising:

a voltage driver operative to apply different electrical voltages to a plurality of conductors from among said multiplicity of conductors, wherein said plurality of conductors are in spatial propinquity to each other, wherein said plurality of conductors are mutually spaced and generally parallel, and wherein said voltage driver simultaneously applies said different electrical voltages to alternating ones of said generally parallel conductors;

a sensor operative to sense at least one characteristic of a test region defined thereby with respect to said electrical circuits, said sensor lacking sufficient spatial resolution to distinguish between locations of individual ones of said plurality of conductors, wherein said sensor is configured to measure an overall superimposition of electrical fields produced by the plurality of conductors, and wherein said sensor comprises an electro-optic modulator; and

a defect indicator responsive to at least one output of said sensor for ascertaining whether a defect exists in said plurality of conductors.

2. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said voltage driver applies said different electrical voltages which are selected such that the overall superimposition of electrical fields at said test region is zero in the absence of defects in said plurality of conductors.

3. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 2 and wherein said voltage driver applies said different electrical voltages which are selected such that the overall superimposition of the electrical fields at said test region is non-zero in the presence of defects in said plurality of conductors.

4. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said defect indicator is operative to ascertain a location of a defect based on the overall superimposition of electrical fields at said test region detected by said sensor.

5. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 4 and wherein said defect indicator ascertains the location of a defect based on a value of the overall superimposition of the electrical fields at said test region.

6. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said test region overlies said plurality of conductors.

7. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said sensor is an electric field sensor.

8. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said sensor is an electro-optical sensor.

9. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.

10. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 1 and wherein said defect indicator provides a human visually sensible indication of a defect and its location.

11. A system for inspection of electrical circuits, which electrical circuits include a multiplicity of conductors which are mutually spaced from each other, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to sense at least one characteristic of a test region defined thereby with respect to said electrical circuits, wherein said sensor is configured to measure an overall superimposition of electrical fields produced by a plurality of conductors, and wherein said sensor comprises an electro-optic modulator;

a voltage driver operative to apply different electrical voltages to said plurality of conductors from among said multiplicity of conductors, wherein said plurality of conductors are in spatial propinquity to each other, said voltage driver selecting said different electrical voltages such that the overall superimposition of electrical fields at said test region is zero in the absence of defects in said plurality of conductors, wherein said plurality of conductors are mutually spaced and generally parallel, and wherein said voltage driver simultaneously applies said different electrical voltages to alternating ones of said generally parallel conductors; and

a defect indicator responsive to an output of said sensor for ascertaining whether a defect exists in said plurality of conductors.

12. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said sensor lacks sufficient spatial resolution to distinguish between locations of said plurality of conductors.

13. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said voltage driver applies said different electrical voltages which are selected such that the overall superimposition of the electrical fields at said test region is non-zero in the presence of defects in said plurality of conductors.

14. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said defect indicator is operative to ascertain a defect location based on the overall superimposition of the electrical fields at said test region detected by said sensor.

15. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 14 and wherein said defect indicator ascertains said defect location based on a value of the overall superimposition of the electrical fields at said test region.

16. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said test region overlies said plurality of conductors.

17. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said sensor is an electric field sensor.

18. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said sensor is an electro-optical sensor.

19. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.

20. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said defect indicator provides a human visually sensible indication of a defect and its location.

21. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said defect indicator comprises:

a camera which images said electro-optic modulator and provides a camera output;

image enhancement circuitry which receives said camera output and provides an image enhanced output; and

a display for displaying said image enhanced output.

22. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein the overall superimposed electric field in said test region at locations between each of said adjacent generally parallel conductors is approximately zero in the absence of a defect in said adjacent generally parallel conductors.

23. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said sensor senses the overall superimposed electric field in said test region between each of said adjacent generally parallel conductors rather than at a location of a given conductor.

24. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 11 and wherein said sensor is separated from said electric circuits by a perpendicular distance which is a multiple of a distance separating adjacent ones of said mutually spaced parallel conductors.

25. A system for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 24 and wherein said multiple is greater than two.

26. A method for inspection of electrical circuits, which electrical circuits include a multiplicity of conductors which are mutually spaced from each other, the method comprising:

applying different electrical voltages to a plurality of conductors from among said multiplicity of conductors, wherein said plurality of conductors are in spatial propinquity to each other, wherein said plurality of conductors are mutually spaced and generally parallel, and wherein said different electrical voltages are simultaneously applied to alternating ones of said generally parallel conductors;

sensing at least one characteristic of a test region defined thereby with respect to said electrical circuits, said sensing utilizing a sensor with an electro-optic modulator lacking sufficient spatial resolution to distinguish between locations of individual ones of said plurality of conductors, wherein said sensing is configured to measure an overall superimposition of electrical fields produced by the plurality of conductors; and

ascertaining, responsive to said sensing, whether a defect exists in said plurality of conductors.

27. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 26 , and also comprising selecting said different electrical voltages such that the overall superimposition of electrical fields at said test region is zero in the absence of defects in said plurality of conductors and non-zero in the presence of defects in said plurality of conductors.

28. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 26 , wherein said sensing comprises sensing utilizing at least one of an electric field sensor, an electro-optic sensor or an optical sensor.

29. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 26 , and also comprising, if a defect is detected in said plurality of conductors, ascertaining a location of said defect.

30. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 29 , and also comprising:

if a defect is detected, providing a human visually sensible indication of a defect and its location; and

if no defect is detected, providing a human visually sensible indication that no defect has been detected.

31. A method for inspection of electrical circuits, which electrical circuits include a multiplicity of conductors which are mutually spaced from each other, the method comprising:

applying different electrical voltages to a plurality of conductors from among said multiplicity of conductors, wherein said plurality of conductors are in spatial propinquity to each other;

selecting said different electrical voltages such that an overall superimposition of electrical fields at said test region is zero in the absence of defects in said plurality of conductors and non-zero in the presence of defects in said plurality of conductors, wherein said plurality of conductors are mutually spaced and generally parallel, and wherein said different electrical voltages are simultaneously applied to alternating ones of said generally parallel conductors;

sensing at least one characteristic of a test region defined thereby with respect to said electrical circuits, wherein said sensing is configured to measure the overall superimposition of electrical fields produced by the plurality of conductors, and wherein said sensing uses an electro-optic modulator; and

ascertaining, responsive to said sensing, whether a defect exists in said plurality of conductors.

32. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 31 , wherein said sensing comprises sensing utilizing at least one of an electric field sensor, an electro-optic sensor or an optical sensor.

33. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 31 , and also comprising, if a defect is detected in said plurality of conductors, ascertaining a location of said defect.

34. A method for inspection of electrical circuits according to claim 33 , and also comprising:

if a defect is detected, providing a human visually sensible indication of a defect and its location; and

if no defect is detected, providing a human visually sensible indication that no defect has been detected.