IP Library Granted Patent US 10,006,872
Granted Patent B2
US 10,006,872 · App. 14/955,331 · Granted Jun 26, 2018

Optical inspection system

Inventors: Wonguk Seo (Gunpo-si, KR); Kyoungchon Kim (Goyang-si, KR); Kuihyun Yoon (Seoul, KR); Kyunlae Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Jaeyoung Park (Hwaseong-si, KR); Kyoungho Yang (Hwaseong-si, KR); Young Heo (Osan-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G01N21/94G01N21/8806G01N21/958G01N2021/9513
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,006,872
App. No.
14/955,331
Granted
Jun 26, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an optical inspection system including a supporting unit, allowing a target object to be loaded thereon, a light source unit configured to emit a laser beam toward the target object, a light condensing unit collecting scattered light that is scattered at the target object when the laser beam is irradiated onto the target object, and a control unit controlling the light source unit and the light condensing unit and analyzing the scattered light to examine whether there are pollutants on the target object. The supporting unit may include a first supporting unit, on which the target object is disposed, and which is formed of a first material, and a second supporting unit, which is disposed under the first supporting unit and is formed of a second material different from the first material.

Claims (43)

1. An optical inspection system, comprising:

a supporting unit;

a light source unit configured to emit a laser beam toward a target object on the supporting unit;

a light condensing unit configured to collect scattered light when the target object is irradiated with the laser beam; and

a control unit configured to control the light source unit and the light condensing unit and to analyze the scattered light to determine if pollutants are on the target object,

wherein the supporting unit comprises:

a first supporting member, on which the target object is disposed, and which comprises a first material; and

a second supporting member under the first supporting member, wherein the second supporting member comprises a second material different from the first material,

wherein the first material has a higher light transmittance than the second material, and

wherein the second material has a higher light reflectance than the first material.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light transmittance of the first material is at least 90%.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises a metal layer-treated to have a mirror effect.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control a position of the light source unit such that an incidence angle of the laser beam ranges from about 70° to about 80°.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target object comprises a transparent substrate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first supporting member comprises at least one recessed region having a bottom surface that is lower than a top surface of the first supporting member.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein an upper portion of the at least one recessed region has a rounded profile.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source unit further comprises a refraction plate configured to control an irradiation position of the laser beam.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source unit is configured to generate an s-polarized laser beam.

10. An optical inspection system, comprising:

a supporting unit;

a light source unit configured to emit a laser beam toward a target object on the supporting unit;

a light condensing unit configured to collect scattered light when the target object is irradiated with the laser beam; and

a control unit configured to control the light source unit and the light condensing unit and to analyze the scattered light to determine if pollutants are on the target object,

wherein the supporting unit comprises:

a first supporting member, on which the target object is disposed, and which comprises a first material; and

a second supporting member under the first supporting member, wherein the second supporting member comprises a second material different from the first material,

wherein the first supporting member comprises at least one recessed region extending from a top surface of the first supporting member toward a bottom surface of the first supporting member,

wherein the first material has a higher light transmittance than the second material, and

wherein the second material has a higher light reflectance than the first material.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein an upper portion of the at least one recessed region has a rounded profile.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first supporting member further comprises at least one protruding region defined by a pair of the recessed regions, the at least one protruding region having a bar-shaped structure.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the target object directly contacts the at least one protruding region.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein a plurality of the recessed regions are spaced apart from each other by a same distance.

15. An optical inspection system, comprising:

a supporting unit;

a light source unit configured to emit a laser beam toward a target object on the supporting unit;

a light condensing unit configured to collect scattered light when the target object is irradiated with the laser beam; and

a control unit configured to control the light source unit and the light condensing unit and to analyze the scattered light to determine if pollutants are on the target object,

wherein the supporting unit is grounded,

wherein the supporting unit comprises first and second supporting members, wherein the target object is on a top surface of the first supporting member, and

wherein the top surface of the first supporting member comprises a metal layer treated to have a mirror effect.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the target object comprises a transparent substrate.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first supporting member of the supporting unit is grounded.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2015
From: SEO, WONGUK; KIM, KYOUNGCHON; YOON, KUIHYUN; KIM, KYUNLAE; HEO, YOUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037177/0421 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2015
From: PARK, JAEYOUNG; YANG, KYOUNGHO
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037177/0472 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2015-0045396 · Mar 31, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160290933A1 · Oct 6, 2016
Cited By (6)
US 12,219,948 US 12,240,372 US 12,270,903 US 12,365,284 US 12,433,286 US 12,597,161