IP Library Granted Patent US 9,494,529
Granted Patent B1
US 9,494,529 · App. 15/184,758 · Granted Nov 15, 2016

Chromatic confocal device and method for 2D/3D inspection of an object such as a wafer with variable spatial resolution

Inventors: Gilles Fresquet (Garrigues-Sainte-Eulalie, FR); Alain Courteville (Congénies, FR); Philippe Gastaldo (Pontcharre, FR)
Assignee: FOGALE NANOTECH
G01N21/8806G01N21/9501G01N2201/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,494,529
App. No.
15/184,758
Granted
Nov 15, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A confocal chromatic device is provided for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer, including a plurality of optical measurement channels with collection apertures arranged for collecting the light reflected by the object through a chromatic lens at a plurality of measurement points, and a magnifying lens arranged for introducing a variable or changeable scaling factor between the spatial repartition of the collection apertures and the measurement points. A method is also provided for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer including tridimensional structures.

Claims (37)

1. A confocal chromatic device for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer, comprising:

a chromatic lens with an extended axial chromatism;

a light source for illuminating the object through the chromatic lens with a plurality of optical wavelengths being focused at different axial distances;

a plurality of optical measurement channels with collection apertures arranged for collecting the light reflected by the object through the chromatic lens at a plurality of measurement points; and

a magnifying lens arranged for introducing a variable or changeable scaling factor between the spatial repartition of the collection apertures and the measurement points.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical measurement channels comprises optical measurement channels with an intensity detector for measuring a total intensity of the collected light.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical measurement channels comprises at least one optical measurement channel with a spectral detector for measuring a spectral information of the collected light and deducing an axial distance information.

4. The device of claim 1 , which comprises a magnifying lens positioned between the collection apertures and the chromatic lens.

5. The device of claim 1 , which comprises a magnifying lens and a chromatic lens arranged so that to provide an intermediate conjugate focal plane which is simultaneously:

a conjugate focal plane of the plane with the collection apertures for a lens assembly comprising the magnifying lens; and

a conjugate focal plane of the plane with the measurement points for a lens assembly comprising the chromatic lens.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the intermediate conjugate focal plane is:

at a finite distance; or

at a finite distance and positioned between the magnifying lens and the chromatic lens.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the intermediate conjugate focal plane is at infinite distance, corresponding to collimated beams.

8. The device of claim 1 , further including a collimating lens positioned between the collection apertures and the magnifying lens.

9. The device of claim 7 , further including a magnifying lens with an afocal lens arrangement.

10. The device of claim 1 , which comprises a magnifying lens of a zoom type allowing introducing a variable magnification.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the magnifying lens comprises:

at least one lens movable and allowing varying a magnification;

a lens arrangement allowing varying the magnification between the plane of the collection apertures and an intermediate conjugate focal plane at finite distance; and

an afocal zoom arrangement allowing modifying the width of collimated beams, for operating with an intermediate conjugate focal plane at infinite distance.

12. The device of claim 1 , which further comprises a mechanical mount allowing changing a magnifying lens.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the mechanical mount comprises a turret or a linear stage.

14. The device of claim 1 , further including collection apertures arranged along a line.

15. A method for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer comprising tridimensional structures, comprising:

providing a chromatic lens with an extended axial chromatism;

illuminating the object through the chromatic lens with a plurality of optical wavelengths being focused at different axial distances;

collecting the light reflected by the object through the chromatic lens at a plurality of measurement points using a plurality of optical measurement channels with collection apertures; and

changing optically a scaling factor between a spatial repartition of the collection apertures and a spatial repartition of the measurement points.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising at least one of the following steps:

measuring a total intensity of the light collected by at least one of the optical measurement channels for obtaining an intensity information; and

measuring a spectral information of the light collected by at least one of the optical measurements channels for obtaining an axial distance information.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising at least one of the following steps:

adjusting a spatial repartition of the measurement points taking into account a spatial repartition of structures on the object; and

adjusting a spacing of measurements points as to substantially match a spacing of structures on the object.

18. The method of claim 15 , which is implemented for inspecting bump structures on a wafer.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2021
From: FOGALE NANOTECH
To: UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR
Reel/Frame 055903/0469 →
LICENSE Recorded Mar 16, 2021
From: FOGALE NANOTECH
To: UNITY-SC
Reel/Frame 055600/0937 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR
To: FOGALE NANOTECH
Reel/Frame 047489/0169 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: FOGALE NANOTECH
To: UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR
Reel/Frame 043331/0556 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2016
From: FRESQUET, GILLES; COURTEVILLE, ALAIN; GASTALDO, PHILIPPE
To: FOGALE NANOTECH
Reel/Frame 039358/0705 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 16305349 · Mar 25, 2016 · regional