# US 10,481,101 B2 · Asymmetrical magnification inspection system and illumination module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,101 B2 - Document ID: US10481101B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/412,879 - Filed: 2017-01-23 - Published: 2018-07-26 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-23 - Assignees: Applied Materials Israel Ltd. - Applicants: Applied Materials Israel Ltd. - Inventors: Haim Feldman; Boris Golberg; Ido Dolev - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481101B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/8806: {Specially adapted optical and illumination features} - G01N 21/8851: {Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002)} - G01N 21/9501: {Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20)} - G02B 21/0016: {Technical microscopes, e.g. for inspection or measuring in industrial production processes} - G02B 21/06: Means for illuminating specimens - G02B 26/0891: {forming an optical wedge} - G02B 27/0911: {Anamorphotic systems} - G02B 27/0972: {Prisms (prisms per se G02B5/04)} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An illumination module that includes a pair of anamorphic prisms that comprises a first anamorphic prism and a second anamorphic prism; wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to (a) receive a first radiation beam that propagates along a first optical axis, and (b) asymmetrically magnify the first radiation beam to provide a second radiation beam that propagates along a second optical axis that is parallel to the first optical axis; and a rectangular prism that is configured to receive the second radiation beam and perform a lateral shift of the second radiation beam to provide a third radiation beam; and a rotating mechanism that is configured to change an asymmetrical magnification of the pair of anamorphic prisms by rotating at least one of the first anamorphic prism and the second anamorphic prism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illumination module, comprising: a pair of anamorphic prisms that comprises a first anamorphic prism and a second anamorphic prism; wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to (a) receive a first radiation beam that propagates along a first optical axis, and (b) asymmetrically magnify the first radiation beam to provide a second radiation beam that propagates along a second optical axis that is parallel to the first optical axis; a rectangular prism that is configured to receive the second radiation beam and perform a lateral shift of the second radiation beam to provide a third radiation beam, wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to introduce a lateral shift between the first radiation beam and the second radiation beam, and wherein the lateral shift introduced by the rectangular prism is configured to compensate for the lateral shift introduced by the anamorphic prisms; and a rotating mechanism that is configured to change an asymmetrical magnification of the pair of anamorphic prisms by rotating at least one of the first anamorphic prism and the second anamorphic prism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The illumination module according to claim 1 wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a first rotating unit for rotating the first anamorphic prism and a second rotating unit for rotating the second anamorphic prism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The illumination module according to claim 1, comprising a relay lens, beam splitting optics, a telescope and an objective lens. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The illumination module according to claim 3, comprising a scanner for scanning the first radiation beam; and wherein the illumination module is configured to relay a scanning of the first radiation beam at a pupil plane to a scan on a back focal plane of the telescope. ### Claim 5 An inspection system that comprises a detector; collection optics; an illumination module that is detachably connected to a structural element of the inspection system; multiple telescopes that are held by a turret and are positioned between the illumination module and an object; wherein the illumination module comprises: a pair of anamorphic prisms that comprises a first anamorphic prism and a second anamorphic prism; wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to (a) receive a first radiation beam that propagates along a first optical axis, and (b) asymmetrically magnify the first radiation beam to provide a second radiation beam that propagates along a second optical axis that is parallel to the first optical axis; a rectangular prism that is configured to receive the second radiation beam and perform a lateral shift of the second radiation beam to provide a third radiation beam; and additional optics for optically manipulating the third radiation beam to provide an impinging radiation beam that impinges onto the object; and wherein the collection optics is configured to direct a reflected radiation beam towards the detector; wherein the reflected radiation beam is reflected from the object as a result of illuminating of the object with the impinging radiation beam. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inspection system according to claim 5, wherein the illumination module comprises a rotating mechanism that is configured to rotate at least one of the first anamorphic prism and the second anamorphic prism thereby changing an asymmetrical magnification of the pair of anamorphic prisms. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inspection system according to claim 6, wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a first rotating unit for rotating the first anamorphic prism and a second rotating unit for rotating the second anamorphic prism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The inspection system according to claim 5, comprising a scanner for scanning the first radiation beam; and wherein the illumination module is configured to translate a scanning of the first radiation beam to a scanning of the impinging radiation beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The inspection system according to claim 5, comprising an image processor that is configured to process images of the object; and wherein the images are constructed from detection signals generated by the detector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The inspection system according to claim 5, wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to introduce a certain lateral shift between the first radiation beam and the second radiation beam; and wherein the lateral shift introduced by the rectangular prism is configured to compensate for the certain lateral shift. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The inspection system according to claim 5 further comprising a scanner for scanning the first radiation beam; and wherein the illumination module is configured to relay a scanning of the first radiation beam at a pupil plane to a scan on a back focal plane of a telescope. ### Claim 12 A method for illuminating an object, the method comprises: setting an asymmetrical magnification of a pair of anamorphic prisms by rotating, by a rotating mechanism, at least one of a first anamorphic prism and a second anamorphic prism of the pair of anamorphic prisms; illuminating, with a first radiation beam, the pair of anamorphic prisms; wherein the first radiation beam propagates along a first optical axis; asymmetrically magnifying, by the pair of anamorphic prisms, the first radiation beam in one dimension to provide a second radiation beam that propagates along a second optical axis that is parallel to the first optical axis; and laterally shifting, by a rectangular prism, the second radiation beam to provide a third radiation beam, wherein the pair of anamorphic prisms is configured to introduce a lateral shift between the first radiation beam and the second radiation beam, and wherein the lateral shift introduced by the rectangular prism is configured to compensate for the lateral shift introduced by the pair of anamorphic prisms. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12 wherein the third radiation beam propagates along the first optical axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12 further comprising scanning the first radiation beam by a scanner.