US 2024/0393108 A1Published application

Optical-based validation of orientations of internal facets

AssigneeLumus Ltd.

InventorIdo EISENBERG

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method including: providing a light guiding arrangement (LGA) configured to redirect light, incident thereon in a direction perpendicular to an external surface of the sample, into or onto the sample, such that light impinges on an internal facet of the sample nominally normally thereto; generating a first incident light beam (LB), directed at the external surface normally thereto, and a second incident LB, parallel to the first incident LB and directed at the LGA; obtaining a first returned LB by reflection of the first incident LB off the external surface, and a second returned LB by redirection by the LGA of the second incident LB into or onto the sample, reflection thereof off the internal facet, and inverse redirection by the LGA; measuring an angular deviation between the returned LBs and deducing therefrom an actual inclination angle of the internal facet relative to the external surface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An optical-based system for validating an orientation of an internal facet of a sample relative to an external, flat first surface of the sample, the system comprising:

a light guiding arrangement (LGA) comprising a light folding component (LFC) and a coupling prism (CP) configured to redirect light, which is incident on the LFC, into or onto the sample, such that light, transmitted thereby into the sample, impinges on the internal facet of the sample nominally normally to the internal facet, wherein the CP, comprising an external, flat CP first surface, an external, flat CP second surface, nominally inclined at the nominal angle relative to the CP first surface, and an external CP third surface, opposite the CP second surface, wherein the CP is disposed such that the CP first surface is parallel to the first surface of the sample, and is further disposed such that the light, folded by the LFC, nominally normally impinges on the CP second surface;
and
an illumination and collection arrangement (ICA) comprising:
one or more light sources and optical equipment configured to (a) project a first incident light beam (LB) on the first surface, so as to generate a first returned LB by reflection off the first surface, (b) project a second incident LB on the LFC, in parallel to the first incident LB, so as generate a second returned LB, by redirection by the LFC of the second incident LB nominally normally on the CP second surface and into or onto the sample, such that light, transmitted thereby into the sample, nominally normally impinges on the internal facet, and (c) project an additional incident LB normally on CP first surface so as to obtain an additional returned LB by the reflection of the additional incident LB off CP first surface,
wherein the ICA further comprises at least three blocking elements configured to block one or more of the first, second and additional incident LBs, and/or one or more spectral filters configured to at least facilitate distinguishing between respective returned LBs;
and
at least one sensor.

4 more elements

An optical-based system for validating an orientation of an internal facet of a sample relative to an external, flat first surface of the sample, the system comprising:

a light guiding arrangement (LGA) comprising a light folding component (LFC) and a coupling prism (CP) configured to redirect light, which is incident on the LFC, into or onto the sample, such that light, transmitted thereby into the sample, impinges on the internal facet of the sample nominally normally to the internal facet, wherein the CP, comprising an external, flat CP first surface, an external, flat CP second surface, nominally inclined at the nominal angle relative to the CP first surface, and an external CP third surface, opposite the CP second surface, wherein the CP is disposed such that the CP first surface is parallel to the first surface of the sample, and is further disposed such that the light, folded by the LFC, nominally normally impinges on the CP second surface;
and
an illumination and collection arrangement (ICA) comprising:
(a) a first light source and optical equipment configured to project a first incident light beam (LB) on the first surface, so as to generate a first returned LB by reflection off the first surface, (b) a second light source and optical equipment configured to project a second incident LB on the LFC, in parallel to the first incident LB, so as generate a second returned LB, by redirection by the LFC of the second incident LB nominally normally on the CP second surface and into or onto the sample, such that light, transmitted thereby into the sample, nominally normally impinges on the internal facet, and (c) a third light source and optical equipment configured to project an additional incident LB normally on CP first surface so as to obtain an additional returned LB by the reflection of the additional incident LB off CP first surface,
wherein the first, second and third light sources and respective optical equipment are configured to provide and/or block one or more of the first, second and additional incident LBs so as to at least facilitate distinguishing between respective returned LBs;
and
at least one sensor.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/793,875Filed 4 Aug 2024
Priority: 18 Nov 2020
Published: 28 Nov 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G01B 11/26
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
G01C 9/06
Details: electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
G01M 11/0242
Testing optical properties: by measuring geometrical properties or aberrations
G02B 27/126
Operating by refraction only: the splitting element being a prism or prismatic array, including systems based on total internal reflection

Family

Application63/115,151Us provisional application · filed 18 Nov 2020
Application17/799,691Division · filed 15 Aug 2022
Application18/226,781Division · filed 27 Jul 2023
Application18/793,875Division
US 11,747,137 B2Related patent
US 12,078,476 B2Related patent
US 12,736,334 B2Related patent
US 2023/0063646 A1Published application
US 2023/0366675 A1Published application
US 2024/0393108 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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