# US 2025/0146955 A1 · Method and apparatus for inspection of panel embedded dies using combined thermal and optical imaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0146955 A1 - Document ID: US20250146955A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/618,475 - Filed: 2024-03-27 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-11-03 - Assignees: Orbotech Ltd. - Applicants: Orbotech Ltd. - Inventors: Elkana Porat; Ronen Yogev; Nava Shpaisman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250146955A1 ## CPC - G01N 25/72: Investigating presence of flaws - G01J 5/48: Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means - G01J 5/485: {Temperature profile} - G01N 21/171: {with calorimetric detection, e.g. with thermal lens detection} - 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 21/9505: {Wafer internal defects, e.g. microcracks} - G01N 21/95607: {using a comparative method} - G01N 21/95684: {Patterns showing highly reflecting parts, e.g. metallic elements} - G01N 25/18: by investigating thermal conductivity (by calorimetry G01N25/20; by measuring change of resistance of an electrically-heated body G01N27/18) - G01N 33/0095: {Semiconductive materials} - G01J 2005/0077: {Imaging} - G01N 2021/1714: {Photothermal radiometry with measurement of emission} - G01N 2021/8835: {Adjustable illumination, e.g. software adjustable screen} - G01N 2021/8864: {Mapping zones of defects} - G01N 2021/95638: {for PCB's} - G01N 2201/1042: X, Y scan, i.e. object moving in X, beam in Y - 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) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract The system includes a thermal subsystem, an optical subsystem, and a processor. The thermal subsystem comprises a first laser light source configured to emit laser light, a first focusing lens configured to direct the laser light onto a workpiece, and a thermal camera configured to capture a thermal image of the workpiece. The optical subsystem includes at least one light source configured to emit laser light with at least one illumination modality, at light focusing lens configured to direct the light onto the workpiece, and a detector configured to capture at least one image of the workpiece. The processor is configured to compare the at least one image received from the detector to at least one reference image for registration of the workpiece or to determine presence of a surface defect on the workpiece, and to determine presence of a bulk defect in the workpiece based on the thermal image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a thermal subsystem comprising: a first laser light source configured to emit laser light; a first focusing lens configured to direct the laser light from the first laser light source onto a workpiece; and a thermal camera configured to capture a thermal image of the workpiece; an optical subsystem comprising: at least one light source configured to emit light with at least one illumination modality; a light focusing lens configured to direct the light from the at least one light source onto the workpiece; and a detector configured to capture at least one image of the workpiece; and a processor in electronic communication with the thermal subsystem and the optical subsystem, wherein the processor is configured to: compare the at least one image received from the detector to at least one reference image to for registration of the workpiece or to determine presence of a surface defect on the workpiece; and determine presence of a bulk defect in the workpiece based on the thermal image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is a PCB panel with at least one embedded semiconductor die. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the PCB panel further includes a dielectric overcoat layer deposited over the at least one embedded semiconductor die. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a first scanning mirror configured to direct the laser light from the first laser light source to scan around a perimeter of the workpiece. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a stage, wherein the workpiece is disposed on the stage and the stage is movable relative to the thermal subsystem in a first direction; and a carrier, wherein the thermal subsystem and the optical subsystem are disposed on the carrier and the carrier is movable relative to the stage in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal subsystem further comprises: a second laser light source configured to emit laser light; and a second focusing lens configured to direct the laser light from the second laser light source onto the workpiece at a position that is offset from the laser light from the first laser light source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal camera is a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine presence of a bulk defect in the workpiece based on the thermal image by: obtaining an intensity of each pixel of the thermal image along an edge of the workpiece; deriving a gradient map representing a spatial derivative of a temperature profile along the edge of the workpiece using the intensity of each pixel of the thermal image; determining that a bulk defect in the workpiece exists where there is a peak in the gradient map; and determining that no bulk defect exists in the workpiece a where there is no peak in the gradient map. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one illumination modality comprises a plurality of illumination modalities, wherein the at least one light source is configured to emit light according to each of the plurality of illumination modalities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the detector is configured to capture a plurality of images of the workpiece corresponding to the plurality of illumination modalities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to register the workpiece based on similarities between the at least one reference image and the at least one image of the workpiece with a same illumination modality. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine presence of a surface defect in the workpiece based on differences between at the at least one reference image and the at least one image of the workpiece with a same illumination modality. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: emitting light from at least one light source with at least one illumination modality; directing the light from the at least one light source onto a workpiece with a light focusing lens; capturing at least one image of the workpiece with a detector; comparing, with a processor, the at least one image of the workpiece to at least one reference image for registration of the workpiece or to determine presence of a surface defect on the workpiece; emitting laser light from a first laser light source; directing the laser light from the first laser light source onto the workpiece with a first focusing lens; capturing a thermal image of the workpiece with a thermal camera; and determining, with the processor, presence of a bulk defect in the workpiece based on the thermal image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the workpiece is a PCB panel with at least one embedded semiconductor die. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: scanning the laser light from the first laser light source around a perimeter of the workpiece with a first scanning mirror. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: moving a stage in a first direction, wherein the workpiece is disposed on the stage; and moving a carrier relative to the stage in a second direction, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction and the at least one light source, the detector, the first laser light source, and the thermal camera are disposed on the carrier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: emitting laser light from a second laser light source; and directing the laser light from the second laser light source onto the workpiece with a second focusing lens at a position that is offset from the laser light from the first laser light source. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein determining, with the processor, presence of a bulk defect in the workpiece comprises: obtaining an intensity of each pixel of the thermal image along an edge of the workpiece; deriving a gradient map representing a spatial derivative of a temperature profile along the edge of the workpiece based on the intensity of each pixel of the thermal image; determining that a bulk defect in the workpiece exists where there is a peak in the gradient map; and determining that no bulk defect exists in the workpiece where there is no peak in the gradient map. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein comparing, with the processor, the at least one image of the workpiece to at least one reference image for registration of the workpiece or to determine presence of a surface defect in the workpiece comprises: obtaining, from a memory, at least one reference image corresponding to a same illumination modality of the at least one image of the workpiece; comparing the at least one reference image to the at least one image of the workpiece with the same illumination modality; and registering the workpiece based on similarities between the at least one reference image and the at least one image of the workpiece with the same illumination modality. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein comparing, with the processor, the at least one image of the workpiece to at least one reference image for registration of the workpiece or to determine presence of a surface defect on the workpiece further comprises: determining presence of a surface defect on the workpiece based on differences between the at least one reference image and the at least one image of the workpiece with the same illumination modality.