Photo-sensor fiber-optic stress analysis system
AssigneeAdvanced Technology Materials, Inc.
InventorDavid S. Kurtz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An x-ray diffraction system for determining stress in integrated circuit materials includes a source of x-rays (3) that are directed toward a sample holding mechanism for diffracting from the test sample (8). An x-ray detector (14) is arranged for detecting high back reflected diffracted x-ray intensity data representing stress in the test sample. A two-dimensional detection and storage arrangement (24) is arranged for detecting and storing the data representing stress in the test sample. A data processor (2) accesses the stored data from the two-dimensional detection and storage arrangement and processes the data representing stress in the test sample to determine stress in the test sample.
Claims22
An x-ray diffraction system for determining an x-radiation diffraction-detectable characteristic of a material sample, comprising:
- a source of x-rays for impingement of x-rays on the sample;
- an x-ray detector for detecting x-rays diffracted from the sample, said x-ray detector including:
- at least two fiber-optic bundles, each bundle having respective input and output ends, with the input ends being positionable in spaced-apart relationship to one another for receiving x-rays diffracted from the sample, with the input end directionally aligned with respect to the 2.theta. x-ray diffraction angle for input of diffracted x-rays in a two-dimensional x-radiation image at the input end of each of the fiber-optic bundles, and with the output ends being adjacent to and in registration with one another to form an output face including the output ends of the fiber-optic bundles;
- a scintillation coating on the input end of each of the fiber-optic bundles for converting the inputted two-dimensional x-radiation image of diffracted x-rays to a two-dimensional image of visible light radiation for transmission to the output end of the fiber-optic bundle at the output face, for formation of a single two-dimensional image of visible light radiation at the output face including the respective two-dimensional images of visible light radiation transmitted by each of the fiber-optic bundles to its output end;
- a two-dimensional photosensor array sized to the output face of the fiber optic bundles and optically coupled in light-receiving relationship to the output face, to capture the single two-dimensional image of visible light radiation from the output face and responsively generate a position-preserved intensity signal for each pixel of the single two-dimensional image of visible light radiation;
- and
- a programmable digital computer (i) operatively coupled with the two-dimensional photosensor array to receive therefrom the position-preserved intensity signal for each pixel of the single two-dimensional image of visible light radiation and (ii) programmed to convert same to separate one-dimensional diffraction spectra, wherein each one-dimensional diffraction spectrum corresponds to a respective inputted two-dimensional x-radiation image of diffracted x-rays from a respective fiber-optic bundle, and from said one-dimensional diffraction spectra to determine the x-radiation diffraction-detectable characteristic of the material sample.
An x-ray diffraction system for determining the stress characteristic of a material sample, comprising:
- a source of x-rays constructed and arranged for impinging x-rays on the material sample;
- first and second bundles of optical fibers, each bundle having a receiving end for receiving diffracted x-rays from the material sample, and an output end;
- wherein the receiving ends of the first and second bundles are positionable in spaced-apart relationship to one another and in spaced-apart, x-ray receiving relationship to the material sample, each bundle is surrounded by a light-blocking sheath, and the output ends of the bundles are fixtured together in alignment with and contiguous to one another with an interposed light non-transmissive separating film therebetween to reduce slight-scattering and interference between the first and second bundles of optical fibers at such output ends, the output ends collectively forming an output face;
- and
- a coating of scintillation material on the respective receiving ends of the first and second bundles, to generate two-dimensional optical signals from diffracted x-rays from the material sample which are impinged on the coating of scintillation material at the receiving ends of the first and second bundles;
- signal detection and processing means for receiving the two-dimensional optical signals generated at the receiving ends of the first and second bundles as a single two-dimensional optical signal at the output face comprising the output ends of the first and second bundles, converting the single two-dimensional image into separate digitized one-dimensional output signals, and determining said stress characteristic from the separate digitized one-dimensional output signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.