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US 8,045,250 B1Granted
Optical scanning using rotating parallel plate
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorKenneth P. Gross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beam of incident light may be positioned on a target by directing the beam towards the target and transmitting the incident beam of light through one or more refractive plates having first and second parallel refracting surfaces in a path of the beam and adjusting an angular orientation of one or more refractive plates.
Claims24
A method for positioning a beam of light on a target, comprising:
- a) directing an incident beam of light towards the target;
- b) positioning said incident beam of light at an interrogating spot on said target transmitting the incident beam of light through one or more refractive plates having first and second parallel refracting surfaces in a path of said incident beam of light and adjusting an angular orientation of one or more refractive plates;
- and
- c) detecting reflected and/or scattered light produced from an interaction between said incident beam of light and said target at said interrogating spot with a detection system.
1 more element
An apparatus for positioning a beam of light on a target, comprising:
- a) a source aperture configured to transmit a beam of incident light;
- b) one or more rotating refractive plates disposed in a path of the beam of incident light between the source aperture and the target, wherein the one or more refractive plates are configured to transmit the beam of incident light, wherein each refractive plate includes first and second parallel refracting surfaces in a path of said incident beam of light, and wherein the one or more refractive plates are configured to position said beam of incident light at an interrogating spot on the target by adjusting an angular orientation of one or more refractive plates;
- c) a detector aperture configured to transmit reflected or diffracted light resulting from interaction between said beam of incident light and said interrogating spot on said target.
An optical system, comprising:
- a) a source of light;
- b) a source aperture located proximate the source of light, wherein the source aperture is configured to transmit a beam of incident light generated by the source;
- c) one or more rotating refractive plates disposed in a path of the beam of incident light between the source aperture and the target, wherein the one or more refractive plates are configured to transmit the beam of incident light, wherein each refractive plate includes first and second parallel refracting surfaces in a path of said incident beam of light, and wherein the one or more refractive plates are configured to position said beam of incident light at an interrogating spot on the target by adjusting an angular orientation of one or more refractive plates;
- d) a detector aperture configured to transmit reflected light resulting from interaction between said beam of incident light and said interrogating spot on said target;
- and
- e) a detector located proximate the detector aperture, wherein the detector is configured to receive the reflected light.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.