In one embodiment, systems and methods include using an inspection and projection system to measure the thickness of a coating and provide visual guidance for secondary operations. The inspection and projection system comprises a robotic arm operable to rotate about a plurality of axes, wherein an end effector is disposed at a distal end of the robotic arm. The inspection and projection system further comprises a linear rail system, wherein the robotic arm is coupled to the linear rail system, and wherein the robotic arm is operable to translate along the linear rail system. The inspection and projection system further comprises a frame, wherein the linear rail system is disposed on top of the frame, and an information handling system coupled to the frame, wherein the information handling system is operable to actuate the robotic arm and the linear rail system.

A method includes: determining height Z1 of a focus by an optical microscope having autofocus function which uses irradiation light of wavelength λ0 to adjust the focus; determining a wavelength λ1 of irradiation light used for obtaining observation image of second thin film; obtaining observation image of second thin film by using irradiation light of the wavelength λ1, while altering heights of the focus with the Z1 as reference point; calculating standard deviation of reflected-light intensity distribution within the observation image, obtaining height Z2 of the focus corresponding to a peak position where standard deviation is greatest, and calculating a difference ΔZ between Z1 and Z2; correcting the autofocus function with ΔZ as a correction value; and using the corrected autofocus function to adjust the focus, obtaining the observation image of the second thin film, and calculating the film thickness distribution from the reflected-light intensity distribution within the observation image.

Disclosed herein is a gauge for slurry coating thickness determination. The gauge includes a body and at least three probes extending from the body. The at least three probes provide a go-no-go indicator including a first demarcation that defines a minimum slurry coating thickness and a second demarcation that defines a maximum slurry coating thickness. A minimum no-go region is defined between the first demarcation and a probe tip, a maximum no-go region is defined between the second demarcation and the body, and a go region is defined between the first demarcation and the second demarcation.

Example embodiments may provide methods for determining a quality of a film in spin coating process. The methods may include capturing images of portions of the film using an imaging device while coating the film on a substrate using a spinner. The imaging device may include SPCs and lens and/or SLMs. The methods may also include determining whether a characteristic of the film matches to a standard based on the images of the portions of the film. The method may further include performing detecting that the quality of the film is optimal in response to determining that the characteristic of the film matches to the standard or detecting that the quality of the film is not optimal in response to determining that the characteristic of the film does not match to the standard.

A substrate processing apparatus includes: an imaging portion configured to acquire a surface image of a film formed on a surface of a substrate; an optical property estimation portion configured to estimate an optical property of the film based on process information acquired during formation of the film; and a film thickness estimation portion configured to estimate a film thickness of the film based on the surface image and an estimation result of the optical property.

A method for detecting the thicknesses of coating layers of nuclear fuel particles, comprising: collecting a surface image of a sample to be tested under a first amplification factor (S310); determining a testable particle in the surface image (S320); collecting a cross section image of the testable particle under a second amplification factor, wherein the second amplification factor is greater than the first amplification factor (S330); and determining the center of the testable particle in the cross section image and profile lines of all coating layers, and determining the thickness of each coating layer according to the center and the profile lines of each coating layer (S340). Also provided is a device for detecting the thicknesses of coating layers of the nuclear fuel particles.

The invention provides a method and an apparatus for measuring a thickness of each layer of a tire tread or a tire component, wherein the tire tread or tire component has conductive and non-conductive layers. One or more sensors are used, which emit radiation beams or pulses that travel through one or more of the layers. The radiation beams or pulses are reflected from the surfaces and interfaces of the layers and received by a receiving device of the one or more sensors. The reflected radiation beams or pulses are used to determine a thickness of each tread layer.

A system includes a local device and a remote computing system. The local device is disposed in a toilet paper dispenser and includes a sensor and a first processor. The sensor is configured to measure a distance to a toilet paper roll. The first processor is configured to calculate, using the measured distance to the toilet paper roll, a percentage of toilet paper remaining on the toilet paper roll. The first processor is further configured to transmit, when it is determined that the percentage of toilet paper remaining is less than a minimum threshold, sensor data across a wireless communications network. The remote computing system includes a second processor configured to receive the sensor data and send an alert for display on a user device in response to receiving the sensor data.

The present invention relates to a method for characterizing a coating, in which method a mass and/or a volume of a basic body is/are measured prior to coating; a mass and a volume of the basic body with the applied coating are measured; for characterizing the coating, a density of the coating is determined from the volume and mass measurements; wherein the volume is optically measured.

A method of evaluating a thickness of a film on a substrate includes detecting atomic force responses of the film to exposure of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The use of atomic force microscopy to evaluate thicknesses of thin films avoids underlayer noise commonly encountered when optical metrology techniques are utilized to evaluate film thicknesses. Such underlayer noise adversely impacts the accuracy of the thickness evaluation.