A nano projection structure inspection apparatus herein disclosed includes an inspection light irradiation part and a chromameter. The inspection light irradiation part irradiates inspection light to an inspected surface being a surface of a metal. An imaging optical axis of an imaging element of the chromameter is arranged to be tilted to a regular reflection direction of the inspection light caused by the inspected surface. The chromameter makes the imaging element receive diffusion reflection light, among reflection light of the inspection light from the inspected surface, the reflection light containing regular reflection light and the diffusion reflection light, so as to inspect a nanoscale projection structure on the inspected surface.

An apparatus for inspecting images is disclosed. In an embodiment an apparatus includes a camera for recording a surface of a printed product, the printed product being movable relative to the apparatus, a first illumination unit of a first type for illuminating a first partial region of a region that is capturable by the camera, a second illumination unit of a second type for illuminating a second partial region of the region that is capturable by the camera, and an evaluation unit for processing image information captured by the camera, wherein the first illumination unit differs from the second illumination unit, and wherein the first illumination unit forms a diffuse illumination source and has an internally illuminated tunnel.

A method is disclosed for maintaining a desired optical output in a solid state illumination device, where the device is configured to accommodate multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) and to combine light from the LEDs to produce a single optical output. The method includes testing the LEDs before adding them into the device. The testing produces characterizing information that describes how one or more optical properties (e.g., optical power and/or peak wavelength) of the tested LED change with temperature. This characterizing information is stored in a computer-based memory of the device, and the tested LED is added (connected) into the device. Then, during operation, temperature sensors measure a temperature associated with each respective LED in the device, and electrical current to one or more of the LEDs can be adjusted based on the measured temperatures associated with each LED and its stored characterizing information.

An inspection system for inspecting a target includes a first lighting device configured to irradiate light onto the target from a given direction; a second lighting device, provided between the target and the first lighting device, configured to irradiate light onto the target from an oblique direction with respect to the given direction; an image capture device, provided at a position opposite to a position of the target with respect to the first lighting device and the second lighting device in the given direction; and circuitry configured to acquire a first inspection target image of the target, captured by the image capture device by irradiating the light from the first lighting device, and a second inspection target image of the target, captured by the image capture device by irradiating the light from the second lighting device, to be used for inspecting the target.

A semiconductor wafer is inspected using a main laser beam and a secondary laser beam. The secondary laser beam leads the main laser beam and has lower power than the main laser beam. Using the secondary laser beam, a particle is detected on the semiconductor wafer having a size that satisfies a threshold. In response to detecting the particle, the power of the main laser beam and the power of the secondary laser beam are reduced. The particle passes through the main laser beam with the main laser beam at reduced power. After the particle has passed through the main laser beam with the main laser beam at the reduced power, the power of the main laser beam and the power of the secondary laser beam are restored in a controlled manner that is slower than a single step.

Provided are a defect removal device and a defect removal method capable of removing defects of a semiconductor substrate with high accuracy, and a pattern forming method and a method of manufacturing an electronic device using the semiconductor substrate from which defects on a surface are removed. The defect removal device includes: a first light source unit that emits incidence light for detecting a defect on a semiconductor substrate; a surface defect measurement unit including a detection unit that detects the defect on the semiconductor substrate based on radiated light radiated by reflection or scattering of the incidence light from the defect of the semiconductor substrate; a removal unit that irradiates the semiconductor substrate with laser light to remove the defect based on position information of the defect on the semiconductor substrate; and an alignment unit that adjusts optical axes of the incidence light and the laser light, in which the optical axes of the incidence light and the laser light are adjusted by the alignment unit such that the incidence light and the laser light are emitted to the semiconductor substrate.

Methods of and apparatus for inspecting composite layers of a first material formed on a second material are provided including providing an illumination source, illuminating at least a portion of the composite at the layer, receiving light reflected from the sample, determining a spectral response from the received light, and comparing the received spectral response to an expected spectral response.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, an inspection method of a photomask includes performing a first inspection process, unloading the photomask from the inspection system, and performing a second inspection process. In the first inspection process, a common Z calibration map of an objective lens of an optical module with respect to the photomask is generated and stored, and a first image of the photomask is captured by using an image sensor while focusing the objective lens of the optical module based on the common Z calibration map. The photomask is unloaded from the inspection system. In the second inspection process, the photomask is loaded on the inspection system and a second image of the photomask is captured by using an image sensor while focusing an objective lens of an optical module based on the common Z calibration map generated in the first inspection process.

Proposed are a device and method for checking for a surface defect, using an image sensor. The device can increase accuracy in detecting defects of various types, shapes, or directions, and include: a frame part for providing a transport path of an object to be checked, along the lengthwise direction parallel to the ground surface; a transport part provided on one side of the frame part so as to transport the object to be checked, along the transport path; and an image sensor part provided in the middle of the transport path so as to capture an image of the surface of the object to be checked, from above the transported object to be checked.

The present disclosure generally relates to machine vision systems, illumination sources for use in machine vision systems, and components for use in the illumination sources. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to machine vision systems incorporating multi-function illumination sources, multi-function illumination sources, and components for use in multi-function illumination sources.