Optical inspection system detects defects of an object, such as an electronic device during manufacturing. The optical inspection system includes a first linear light source that irradiates a first light beam on a top surface of the object along a scan line across the width of the object. A second linear light source forms an angle with the first linear light source and irradiates a second light beam on a side surface of the object. A camera receives scattered light from the top surface and the side surface of the object and captures a subimage of the object along the scan line. An image processing system receives each subimage from the camera, stitches the subimages, and detects defects on the top surface and the side surface of the object.

An inspection system and method are presented for inspecting structures having a pattern formed by an array of elongated grooves having high aspect-ratio geometry, such as semiconductor wafers formed with vias. The inspection system comprises an imaging system and a control unit. The imaging system is configured and operable for imaging the structure with a dark-field imaging scheme and generating a dark-field image. The control unit comprises an analyzer module for analyzing pixels brightness in the dark-field image for identifying a defective groove, being a groove characterized by pixels brightness in the dark-field image lower than nominal brightness by a predetermined factor.

A inspection system includes an illumination source to generate an illumination beam, focusing elements to direct the illumination beam to a sample, a detector, collection elements configured to direct radiation emanating from the sample to the detector, a detection mode control device to image the sample in two or more detection modes such that the detector generates two or more collection signals based on the two or more detection modes, and a controller. Radiation emanating from the sample includes at least radiation specularly reflected by the sample and radiation scattered by the sample. The controller determines defect scattering characteristics associated with radiation scattered by defects on the sample based on the two or more collection signals. The controller also classifies the one or more particles according to a set of predetermined defect classifications based on the one or more defect scattering characteristics.

A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium are provided for tuning sensitivities of, and determining a process window for, a modulated wafer. The sensitivities for dies of the modulated wafer are tuned dynamically based on a single set of parameters. Further, the process window is determined for the modulated wafer from prior determined parameter-specific nominal process windows.

An apparatus for inspecting a light transmissive optical component comprises an image capturing module arranged on a first side of a support configured to hold a light transmissive optical component while it is being inspected. One or more first illuminating means are arranged on the first side of the support and adapted to illuminate from a first side of a light transmissive optical component held by the support. One or more second illuminating means are arranged on a second side of the support and adapted to illuminate from a second side of the light transmissive optical component held by the support, the second side of the support opposing the first side of said support. One or more third illuminating means arranged on the second side of the support and adapted to provide transmissive illumination at the second side of the light transmissive optical component held by the support, the third illuminating means comprises one or more of an illuminating surface and a light blocking surface selectively operable and are arranged to face and substantially align with the second illuminating means on the second side of the support.

One variation of an optical inspection kit includes: an enclosure defining an imaging volume; an optical sensor adjacent the imaging volume and defining a field of view directed toward the imaging volume; a nest module defining a receptacle configured to locate a surface of interest on a first unit of a first part within the imaging volume at an image plane of the optical sensor; a dark-field lighting module adjacent and perpendicular to the nest module and including a dark-field light source configured to output light across a light plane and a directional light filter configured to pass light output by the dark-field light source normal to the light plane and to reject light output by the dark-field light source substantially nonparallel to the light plane; and a bright-field light source proximal the optical sensor and configured to output light toward the surface of interest.

The invention relates to a method in the preparation of samples for microscopic examination onto which a coverslip is applied. The method is notable for the fact that the coverslipping quality is checked automatically and at least partly optically. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method, and to an apparatus for checking the coverslipping quality of samples onto which a coverslip is applied.

A device includes a camera, which captures images of moving objects, lighting units, and a controller. The camera captures recordings of the moving objects in series during transportation on the conveyor, so that a first recording of the object in a first position and a second recording of the object in a second position are obtained. The first and second positions of the object differ by the movement of the conveyor by a corresponding offset. The illumination units are composed of a dark-field illumination unit and a bright-field illumination unit, which are controlled synchronously with the camera by the controller such that the first recording generates a first contrast by a first specific control of the dark-field illumination unit and bright-field illumination unit, and in that the second recording generates a second contrast by a second specific activation of the dark-field illumination unit and bright-field illumination unit.

Disclosed is apparatus for inspecting a sample. The apparatus includes illumination optics for simultaneously directing a plurality of incident beams at a plurality of azimuth angles towards a sample and collection optics for directing a plurality of field portions of output light from two or more of the plurality of angles towards two or more corresponding sensors. The two or more sensors are arranged for receiving the field portions corresponding to two or more angles and generating two or more corresponding images. The apparatus further comprises a processor for analyzing the two or more images to detect defects on the sample

The invention relates to a method in the preparation of samples for microscopic examination onto which a coverslip is applied. The method is notable for the fact that the coverslipping quality is checked automatically and at least partly optically. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method, and to an apparatus for checking the coverslipping quality of samples onto which a coverslip is applied.