The present invention enables highly accurate analysis when visualizing analysis results in spectral imaging.

An surface analysis method includes: acquiring spectral image data regarding a sample surface with use of a spectral camera; extracting n wavelengths dispersed in a specific wavelength range in the acquired spectral image data, and converting spectrums of the wavelengths in the spectral image data into n-dimensional spatial vectors for each pixel; normalizing the spatial vectors of the pixels; clustering the normalized spatial vectors into a specific number of classifications; and identifying and displaying pixels clustered into the classifications, for each of the classifications.

A bond test apparatus includes a test tool, a stage for mounting a bond for testing, and a drive mechanism comprising a voice coil. The voice coil is coupled to either the stage or to the test tool and is configured to provide relative movement between the stage and the test tool such that the bond applies a test force to the test tool. The bond test apparatus can also include a velocity sensor configured to sense an instantaneous relative velocity between the stage and the test tool, and a controller configured to control the drive mechanism in response to a signal from the velocity sensor. The bond test apparatus can also include a retarding mechanism coupled to the stage or the test tool and configured to apply, in response to relative movement between the stage and the test tool, a retarding force opposing the driving force.

An apparatus for imaging a feature within a specimen is provided. According to one implementation the apparatus includes a substrate that is configured to support a specimen on an upper surface of the substrate so that the specimen resides over a hole that extends through the substrate. A heater is located vertically above the upper surface of the substrate. The heater is configured to heat the specimen when the specimen is supported on the substrate. An imaging device is located vertically below the lower surface of the substrate. The imaging device has an unobstructed line of sight to and through the hole in the substrate. The lower surface of the substrate is supported on a heat insulating platform in a manner that permits air to flow between the heat insulating platform and the lower surface of the substrate.

A display inspection system for inspecting a light beam emitted from a panel with pixels positioned at several focal planes is provided. The display inspection system includes a focus tunable lens adjustable in a focal distance for focusing at the panel, a first sensing unit for receiving the light beam, a reduced aberration optical system arranged between the focus tunable lens and the first sensing unit for focusing at the first sensing unit, and one or more optical elements placed within a back focal length of the reduced aberration optical system. The reduced aberration optical system comprises a first serial cascade lens group of a first aplanatic lens and a first doublet lens for correcting an optical aberration. The first aplanatic lens and the first doublet lens are co-configured that the back focal length is extended in a manner that the light beam is incident to the first sensing unit.

A system includes a stage, a detector and a measuring device. The stage is configured to hold a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of tapered structures, and each of the plurality of tapered structures includes a tapered wall between first and second openings at opposite ends of the plurality of tapered structures. The detector is tilted at a first angle and configured to measure light reflected from the tapered wall at about 90 degrees to the tapered wall. The first angle depends at least in part a second angle between the tapered wall and a longitudinal axis running through the tapered structure. The measuring device is configured to determine a characteristic of the tapered wall and whether the characteristic of the tapered wall is above or below a threshold.

A computer-implemented method for surface modeling includes: receiving one or more polarization raw frames of a surface of a physical object, the polarization raw frames being captured with a polarizing filter at different linear polarization angles; extracting one or more first tensors in one or more polarization representation spaces from the polarization raw frames; and detecting a surface characteristic of the surface of the physical object based on the one or more first tensors in the one or more polarization representation spaces.

Provided is a tool wear monitoring device configured to input a plurality of pieces of image data captured with a microscope camera while changing an angle, and to monitor tool wear. The tool wear monitoring device includes a data analysis unit configured to analyze image data. The data analysis unit binarizes the plurality of pieces of image data captured while changing an angle, extracts data in which a worn region has a maximum area among the plurality of pieces of image data, and analyzes the amount of wear from the extracted data with the maximum area.

A system for optical imaging of defects on unpatterned wafers that includes an illumination module, relay optics, a segmented polarizer, and a detector. The illumination module is configured to produce a polarized light beam incident on a selectable area of an unpatterned wafer. The relay optics is configured to collect and guide, radiation scattered off the area, onto the polarizer. The detector is configured to sense scattered radiation passed through the polarizer. The polarizer includes at least four polarizer segments, such that (i) boundary lines, separating the polarizer segments, are curved outwards relative to a plane, perpendicular to the segmented polarizer, unless the boundary line is on the perpendicular plane, and (ii) when the area comprises a typical defect, a signal-to-noise ratio of scattered radiation, passed through the polarizer segments, is increased as compared to when utilizing a linear polarizer.

An auto-focusing system is disclosed. The system includes an illumination source. The system includes an aperture. The system includes a projection mask. The system includes a detector assembly. The system includes a relay system, the relay system being configured to optically couple illumination transmitted through the projection mask to an imaging system. The relay system also being configured to project one or more patterns from the projection mask onto a specimen and transmit an image of the projection mask from the specimen to the detector assembly. The system includes a controller including one or more processors configured to execute a set of program instructions. The program instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: receive one or more images of the projection mask from the detector assembly and determine quality of the one or more images of the projection mask.

The invention concerns a method for capturing and displaying microscopic images of a sample to be microscopically examined using a digital microscope. In a step, a sequence of microscopic images with enhanced visual information in a third geometric dimension is captured. The sequence of the microscopic images is displayed while it is captured. A visual representation of a capturing range in the third geometric dimension is displayed at a graphical user interface. A user input that defines at least one adjustment of the capturing range is received resulting in an adjusted capturing range. At least one parameter of detecting visual information in the third geometric dimension is adjusted according to the adjusted capturing range. It is continued to capture the sequence of the microscopic images with the enhanced visual information in the third geometric dimension applying the at least one adjusted parameter. Furthermore, the invention concerns a digital microscope.