3D Imaging Aberration Control for Wide-Depth Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sub-surface imaging techniques are limited by aberrations at various depths, leading to reduced imaging quality and limited range, which is a challenge in fields requiring high-resolution imaging across large depth ranges, such as semiconductor manufacturing and machine vision.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system with adjustable aberration-controlling components providing three or more degrees of freedom, including sample defocus, adjustable lenses, and phase plates, to dynamically correct aberrations across multiple depths, maintaining imaging quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed measurement depths are used in sub-surface imaging, then imaging quality at specific depths is maintained, but imaging range and flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic aberration correction by making the aberration-controlling components adjustable across three or more degrees of freedom. The controller dynamically determines configurations of these components for different imaging depths, allowing the system to adapt to various depths while maintaining imaging quality. This transforms a static imaging system into a dynamic one that can optimize performance across a range of depths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes optical parameters by adjusting the configurations of aberration-controlling components (such as lens positions, tilts, or shapes) across multiple degrees of freedom. By varying these parameters dynamically based on the desired imaging depth, the system maintains optimal imaging quality across a wide depth range rather than being fixed at a single depth.
2Measurement precision
If aberration correction is optimized for one depth, then imaging quality at that depth is maximized, but imaging quality at other depths deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional aberration correction system that can simultaneously optimize imaging quality across multiple depths. The aberration-controlling components with three or more degrees of freedom are configured to correct aberrations for a range of imaging depths, making the system universal rather than depth-specific. The controller determines configurations that maintain imaging quality above a selected threshold across the entire depth range.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the aberration correction configurations based on the target imaging depth. Rather than being optimized for a fixed depth, the controller can determine appropriate configurations for any depth within the range, allowing the system to maintain high imaging quality across multiple depths by adapting to the specific imaging requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive sample motion is used to image at various depths, then depth coverage is improved, but imaging efficiency and time are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sample motion system with an optical aberration correction system. Instead of physically moving the sample through large distances to achieve different imaging depths, the system uses adjustable aberration-controlling components to optically correct for depth variations. This substitution of mechanical motion with optical correction dramatically improves imaging efficiency while maintaining full depth coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes optical parameters (aberration corrections) instead of mechanical parameters (sample position) to achieve depth variation. By adjusting the configurations of aberration-controlling components, the system can image at various depths without requiring extensive sample motion, thereby improving imaging speed and efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system may include an imaging metrology tool with an illumination source, one or more illumination optics to direct illumination from the illumination source to a sample, a detector, one or more collection optics to image the sample onto the detector; and one or more aberration-controlling components. The one or more aberration-controlling components may provide aberration correction for imaging the sample onto the detector according to one or more degrees of freedom, where the one or more degrees of freedom include at least a defocus of the imaging system, and where the one or more aberration-controlling components are integrated with at least one of the one or more illumination optics, the one or more collection optics, or the detector.