Multipixel Sensor Arrays for High-Throughput Acoustic Microscopy

The patent divides the inspection task into multiple measurement assemblies, each with its own transducer and receiver pair. These assemblies operate in parallel to simultaneously inspect different regions of the wafer, enabling high-speed inspection without sacrificing resolution since each assembly maintains its own measurement capabilities.

The patent transitions from single-point sequential measurement to multi-point parallel measurement by introducing multiple measurement assemblies arranged in arrays. This dimensional expansion from 1D sequential scanning to 2D/3D parallel measurement enables simultaneous data acquisition across multiple locations, achieving high throughput while maintaining measurement precision.

The patent segments the inspection system into multiple independent measurement assemblies, each capable of sensitive acoustic measurements. By distributing the inspection task across multiple assemblies rather than accelerating a single assembly, the system achieves high throughput while each individual assembly maintains its sensitivity for detecting subtle acoustic signals.

The patent combines the outputs from multiple measurement assemblies to achieve both high speed and high sensitivity. The parallel data from multiple sensitive detectors is integrated and processed together, allowing the system to maintain the sensitivity of individual detectors while achieving the throughput of a high-speed system.