公开(公告)号：US20180039055A1

公开(公告)日：2018-02-08

申请号：US15529451

申请日：2015-12-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mark Alan ARBORE ,  Matthew A. TERREL ,  Edward L. HULL

IPC: G02B21/00 ,  G01N21/47 ,  G01N21/55

Abstract: A confocal inspection system can optically characterize a sample. An objective lens, or separate incident and return lenses, can deliver incident light from a light source to the sample, and can collect light from the sample. Confocal optics can direct the collected light onto a detector. The system can average the incident light over multiple locations at the sample, for example, by scanning the incident light with a pivotable mirror in the incident and return optical paths, or by illuminating and collecting with multiple spaced-apart confocal apertures. The system can average the collected light, for example, by directing the collected light onto a single-pixel detector, or by directing the collected light onto a multi-pixel detector and averaging the pixel output signals to form a single electronic signal. Averaging the incident and/or return light can be advantageous for structured or inhomogeneous samples.

公开(公告)号：US20180017772A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-18

申请号：US15717573

申请日：2017-09-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mark Alan ARBORE ,  Matthew A. TERREL ,  Edward L. HULL

IPC: G02B21/00 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G01N21/49

Abstract: A confocal inspection system can optically characterize a sample. An objective lens, which can be a single lens or a combination of separate illumination and collection lenses, can have a pupil. The objective lens can deliver incident light to the sample through an annular illumination region of the pupil, and can collect scattered light returning from the sample to form collected light. Confocal optics can be positioned to receive the collected light. A detector can be configured with the confocal optics so that the detector generates signals from light received from a specified depth at or below a surface of the sample and rejects signals from light received from depths away from the specified depth. An optical element, such as a mask, a reconfigurable panel, or the detector, can define the annular collection region to be non-overlapping with the annular illumination region in the pupil.

公开(公告)号：US20180231457A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-16

申请号：US15751454

申请日：2016-08-29

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Robert CHEN ,  Trent D. RIDDER ,  Miikka M. KANGAS ,  David I. SIMON ,  Matthew A. TERREL

IPC: G01N21/27 ,  G01N21/31

CPC classification number: G01N21/274 ,  G01N21/31 ,  G01N2201/124 ,  G01N2201/12723 ,  G01N2201/12776

Abstract: Methods and systems for measurement time distribution for referencing schemes are disclosed. The disclosed methods and systems can be capable of dynamically changing the measurement time distribution based on the sample signal, reference signal, noise levels, and SNR. The methods and systems can be configured with a plurality of measurement states, including a sample measurement state, reference measurement state, and dark measurement state. In some examples, the measurement time distribution scheme can be based on the operating wavelength, the measurement location at the sampling interface, and/or targeted SNR. Examples of the disclosure further include systems and methods for measuring the different measurement states concurrently. Moreover, the systems and methods can include a high-frequency detector to eliminate or reduce decorrelated noise fluctuations that can lower the SNR.

公开(公告)号：US20180017491A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-18

申请号：US15717651

申请日：2017-09-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mark Alan ARBORE ,  Matthew A. TERREL

IPC: G01N21/59 ,  G01N21/49 ,  G01N21/17 ,  G01N21/47

CPC classification number: G01N21/59 ,  G01N21/49 ,  G01N2021/1782 ,  G01N2021/4709 ,  G01N2021/4711 ,  G01N2201/066 ,  G01N2201/0691 ,  G01N2201/0696 ,  G01N2201/12

Abstract: An illuminator/collector assembly can deliver incident light to a sample and collect return light returning from the sample. A sensor can measure ray intensities as a function of ray position and ray angle for the collected return light. A ray selector can select a first subset of rays from the collected return light at the sensor that meet a first selection criterion. In some examples, the ray selector can aggregate ray intensities into bins, each bin corresponding to rays in the collected return light that traverse within the sample an estimated optical path length within a respective range of optical path lengths. A characterizer can determine a physical property of the sample, such as absorptivity, based on the ray intensities, ray positions, and ray angles for the first subset of rays. Accounting for variations in optical path length traversed within the sample can improve accuracy.

公开(公告)号：US20190204221A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-04

申请号：US16296010

申请日：2019-03-07

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mark Alan ARBORE ,  Matthew A. TERREL

IPC: G01N21/59 ,  G01N21/49

CPC classification number: G01N21/59 ,  G01N21/49 ,  G01N2021/1782 ,  G01N2021/4709 ,  G01N2021/4711 ,  G01N2201/066 ,  G01N2201/0691 ,  G01N2201/0696 ,  G01N2201/12

Abstract: An illuminator/collector assembly can deliver incident light to a sample and collect return light returning from the sample. A sensor can measure ray intensities as a function of ray position and ray angle for the collected return light. A ray selector can select a first subset of rays from the collected return light at the sensor that meet a first selection criterion. In some examples, the ray selector can aggregate ray intensities into bins, each bin corresponding to rays in the collected return light that traverse within the sample an estimated optical path length within a respective range of optical path lengths. A characterizer can determine a physical property of the sample, such as absorptivity, based on the ray intensities, ray positions, and ray angles for the first subset of rays. Accounting for variations in optical path length traversed within the sample can improve accuracy.

公开(公告)号：US20190128734A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-02

申请号：US16095311

申请日：2017-04-13

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Mark Alan ARBORE ,  Gary SHAMBAT ,  Matthew A. TERREL

IPC: G01J3/02 ,  G01J3/10 ,  G01J3/36 ,  G01J3/42 ,  G01N21/25

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining one or more properties of a sample are disclosed. The systems and methods disclosed can be capable of measuring along multiple locations and can reimage and resolve multiple optical paths within the sample. The system can be configured with one-layer or two-layers of optics suitable for a compact system. The optics can be simplified to reduce the number and complexity of the coated optical surfaces, etalon effects, manufacturing tolerance stack-up problems, and interference-based spectroscopic errors. The size, number, and placement of the optics can enable multiple simultaneous or non-simultanous measurements at various locations across and within the sample. Moreover, the systems can be configured with an optical spacer window located between the sample and the optics, and methods to account for changes in optical paths due to inclusion of the optical spacer window are disclosed.