Method and apparatus for inspecting an object using terahertz electromagnetic wave

• US 20090201030A1
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Toshihiko, Kasai, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/637
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation

Abstract

An inspection apparatus including a transmission line for propagating an electromagnetic wave; an electromagnetic wave supply unit for supplying a terahertz wave to the transmission line; an electromagnetic wave detection unit for detecting the terahertz wave from the transmission line; a conductive region; an inspection object supply unit; and a deposition unit. The conductive region is arranged at a site including at least a part of the range to which an electric field distribution of the electromagnetic wave propagating through the transmission line extends. The inspection object supply unit holds and supplies the inspection object to the outside, and the deposition unit deposits the inspection object selectively on the conductive region by electrostatic force. The electromagnetic wave supplied from the electromagnetic wave supply unit and propagated through the transmission line is detected by the electromagnetic wave detection unit to obtain information on the inspection object.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus, comprising:

a transmission line for propagating an electromagnetic wave;

an electromagnetic wave supply unit for supplying the electromagnetic wave to the transmission line, the electromagnetic wave being included in a frequency range between 30 GHz and 30 THz;

an electromagnetic wave detection unit for detecting the electromagnetic wave from the transmission line;

a conductive region arranged in a site that includes at least a part of a range to which an electric field distribution of the electromagnetic wave propagating through the transmission line extends;

an inspection object supply unit provided outside the transmission line for holding and supplying an inspection object to the transmission line; and

a deposition unit for depositing the inspection object supplied from the inspection object supply unit selectively on the conductive region by an electrostatic force,

wherein the electromagnetic wave that is supplied from the electromagnetic wave supply unit and is propagated through the transmission line is detected by the electromagnetic wave detection unit to obtain information on the inspection object,

and

wherein the deposition unit has a unit for generating an electric field by applying a voltage between an inspection object holding portion of the inspection object supply unit and the conductive region.

2. An inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive region comprises a metal region serving as a signal line of the transmission line and a region having an electric field of 1/e² or more of a peak value of the electric field distribution of the propagation electromagnetic wave.

3. An inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection object supply unit comprises a unit for causing the inspection object to be atomized in the form of spray space to supply the object.

5. An inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a collimator electrode that is provided between the conductive region and the inspection object holding portion of the inspection object supply unit in order to converge a supply state of the inspection object to the conductive region.

6. An inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a humidity control unit for adjusting humidities of a space to which the inspection object is supplied and a space surrounding the conductive region, in order to control a drying state when the inspection object is deposited on the conductive region.

4. (canceled)

7-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a transmission line including a conductor;

an inspection object holding portion provided outside the transmission line for holding an inspection object;

an electric field applying portion for applying an electric field to the conductor and the inspection object holding portion,

wherein the inspection object is atomized from the inspection object holding portion to the transmission line by the applied electric field.

12. An inspection apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a collimator electrode that is provided between the conductor and the inspection object holding portion, wherein a potential that is smaller than a potential difference between the conductor and the inspection object holding portion is applied to the collimator electrode.

13. An inspection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the collimator electrode prevents diffusion of the atomized inspection object, and the atomized inspection object is deposited on the conductor.