Inspection apparatus and inspection method by using terahertz wave

• US 7,919,752 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Itsuji, Takeaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eley; Jessica L
• Application Number:
  US12/359,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090189078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 250/339.06, 250/341.1, 250/341.8
• US Class Current: 250/339.06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3577 for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation

Abstract

An inspection apparatus includes a terahertz wave detection portion, a waveform shaping portion configured to shape a first answer signal with respect to a terahertz wave by using a signal acquired in the above-described terahertz wave detection portion, a measurement condition acquisition portion configured to acquire a first measurement condition, an answer signal storage portion configured to store second answer signals corresponding to measurement conditions, a selection portion configured to select the above-described second answer signal from the above-described answer signal storage portion, and a signal processing portion configured to conduct deconvolution with respect to the above-described first answer signal on the basis of the above-described second answer signal.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus for conducting inspection of an object to be measured by using a terahertz wave, the inspection apparatus comprising:

a terahertz wave generation portion;

a terahertz wave detection portion configured to detect a terahertz wave applied from the terahertz wave generation portion to the object to be measured, the terahertz wave being detected through the object to be measured;

a waveform shaping portion configured to shape a first answer signal with respect to the terahertz wave by using a signal acquired in the terahertz wave detection portion;

a measurement condition acquisition portion configured to acquire a first measurement condition;

an answer signal storage portion configured to store second answer signals associated with measurement conditions;

a selection portion configured to select the second answer signal from the answer signal storage portion by using the first measurement condition; and

a signal processing portion configured to conduct deconvolution with respect to the first answer signal on the basis of the second answer signal.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection portion is configured to select the second answer signal by selecting an answer signal corresponding to a second measurement condition closest to the first measurement condition.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a correlation information storage portion configured to store correlation information of the second answer signal selected by the selection portion; and

an answer signal adjustment portion configured to adjusting the second answer signal to meet the first measurement condition on the basis of the correlation information.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a comparison information storage portion,

wherein information acquired from a computation result of the signal processing portion and information in the comparison information storage portion are compared in a comparison portion.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a stage configured to move a position of application of the terahertz wave relative to the object to be measured.

6. An inspection method by using a terahertz wave, the method comprising the steps of:

shaping a waveform serving as a first answer signal by detecting the terahertz wave applied to an object to be measured, the terahertz wave being detected through the object to be measured; and

acquiring a measurement condition,

wherein deconvolution with respect to the first answer signal is conducted by using a second answer signal corresponding to the acquired measurement condition.

7. The inspection method according to claim 6, wherein the deconvolution is conducted after the second answer signal is adjusted on the basis of the measurement condition.