Enhanced ultra-high resolution acoustic microscope
First Claim
1. An opto-acoustic transducer structure, comprising:
- at least one metal or semiconducting film in which a part of a pump light pulse is absorbed to generate a sound wave;
a surface through which the generated sound wave exits the transducer structure and is launched towards a sample, and further through which a sound wave returning from the sample is collected and enters the transducer structure; and
at least one dielectric film;
wherein thicknesses and optical properties of the at least one metal or semiconducting film and the at least one dielectric film are selected so that the returning sound wave results in a measurable change in an optical reflectivity and/or some other optical characteristic of the transducer structure; and
further wherein the sound wave that is launched towards the sample through the surface has a substantially planar wave front.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical-acoustic transducer structure includes at least one metal or semiconducting film in which a part of a pump light pulse is absorbed to generate a sound pulse; and at least one dielectric film. The thicknesses and optical properties of the at least one metal or semiconducting film and the at least one dielectric film are selected so that a returning sound pulse results in a measurable change in the optical reflectivity and/or some other optical characteristic of the transducer structure. The transducer structure includes a resonant cavity, and an output surface that is shaped so as to provide no significant focusing of generated sound waves when the sound waves are launched towards a surface of the sample.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. An opto-acoustic transducer structure, comprising:
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at least one metal or semiconducting film in which a part of a pump light pulse is absorbed to generate a sound wave; a surface through which the generated sound wave exits the transducer structure and is launched towards a sample, and further through which a sound wave returning from the sample is collected and enters the transducer structure; and at least one dielectric film; wherein thicknesses and optical properties of the at least one metal or semiconducting film and the at least one dielectric film are selected so that the returning sound wave results in a measurable change in an optical reflectivity and/or some other optical characteristic of the transducer structure; and further wherein the sound wave that is launched towards the sample through the surface has a substantially planar wave front.
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2. An opto-acoustic transducer assembly comprising:
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a substrate having a top surface, for receiving a pump light and a probe light, and a bottom surface; and a transducer structure coupled to the bottom surface, said transducer structure comprising an optical cavity and configured to generate sound waves in response to the pump light, said transducer structure having an output surface configured to direct the generated sound waves towards a sample and to collect sound waves returning from the sample, and said output surface being shaped so as to provide no significant focusing of the generated sound waves when the sound waves are launched towards a surface of the sample. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An opto-acoustic transducer assembly comprising:
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a substrate having a top surface, for receiving a pump light and a probe light, and a bottom surface; and a transducer structure coupled to the bottom surface, said transducer structure comprising an optical cavity and configured to generate sound waves in response to the pump light, said transducer structure having an output surface configured to direct the generated sound waves towards a sample and to collect sound waves returning from the sample, and said output surface being shaped so as to provide no significant focusing of the generated sound waves when the sound waves are launched towards a surface of the sample, wherein the surface of the sample is characterized by a presence of at least one feature disposed at some vertical distance above or below a surface of at least one other feature, and further wherein said transducer assembly is configured to generate a detection signal that indicates the vertical distance. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A processing system, comprising:
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a process controller; a plurality of process stations implementing a process flow on a structure under direction of the process controller; and at least one opto-acoustic microscope system coupled to the process controller and operable for determining at least one characteristic of a surface of the structure, said opto-acoustic microscope comprising a transducer assembly that comprises a substrate having a top surface, for receiving a pump light and a probe light, and a bottom surface; and a transducer body coupled to the bottom surface, said transducer body comprising an optical cavity and configured to generate sound waves in response to the pump light, said transducer body having an output surface configured to direct the generated sound waves towards the surface of the structure and to collect sound waves returning from the surface of the structure, and said output surface shaped so as to provide no significant focusing of the generated sound waves when the sound waves are launched towards the surface of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method comprising:
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applying a pulse of a pump light to an opto-acoustic transducer structure comprising an optical cavity; generating a pulse of acoustic energy within the transducer structure in response to the pulse of the pump light; directing the pulse of acoustic energy from the transducer structure towards a surface of a sample, the directed pulse having a substantially planar wave front; receiving, in the transducer structure, at least a portion of acoustic energy returning back from the surface; applying a pulse of a probe light to the transducer structure; detecting, in cooperation with the optical cavity, the received acoustic energy through a change in at least one characteristic of the probe light; and in response to the detecting, determining at least one characteristic of the surface of the sample. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification