Dark-field inspection using a low-noise sensor
First Claim
1. A method of inspecting a sample using an image sensor and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the image sensor including multiple pixels disposed in at least one column and an output sensing node, the ADC being configured to convert analog output signals on said output sensing node into corresponding digital image data values, the method comprising:
- driving the image sensor such that a plurality of analog image data values are generated in the multiple pixels, each said analog image data value corresponding to a radiation portion directed onto said multiple pixels from a corresponding region of the sample, said driving including systematically transferring said analog image data values along said at least one column from said multiple pixels to said output sensing node while translating said sample relative to said image sensor such that each said analog image data value is shifted from a first said pixel to a second said pixel in said at least one column in coordination with said corresponding region of the sample, whereby said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion from said corresponding region during a first time period when said each analog image data value is in said first pixel, and said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion during a second time period when said each analog image data value is in said second pixel, and wherein said systematically transferring is performed such that said output sensing node stores charge values determined by said systematically transferred analog image data values and generates said analog output signals in accordance with said stored charge values, wherein driving the image sensor further includes periodically resetting the output sensing node to an initial charge value according to a reset clock signal; and
controlling the ADC to sequentially convert one or more of said analog output signals generated on said output sensing node into two or more said corresponding digital data values during each cycle of said reset clock signal.
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Abstract
An inspection system and methods in which analog image data values (charges) captured by an image sensor are binned (combined) before or while being transmitted as output signals on the image sensor'"'"'s output sensing nodes (floating diffusions), and in which an ADC is controlled to sequentially generate multiple corresponding digital image data values between each reset of the output sensing nodes. According to an output binning method, the image sensor is driven to sequentially transfer multiple charges onto the output sensing nodes between each reset, and the ADC is controlled to convert the incrementally increasing output signal after each charge is transferred onto the output sensing node. According to a multi-sampling method, multiple charges are vertically or horizontally binned (summed/combined) before being transferred onto the output sensing node, and the ADC samples each corresponding output signal multiple times. The output binning and multi-sampling methods may be combined.
186 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of inspecting a sample using an image sensor and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the image sensor including multiple pixels disposed in at least one column and an output sensing node, the ADC being configured to convert analog output signals on said output sensing node into corresponding digital image data values, the method comprising:
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driving the image sensor such that a plurality of analog image data values are generated in the multiple pixels, each said analog image data value corresponding to a radiation portion directed onto said multiple pixels from a corresponding region of the sample, said driving including systematically transferring said analog image data values along said at least one column from said multiple pixels to said output sensing node while translating said sample relative to said image sensor such that each said analog image data value is shifted from a first said pixel to a second said pixel in said at least one column in coordination with said corresponding region of the sample, whereby said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion from said corresponding region during a first time period when said each analog image data value is in said first pixel, and said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion during a second time period when said each analog image data value is in said second pixel, and wherein said systematically transferring is performed such that said output sensing node stores charge values determined by said systematically transferred analog image data values and generates said analog output signals in accordance with said stored charge values, wherein driving the image sensor further includes periodically resetting the output sensing node to an initial charge value according to a reset clock signal; and controlling the ADC to sequentially convert one or more of said analog output signals generated on said output sensing node into two or more said corresponding digital data values during each cycle of said reset clock signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of inspecting a sample, the method comprising:
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directing and focusing radiation onto the sample; receiving radiation from the sample and directing received radiation to an image sensor, the image sensor comprising at least a first pixel, a second pixel and an output sensing node; driving the image sensor such that analog image data values captured by the first and second pixels are sequentially transferred to the output sensing node in accordance with at least one first clock signal, said analog image data values being captured while translating said sample relative to said image sensor such that each said analog image data value is shifted from the first pixel to the second said pixel in coordination with a corresponding region of the sample, whereby said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion from said corresponding region during a first time period when said each analog image data value is in said first pixel, and said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion during a second time period when said each analog image data value is in said second pixel, and wherein said driving is performed such that the output sensing node is periodically reset in accordance with a reset clock signal, whereby a charge stored on the output sensing node incrementally increases with each sequentially transferred analog image data value; and generating digital image data values associated with the sample by controlling a converter to digitize an output signal generated by an associated said incrementally increasing charge stored on the output sensing node in accordance with a second clock signal such that at least two digital image data values are generated between each periodic reset of the output sensing node. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for inspecting a sample, the system comprising:
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an illumination source; an imaging device comprising an image sensor including a plurality of pixels disposed in at least one column and at least one output sensing node; optics configured to direct light from the illumination source to the sample, and to direct light from the sample to the imaging apparatus; at least one Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) configured to generate digital image data values by digitizing corresponding output signals generated on said at least one output sensing node; at least one Digital Signal Processor (DSP) configured to receive and evaluate said digital image data values; a stage configured to facilitate translation of the sample relative to the optics; and a digital control device configured to generate clock, reset and control signals utilized to drive the image sensor, the ADC and the DSP in coordination with translation of said sample by said stage such that; a plurality of analog image data values are generated in the multiple pixels, each said analog image data value corresponding to a radiation portion directed from a corresponding region of the sample, wherein each said analog image data value is shifted from a first said pixel to a second said pixel in said at least one column in coordination with translation of said corresponding region of the sample, whereby said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion from said corresponding region during a first time period when said each analog image data value is in said first pixel, and said each analog image data value is influenced by said corresponding radiation portion during a second time period when said each analog image data value is in said second pixel; said analog image data values are systematically transferred from said multiple pixels to said output sensing node in accordance with at least one first clock signal; said output sensing node stores charge values determined by said systematically transferred analog image data values and generates said analog output signals in accordance with said stored charge values; said output sensing node is periodically reset to an initial value according to a reset clock signal; and the ADC generates at least two digital image data values between each periodic reset of the output sensing node. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A system for inspecting a sample, the system comprising:
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an illumination source; an imaging device comprising an image sensor including a plurality of pixels and at least one output sensing node; optics configured to direct light from the illumination source to the sample, and to direct light from the sample to the imaging apparatus; at least one Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) configured to generate digital image data values by digitizing corresponding output signals generated on said at least one output sensing node; at least one Digital Signal Processor (DSP) configured to receive and evaluate said digital image data values; a digital control device configured to generate clock, reset and control signals utilized to drive the image sensor, the ADC and the DSP such that; a plurality of analog image data values are generated in the multiple pixels, each said analog image data value corresponding to a radiation portion directed onto said multiple pixels from a corresponding region of the sample; said analog image data values are systematically transferred from said multiple pixels to said output sensing node in accordance with at least one first clock signal; said output sensing node generates said analog output signals in accordance with one or more of said plurality of analog image data values; said output sensing node is periodically reset to an initial value according to a reset clock signal; and the ADC generates at least two digital image data values between each periodic reset of the output sensing node, wherein the DSP is configured to measure an amplitude of background signals by evaluating the output signals accumulated at said at least one output node for a plurality of pixels read out in between reset operations; and wherein the digital control logic is configured to vary the reset clock signal, based on feedback signals received from the DSP, to change the number of said digital image data values generated between each periodic reset of the output sensing node.
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21. A system for inspecting a sample, the system comprising:
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an illumination source; an imaging device comprising an image sensor including a plurality of pixels and at least one output sensing node; optics configured to direct light from the illumination source to the sample, and to direct light from the sample to the imaging apparatus; at least one Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) configured to generate digital image data values by digitizing corresponding output signals generated on said at least one output sensing node; at least one Digital Signal Processor (DSP) configured to receive and evaluate said digital image data values; a digital control device configured to generate clock, reset and control signals utilized to drive the image sensor, the ADC and the DSP such that; a plurality of analog image data values are generated in the multiple pixels, each said analog image data value corresponding to a radiation portion directed onto said multiple pixels from a corresponding region of the sample; said analog image data values are systematically transferred from said multiple pixels to said output sensing node in accordance with at least one first clock signal; said output sensing node generates said analog output signals in accordance with one or more of said plurality of analog image data values; said output sensing node is periodically reset to an initial value according to a reset clock signal; and the ADC generates at least two digital image data values between each periodic reset of the output sensing node, wherein the DSP is configured to count the occurrences of signals of interest above said background signals within a plurality of pixels read out in between reset operations; and wherein the digital control logic is configured to vary the reset clock signal, based on said count received from the DSP, to change the number of said digital image data values generated between each periodic reset of the output sensing node.
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Specification