Multi-modality with TDI sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12563316-B2
Application number	US-202418915931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2024
Priority date	Aug 9, 2024
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A TDI sensor may be a multi-mode TDI sensor. The multi-mode TDI sensor may include active pixel rows, inactive pixel rows, and a readout circuit. The active pixel rows and the inactive pixel rows may alternate in a sequence defining the number of modes for which the multi-mode TDI sensor is configured. The length to which the sample light is scanned before switching between the optical modes is based on a pixel length divided by the number of optical modes to synchronize the active and inactive rows with the optical modes. The active pixel rows may accumulate charge in response to receiving light. The charge may be transferred between the active pixel rows and the inactive pixel rows. The inactive pixel rows may buffer the charge before transferring the charge back to the active pixel rows for further accumulation. The readout circuit may readout the charge.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A multi-mode TDI sensor comprising:
a plurality of active pixel rows, wherein the plurality of active pixel rows are configured to accumulate charge based on sample light received by the plurality of active pixel rows; a plurality of inactive pixel rows, wherein the plurality of inactive pixel rows are configured to buffer the charge without accumulating additional of the charge in response to receiving the sample light, wherein the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows alternate in a sequence, wherein the sequence defines a plurality of optical modes for which the multi-mode TDI sensor is configured, wherein the charge is configured to transfer between the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows in the sequence; and a readout circuit, wherein the readout circuit is configured to readout the charge as separate images for each of the plurality of optical modes.

2 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 1 , wherein the multi-mode TDI sensor is configured for at least two optical modes.

3 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 2 , wherein the sequence is one of the plurality of active pixel rows followed by an integer number of the plurality of inactive pixel rows, where the integer number is the plurality of optical modes for which the multi-mode TDI sensor is configured minus one.

4 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 3 , wherein the multi-mode TDI sensor is a two-mode TDI sensor configured for two optical modes, wherein the sequence is one of the plurality of active pixel rows followed by one of the plurality of inactive pixel rows.

5 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 3 , wherein the multi-mode TDI sensor is a three-mode TDI sensor configured for three optical modes, wherein the sequence is one of the plurality of active pixel rows followed by two of the plurality of inactive pixel rows.

6 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 1 , wherein a last of the plurality of inactive pixel rows is configured to transfer the charge to the readout circuit.

7 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 1 , wherein the separate images are readout as lines which alternate between the plurality of optical modes according to the sequence.

8 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of active pixel rows each comprise a row of a plurality of active pixels, wherein the plurality of inactive pixel rows each comprise a row of a plurality of inactive pixels.

9 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 8 , wherein the sample light comprises a spectrum of at least one of one of an ultraviolet wavelength, a visible wavelength, or an infrared wavelength.

10 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of inactive pixels comprise a photodiode and an optical filter, wherein the optical filter makes inactive the plurality of inactive pixels.

11 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 10 , wherein the optical filter is an intermediate layer within the plurality of inactive pixels.

12 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 10 , wherein the optical filter is a mask formed over a top of the plurality of inactive pixels.

13 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 10 , wherein the optical filter is configured to filter the spectrum of the sample light.

14 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 10 , wherein the optical filter is configured to filter each wavelength for which the photodiode is configured to accumulate the charge.

15 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of active pixels and the plurality of inactive pixels comprise a photodiode, wherein the photodiode of the plurality of inactive pixels is configured to accumulate the charge within the spectrum, wherein the photodiode of the plurality of inactive pixels is not configured to accumulate the charge within the spectrum.

16 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 15 , wherein the sample light is visible light.

17 . The multi-mode TDI sensor of claim 1 , wherein the readout circuit is configured to generate a plurality of lines of the separate images, wherein the plurality of lines alternate in the sequence of the plurality of optical modes.

18 . An optical inspection system comprising:
at least one illumination source configured to generate illumination; a multi-mode TDI sensor comprising:
a plurality of active pixel rows, wherein the plurality of active pixel rows are configured to accumulate charge based on sample light received by the plurality of active pixel rows, wherein the sample light emanates from a sample in response to the illumination;
a plurality of inactive pixel rows, wherein the plurality of inactive pixel rows are configured to buffer the charge without accumulating additional of the charge in response to receiving the sample light, wherein the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows alternate in a sequence, wherein the sequence defines a plurality of optical modes for which the multi-mode TDI sensor is configured, wherein the charge is configured to transfer between the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows in the sequence; and
a readout circuit, wherein the readout circuit is configured to readout the charge as separate images for each of the plurality of optical modes, wherein the optical inspection system is configured to generate the separate images by scanning the sample with the illumination; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control a length to which the sample light is scanned before switching between the plurality of optical modes, wherein the length to which the sample light is scanned before switching between the plurality of optical modes is based on a pixel length divided by the plurality of optical modes.

19 . The optical inspection system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to:
cause the multi-mode TDI sensor to sequentially receive the sample light with the plurality of optical modes; accumulate the charge in the plurality of active pixel rows and transfer the charge between the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows of the multi-mode TDI sensor as the sample light is sequentially received; and readout the charge via the readout circuit.

20 . A method comprising:
causing a multi-mode TDI sensor to sequentially receive a sample light with a plurality of optical modes, wherein the multi-mode TDI sensor comprises a plurality of active pixel rows, wherein the plurality of active pixel rows are configured to accumulate charge based on the sample light received by the plurality of active pixel rows; a plurality of inactive pixel rows, wherein the plurality of inactive pixel rows are configured to buffer the charge without accumulating additional of the charge in response to receiving the sample light, wherein the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows alternate in a sequence, wherein the sequence defines the plurality of optical modes for which the multi-mode TDI sensor is configured, wherein the charge is configured to transfer between the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactive pixel rows in the sequence; and a readout circuit, wherein the readout circuit is configured to readout the charge as separate images for each of the plurality of optical modes; accumulating the charge in the plurality of active pixel rows and transferring the charge between the plurality of active pixel rows and the plurality of inactiv

Assignees

• Orbotech Ltd

Inventors

• Adler Avraham
• Ankry Avihay
• Matusovsky Mikhael

Classifications

• H04N25/768 Primary

  for time delay and integration [TDI] · CPC title

• G01N21/9501

  Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20) · CPC title

• H04N23/56 Primary

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N25/42

  by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode · CPC title

• H04N25/713

  Transfer or readout registers; Split readout registers or multiple readout registers · CPC title