{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9772297","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9772297","title":"Apparatus and methods for combined brightfield, darkfield, and photothermal inspection","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2015-02-10T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-09-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G01N","G01N","G01N","G01N","G01N"],"num_claims":13,"abstract":"Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting defects or reviewing defects in a semiconductor sample. The system has a brightfield (BF) module for directing a BF illumination beam onto a sample and detecting an output beam reflected from the sample in response to the BF illumination beam. The system has a modulated optical reflectance (MOR) module for directing a pump and probe beam to the sample and detecting a MOR output beam from the probe spot in response to the pump beam and the probe beam. The system includes a processor for analyzing the BF output beam from a plurality of BF spots to detect defects on a surface or near the surface of the sample and analyzing the MOR output beam from a plurality of probe spots to detect defects that are below the surface of the sample."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Apparatus and methods for combined brightfield, darkfield, and photothermal inspection","description":"Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting defects or reviewing defects in a semiconductor sample. The system has a brightfield (BF) module for directing a BF illumination beam onto a sample an","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9772297","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9772297","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Apparatus and methods for combined brightfield, darkfield, and photothermal inspection\" (US-9772297). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9772297","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9772297","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9772297","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T16:54:13.049Z"}