Microscopes locate hard-to-see defects

Louise Davis

Large samples, such as semiconductors, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays (FPDs), can be difficult to inspect, but the new Olympus MX63 and MX63L microscopes offer users the features, flexibility and ease of use to inspect large industrial samples quickly and easily.

Designed for precision inspections on electronic equipment, users can choose either the MX63 microscope for wafers up to 200 mm or the MX63L for wafers up to 300mm.

The microscopes’ modular design enables inspectors to choose the components that they need for their application.

Both microscopes are designed for cleanrooms and comply with SEMI S2/S8, CE and UL. All motorised components are housed in a shielded structure and the frame, tubes, breath shield and other parts are subjected to antistatic processing.

New features enable inspectors to do their jobs more efficiently. A long-life white LED illuminator provides consistent colour temperature for reliable image quality and accurate color reproduction.

Further enhancing the microscopes’ observation capabilities, the MX63 and MX63L microscopes are the first in the series to support Olympus’ MIX illumination.

MIX combines darkfield with another observation method such as brightfield, fluorescence or polarisation.

In many applications, MIX can help users view defects that are difficult to see using conventional microscopes.

The darkfield setting also has its own dedicated illumination that offers users a choice of four lighting patterns that can be rotated to better highlight the object being viewed.

For inspecting low-contrast samples, like bare wafers, a new focus aid feature helps protect the samples from contact with the objective lens.

The ergonomic microscopes offer simple-to-operate controls for fast setting adjustments.

The controls for changing the objective and adjusting the aperture stop are positioned low and in the front of the microscope, so users can keep looking through the eyepieces with their hands on the focusing knob while they are working.

The motorised nosepiece rotates quickly, decreasing time between inspections while also keeping the operator’s hands below the wafer, reducing the potential for contamination.