Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A system for forming x-ray images, comprising:a source of x-rays;a mount for holding an object;a scintillator that absorbs x-rays and emits visible photons;an optical system that forms a magnified image of the scintillator; anda means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals; in whichthe emission of x-rays occurs from a spot with a diameter greater than 10 micrometers formed by the collision of an electron beam with an anode; andthe ratio of the spot size of the x-ray source and the resolution of the optical system is greater than 20. 2. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe ratio of the spot size of the x-ray source and the resolution of the optical system is greater than 100. 3. The imaging system of claim 1, additionally comprisinga means of recording of the electronic signals. 4. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe scintillator is mounted on a substrate. 5. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe scintillator is mounted on a prism. 6. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe scintillator comprises LuAG. 7. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD). 8. The imaging system of claim 3, additionally comprisinga system controller that controlsthe motion of the mount for holding an object andthe means of recording of the electronic signals corresponding to the magnified image of the emitted photons. 9. The imaging system of claim 8, in whichthe system controller also controlsthe properties of the x-ray source andthe properties of the optical system. 10. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichan object is placed in the mount for holding an object. 11. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe thickness of the scintillator is less than 50 micrometers. 12. The imaging system of claim 10, in whichthe object is selected from the group consisting of:a silicon interposer, a silicon dioxide interposer, an integrated circuit,a printed circuit board, a 3D IC package, a 2.5D IC package, anda multi-chip-module. 13. The imaging system of claim 10, in whichthe object comprises through-silicon vias. 14. The imaging system of claim 10, in whichthe object comprises solder bumps. 15. The imaging system of claim 10, in whichthe angle of the x-rays relative to the object can be adjusted. 16. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe energy spectrum of the x-rays can be adjusted. 17. The imaging system of claim 1, in whichthe optical system comprises a microscope objective. 18. A system for forming x-ray images, comprising:a source of x-rays;a mount for holding an object;a scintillator that absorbs x-rays and emits visible photons;an optical system that forms a magnified image of the scintillator; anda means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals; and in whichan object is placed in the mount for holding an object; and in whichthe distance between the scintillator and the object is less than 1 mm. 19. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe scintillator assembly and the object are in contact. 20. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe distance between the scintillator and the object is less than 100 micrometers. 21. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe emission of x-rays occurs from a spotformed by the collision of an electron beam with an anode; andthe ratio of the spot size of the x-ray source and the resolution of the optical system is greater than 20. 22. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe scintillator is mounted on a substrate. 23. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe scintillator is mounted on a prism. 24. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe scintillator comprises LuAG. 25. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD). 26. The imaging system of claim 18, additionally comprising:a means of recording of the electronic signals; anda system controller that controlsthe motion of the mount for holding an object andthe means of recording of the electronic signals corresponding to the magnified image of the emitted photons. 27. The imaging system of claim 26, in whichthe system controller also controlsthe properties of the x-ray source andthe properties of the optical system. 28. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe thickness of the scintillator is less than 50 micrometers. 29. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe object is selected from the group consisting ofa silicon interposer, a silicon dioxide interposer, an integrated circuit,a printed circuit board, a 3D IC package, a 2.5D IC package, and a multi-chip-module. 30. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe object comprises through-silicon vias. 31. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe object comprises solder bumps. 32. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe angle of the x-rays relative to the object can be adjusted. 33. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe energy spectrum of the x-rays can be adjusted. 34. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe optical system comprises a microscope objective. 35. The imaging system of claim 18, in whichthe optical system has an optical axis; and additionally comprisinga means for adjusting the position of the source of x-rayssuch that the source spot of the x-ray emitter within the source of x-rays is not on the optical axis. 36. A method for conducting metrology of an object, comprising:selecting an object for measurement;forming at least one image of the object using the system comprising:a source of x-rays;a mount for holding an object;a scintillator that absorbs x-rays and emits visible photons;an optical system that forms a magnified image of the scintillator;a means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals; anda means of storing the electronic signals corresponding to the image;analyzing the electronic signals corresponding to the image with a predetermined recipe;determining at least one physical dimension for the object; anddisplaying the at least one physical dimension. 37. A method for conducting inspection of an object, comprising:selecting an object for inspection;forming at least one image of the object using the system comprising:a source of x-rays;a mount for holding an object;a scintillator that absorbs x-rays and emits visible photons;an optical system that forms a magnified image of the scintillator;a means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals; anda means of storing the electronic signals corresponding to the image;analyzing the electronic signals corresponding to the image with a predetermined recipe for identification of defects; anddisplaying the results of the defect analysis. 38. A system for forming x-ray images, comprising:a source of x-rays;a means for positioning an object to be illuminated by x-rays from the x-ray source;a scintillator that absorbs x-rays and emits visible photons;an optical system that forms a magnified image of the scintillator; anda means of converting the magnified image of the emitted photons into electronic signals; and in whichthe optical system has an optical axis; and additionally comprisinga means for adjusting the position of the source of x-rayssuch that the source spot of the x-ray emitter within the source of x-rays is not on the optical axis of the optical system. 39. The imaging system of claim 38, in whichthe emission of x-rays occurs from a spotformed by the collision of an electron beam with an anode; andthe ratio of the spot size of the x-ray source and the resolution of the optical system is greater than 20. 40. The imaging system of claim 38, in whichthe scintillator is mounted on a substrate. 41. The imaging system of claim 38, in whichthe thickness of the scintillator is less than 50 micrometers. 42. The imaging system of claim 38, in whichthe angle of the x-rays relative to the object can be adjusted. 43. The imaging system of claim 38, in whichthe optical system comprises a microscope objective.