Patent ID: 7280197

Claim:
A wafer edge inspection apparatus configured to be mounted proximal the edge region of a wafer, said wafer being oriented in an xy plane, said edge region including a first edge subregion comprising a top edge surface; a second edge subregion comprising a bottom edge surface; a third edge subregion comprising a top bevel surface; a fourth edge subregion comprising a bottom bevel surface; and a fifth edge subregion comprising an apex surface, said apparatus comprising: at least one illumination source positioned to illuminate a portion of each of a plurality of said edge subregions of said wafer; at least one camera, said camera including a linear sensor array on a single line-scan sensor, said linear sensor array having a center, said linear sensor array being oriented substantially perpendicular to said xy plane of said wafer in the z-direction, said linear sensor array having sensor surfaces with their centers substantially normal to a first radial line including the center of said wafer and said linear sensor array; at least one optical element positioned to direct a piecewise projected image of said portion of each of a plurality of said edge subregions of said wafer onto said single line-scan sensor of said camera, said image including multiple image sections, each said image section being directed through a separate optical path to said single line-scan sensor of said camera; and a computer connected to said camera configured to form an image of said plurality of edge subregions of said wafer.