Patent ID: 7634365

Claim:
A system for inspection of a component having a surface with the component undergoing processing to enable providing a commercial product comprising: a sample stage for receiving a component; a drive system to move the component; a contact potential difference sensor system including a non-vibrating contact potential difference probe and a vibrating contact potential difference probe; the non-vibrating contact potential difference probe generating a relative contact potential difference signal characteristic of at least one of contaminants and physical defects at the surface of the component as a result of a change in the contact potential difference, the relative contact potential difference signal generated by relative motion of the non-vibrating contact potential difference probe and the component; the vibrating contact potential difference probe generating an absolute contact potential difference signal characteristic of at least one of the contaminants and the physical defects at the surface of the component, the absolute contact potential difference signal generated by the vibration of the vibrating contact potential difference probe while positioned over a point on the component; and a computer system in communication with the contact potential difference sensor system, the computer system processing the relative contact potential difference signal and the absolute contact potential difference signal to inspect the surface of the component and provide analytical information about at least one of the contaminants and the physical defects of the surface of the component, thereby enabling quality control of the component enabling its use in the commercial product.