Nanotronics, an innovator in AI-enhanced industrial inspection and
automation, announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 10,169,852,
expanding its Super-Resolution imaging portfolio. This proprietary
system identifies and classifies defects at lower resolutions than
traditional inspection microscopy, providing faster scan times and
enhanced throughput. The use of lower magnifications to identify defects
that are traditionally only visible at higher magnifications or with
specialized microscopes (e.g., Atomic Force Microscopy, Electron
Microscopy) simplifies the data-acquisition process and produces images
that are less susceptible to noise and focus-related artifacts. The
resulting whole-sample images produce greater detection confidence,
better yields, and speed time to market.
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The patent was granted just a month after Nanotronics was issued a
patent for automatic microscope focus, which uses two offset-focus
cameras to facilitate faster focusing.
“Tomorrow’s manufacturing processes require solutions that push beyond
the limits of traditional microscopy,” says Matthew Putman, Nanotronics
CEO and Cofounder. “Nanotronics is building a patent estate that
combines Super-Resolution inspection, robotics, and AI to give our
company further inroads into sectors such as quantum, next-generation
electronics, and genomics. The market for these sectors will continue to
expand.”
A single inspection system can have more than one objective, each with a
different resolving power. Higher resolution objectives capture more
detail but suffer decreased throughput due to smaller fields of view. By
combining lower resolution images with the aid of artificial
intelligence models, inspection platforms can synthesize higher
resolution images without sacrificing speed or accuracy.
In addition, while all optical inspection instruments are inherently
limited by natural phenomena, computationally created Super-Resolution
images can surpass the physical limitations of a given inspection
system, such as the Abbe limit.
“This invention offers a practical method to significantly accelerate
semiconductor-inspection workflow without sacrificing detection
accuracy,” explains Vadim Pinskiy, VP of R&D at Nanotronics. “The
approach integrates AI directly into the hardware to create a dynamic
process for acquisition and analysis.”
Manufacturers across every sector, from semiconductors and consumer
products to quantum sensors and medical diagnostic technologies, need to
inspect products, devices, and materials for uniformity and anomalies.
However, traditional inspection systems no longer meet the growing and
increasingly sophisticated needs of many of these sectors. Employing
artificial intelligence to enhance the resolution power of optical
inspection systems ultimately results in improved manufacturing
processes and yields.
About Nanotronics
Building on its legacy of revolutionizing optical inspection for the
most advanced manufacturers in nanotechnology, semiconductors,
aerospace, and health, Nanotronics is at the forefront of redefining
process control through artificial intelligence. Nanotronics accelerates
R&D into production, while reducing waste and footprint. To learn more
visit https://nanotronics.co.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this press release are forward looking as Nanotronics
continues to innovate and expand its patent portfolio. It most recently
filed a patent application for “Fluorescence Microscopy Inspection
Systems, Apparatus, and Methods,” which allows for the rapid detection,
classification, and analysis of faults in responsive materials.
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