Article edge inspection

Abstract

Provided herein is an apparatus, including a photon emitter and a photon detector array. The photon emitter is configured to emit photons onto an entire surface edge of an article. The photon detector array is configured to receive scattered photons from the entire surface edge of the article, and includes a number of photon detectors. The scattered photons are photons emitted from the photon emitter that are scattered from features of the surface edge of the article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a photon emitter configured to emit photons onto an entire surface edge of an article; and   a photon detector array configured to receive scattered photons from the entire surface edge of the article, wherein
 the photon detector array comprises a plurality of photon detectors, and 
 the scattered photons are photons emitted from the photon emitter that are scattered from features of the surface edge of the article. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the photon emitter is further configured to emit photons on a surface portion of the article adjacent to a data storage area of the article. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a mapping means for mapping the features of the surface edges of the article based on the scattered photons, wherein the apparatus is configured to characterize the features of the surface edges of the article by analyzing the scattered photons received at the plurality of photon detectors. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the mapping means is operable to characterize the features as particles or defects. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the mapping means is configured to map the locations of the features. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the photon detector array further comprises a telecentric lens larger than the article. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the photon emitter is configured to emit monochromatic light onto the surface edges of the article. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a plurality of point light sources configured to emit photons onto an article; and   a photon detector array configured to receive scattered photons from an edge of the article, wherein
 the photon detector array comprises a plurality of pixel sensors, and 
 the scattered photons are photons emitted from the plurality of point light sources that are scattered from features along the edge of the article. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the photon detector array is further configured to receive scattered photons from the entire edge of the article in less than a second. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of point light sources comprises five or more point light sources. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of point light sources is configured as a ring. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the photon detector array comprises at least one million pixel sensors. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a mapping means for mapping the features based on the scattered photons received at the photon detector array. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the mapping means is further configured to map one or more defects in the surface edges of the article. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a light source configured to provide light onto a surface edge of an article; and   a detector configured to detect scattered light from particles or defects along the surface edge of the article, wherein the detector is larger than the article.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises a pixel sensor no more than 10 μm in the smallest dimension. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the light source is configured to emit monochromatic light on the surface edge of the article. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the light source is a two dimensional light source. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the light source is a flash lamp. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the light source is configured to emit monochromatic parallel light.