Inspection apparatus and inspection method using the same

Abstract

An inspection method includes: irradiating light through a prism to an inspection object; scanning an inspection region of the inspection object using a photographing unit; receiving, by the photographing unit, reflected light that is reflected from the inspection object; converting the reflected light received by the photographing unit into an intensity of light; and detecting a defect of the inspection object by comparing a thickness of the inspection object corresponding to the intensity of the light with a predetermined thickness of the inspection object. Therefore, the encapsulation layer is inspected before post-processes of cells or the module process, such that the yield and productivity of the OLED device can be improved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inspection method, comprising:
 irradiating light through a prism to an inspection object;   scanning an inspection region of the inspection object using a photographing unit;   receiving, by the photographing unit, reflected light that is reflected from the inspection object;   converting the reflected light received by the photographing unit into an intensity of light; and   detecting a defect of the inspection object by comparing a thickness of the inspection object corresponding to the intensity of the light with a predetermined thickness of the inspection object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 separating the light from a light source into spectra by the prism;   reflecting the separated light toward the inspection object by a mirror; and   passing the reflected light from the inspection object through the mirror.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a wavelength of the light from the light source is within a range from 400 nm to 900 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mirror includes a half-mirror. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the photographing unit comprises a line scan camera. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting a defect of the inspection object is performed while a different inspection region of the inspection object is scanned. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inspection object includes an encapsulation layer of an organic light-emitting panel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inspection object includes a transparent film of an organic light-emitting panel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  or  claim 8 , wherein the inspection method is implemented prior to post-processes of the organic light-emitting panel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the irradiating light to the inspection object further includes irradiating the light through a lens irradiating the light through above or below the mirror. 
     
     
         11 . An inspection apparatus, comprising:
 an optical inspection unit including:
 a prism configured to separate light emitted from a light source into spectra; 
 a mirror configured to reflect the separated light toward an inspection object; 
 a photographing unit configured to receive a reflected light that is reflected from the inspection object, and to convert the reflected light into an intensity of light; and 
 a detection unit configured to detect a defect of the inspection object by comparing a thickness of the inspection object corresponding to the intensity of the light with a predetermined thickness of the inspection object. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a wavelength of the light emitted from the light source is within a range from 400 nm to 900 nm. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the mirror includes a half-mirror. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the mirror includes an angle adjusting unit. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the inspection object includes an encapsulation layer of an organic light-emitting panel. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the encapsulation layer includes a particle cover layer. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the inspection object includes a transparent film of an organic light-emitting panel. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the photographing unit includes a line scan camera and displays a color image. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: an alignment camera configured to align the inspection object with the optical inspection unit. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: an auto focusing unit configured to adjust focus of the optical inspection unit with respect to the inspection object when the optical inspection unit moves along an inspection region of the inspection object. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: a lens having a pixel number corresponding to a number of pixels of the photographing unit. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the detection unit converts the intensity of the light into the thickness of the inspection object corresponding to the intensity of the light. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of any one of  claim 15  to  claim 17 , wherein the inspection apparatus is disposed prior to a device for post-processes of the organic light-emitting panel.